BEIJING – Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu has been Ms Eldrida Yeong’s constant companion as she navigates her way around the kitchen.
A week ago, as the 26-year-old senior programme executive was planning to make a tomato beef short rib stew, the Singaporean looked up 10 recipes on the Instagram-like photo- and video-sharing app before adapting them for her own dish.
“Xiaohongshu users seem to just be blogging their thoughts; there’s a more authentic vibe as compared with TikTok and Instagram,” said Ms Yeong, who has been an avid user since 2021.
“As part of the Chinese diaspora, it’s interesting to connect – though we are not China Chinese, it’s interesting to think about how back then my ancestors did come from this country,” she added.
Like her, other users in Singapore have been drawn in big numbers to Chinese social media apps, in particular Xiaohongshu and Douyin, in the last five years, following the Covid-19 pandemic that saw people with more time on their hands turn towards the content-rich apps.
Topics such as beauty, fashion, lifestyle, travel and food have scored with Singaporeans, while users have lauded these apps’ effective algorithms for pushing relevant content.
When asked, Xiaohongshu, which means “little red book” in Chinese, said it could not provide figures on its user base, but a marketing company based in Singapore that utilises the app estimates there are about 600,000 users in the Republic.
The number of active users globally is now estimated to be at least 300 million, with Singapore, Malaysia and Japan among its top overseas markets, according to digital marketing agency MediaOne.
In Singapore, the user demographic is about 80 per cent female, and largely from the 18 to 35 age group, said Ms June Goh, chief operating officer at MediaOne, citing market research.
Young Singaporeans comfortable in Chinese are tapping these apps’ ability to bring together functions from Instagram, Pinterest and Google as they seek to keep updated with Chinese trends, products and entertainment.
One passionate fan is Ms Zhang Zhi Xuan, 28, who catches up daily on behind-the-scenes clips of her favourite Chinese dramas on Xiaohongshu, while also scrolling through memes of cartoon beaver Zanmang Loopy, a favourite among young Chinese who love its sassy personality.
She began using the app two years ago on the recommendation of a friend. “Xiaohongshu is now among my most used social media apps, about the same as Instagram,” she noted.
“Close to no one” in Singapore was using the app before the pandemic, said Deren Marketing director Lou Peng, though it launched in 2013.
Originally a shopping and product-review platform, the app has since become an all-encompassing lifestyle and e-commerce one.
While the privately held Shanghai start-up has not disclosed its earnings, the Financial Times reported in March that it generated US$500 million (S$680 million) in net profit in 2023 on revenues of US$3.7 billion, citing sources.
Another app gaining popularity in Singapore is Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. Meant for the Chinese market, it cannot be downloaded through app stores outside China.
But that has not stopped users like communications professional Emily Goh from finding a way to access it through a direct file download.
The 27-year-old downloaded Douyin in August 2018 – before TikTok was popular – after being told about the app by a friend who used it for “light-hearted content” such as comedic skits and Chinese jokes related to the local culture.
When the pandemic hit, she found herself “sucked into its black hole”, indulging in woodworking videos, do-it-yourself content and live streams of people eating.
When asked if Douyin tracks statistics of overseas users, its spokesperson said only that the app is not available for download in app stores outside China.
The waves of Singaporeans on Xiaohongshu and Douyin have spurred local influencers and businesses to jump on board.
Mr Marcus Goh, 30, founder of FoodStamp.SG, started a Xiaohongshu account for his business in June 2023. He was previously on only Facebook, where he has 36,000 followers, and Instagram, on which he has 25,000 followers.
“Xiaohongshu users will search when they need something, as compared with Facebook and Instagram, where users have to be persuaded. Their purchasing power is even stronger,” he said.
Another benefit of the app is that a user does not need a sizeable number of followers for a large reach, added Mr Goh. The FoodStamp.SG account, which recommends food spots in Singapore, has 9,200 followers, but more than 60,000 likes and each post has over 10,000 views, he noted.
“This is a good chance for small to medium-sized enterprises to get on it; since not many businesses are on the app yet, you can have first-mover advantage and benefits.”
Influencers and businesses are also hoping to reach the China market through these apps.
YouTuber sisters Tiffanie and Michy Lim, both in their 20s, started their channel TiffwithMi five years ago and have garnered more than 700,000 subscribers. They started posting actively on Xiaohongshu recently, while their shared Douyin account has 40,000 followers.
While their YouTube and Instagram followers are largely in Singapore and Malaysia, Ms Michy Lim said the pair want to expand to China as the Singapore market is small.
They have more targeted content on Douyin, where they upload shorter, funny lifestyle videos.
Mr Melvin Lim, chief executive and co-founder of real estate firm PropertyLimBrothers, said it started its Xiaohongshu and Douyin accounts in 2022, to reach Chinese buyers looking for properties in Singapore.
It now produces videos specifically for Xiaohongshu users, rather than using the same content from its Instagram account, he added.
“Over the last few years, Chinese audiences looking for real estate have increased, so we want to reach them as they may not be on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok as they cannot access them in China,” Mr Lim said.
The majority of its Xiaohongshu and Douyin views come from Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, he noted.
“It’s a bit of a long game for marketing strategy, since they are not in Singapore, but we thought it is worth putting some resources there,” he added.
But it is not all smooth sailing for the Chinese social media apps. TikTok, the international version of ByteDance’s short-form video app, has been facing headwinds in other parts of the world. Chinese-owned ByteDance is Douyin’s parent company.
The US Senate just passed a Bill giving TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, about nine months to divest of the US assets of the short-video app, or face a nationwide ban, following worries that the Chinese government could tap TikTok’s trove of personal data.
Countries such as Australia and Britain have banned TikTok from government staff devices amid cyber-security concerns, while Canada has ordered a national security review of the app after implementing a similar ban on phones.
In Singapore, these apps are among the likely factors that have contributed to Singaporeans’ favourable view of China, said Dr Terence Lee, a professor of politics and communication at the Sheridan Institute of Higher Education in Perth, Australia.
He cited a 2021 study by American think-tank Pew Research Centre, where the Republic stood out in the region as the only country with a favourable disposition on China.
“This presents a problem because being an outlier on global China sentiments makes Singapore an attractive place for the Chinese government to exert greater influence (so it can spiral),” he said.
On whether these apps contribute to China’s soft power, MediaOne chief executive Tom Koh pointed out that the notion of what was considered beauty, art or quality entertainment used to be very Hollywood-centric but is increasingly becoming more North Asian.
“Korea is leading with Japan a distant third, but China at second is closing the gap. These notions are changing due to these platforms,” he said.
Xiaohongshu is certainly a good fit for Ms Joelle Fong, 45, who likes the user-verified nutritious recipes and workout videos.
“I can see users comment on whether a particular exercise worked for them and these reviews feel more genuine on Xiaohongshu,” said the spine surgeon who now uses the app more than Facebook and Instagram.
Popular Chinese social media apps
- Launched in 2011 by Tencent
- Headquartered in Shenzhen
- Estimated total monthly active users: 1.3 billion
WeChat began as a simple messenger app a la WhatsApp. It has since grown to become a social media platform and is one of China’s most frequently used mobile payment apps as the country moves towards becoming cashless.
- Launched in 2009 by Sina Corporation
- Headquartered in Beijing
- Estimated total monthly active users: 600 million
A microblogging service akin to X, formerly known as Twitter, Weibo is where many personalities, brands and organisations set up official accounts to reach followers.
Xiaohongshu
- Launched in 2013
- Headquartered in Shanghai
- Estimated total monthly active users: 300 million
Meant to be a place for users to share product reviews, Xiaohongshu has more recently been called China’s answer to Instagram. It covers a range of lifestyle topics from travel to beauty, and allows users to share photos and videos with lengthy captions.
Douyin
- Launched in 2016 by ByteDance
- Headquartered in Beijing
- Estimated total monthly active users: 750 million
The video-sharing app is known for short clips of light-hearted content such as viral dances or challenges, food plus beauty and make-up recommendations. It has since expanded to e-commerce.
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2024-04-24 11:05:00Z
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