Xiaohongshu wields ‘grassplanting’ power | WARC | The Feed
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Xiaohongshu wields ‘grassplanting’ power
Xiaohongshu, the Chinese app which describes itself as a ‘lifestyle bible’, continues to attract brands thanks to its ‘grassplanting’ appeal.
Why it matters
Zhongcao means ‘planting grass’ and is Chinese internet slang for the experience of seeing a product owned by others and immediately wanting it too. It’s a trend that preceded livestream shopping and that is still relevant on a platform like Xiaohongshu, which has successfully fused social media and e-commerce.
In fact, the model has proved so successful it’s been copied by TikTok owner ByteDance and launched overseas: the Lemon8 app was soft launched in the US and UK earlier this year and is reported to be paying creators to post on it.
Takeaways
- Xiaohongshu presents an idealised urban lifestyle, covering everything from skincare routines and weekend brunches to foreign holidays. It’s the “ the go-to guide on how to live better by buying more”, according to Rest of World.
- Xiaohongshu has 200 million monthly active users, with around 70% being women under the age of 30. Around half its users come from first- and second-tier cities.
- For many of these users, Xiaohongshu is their primary search engine.
- Some observers are concerned about the level of expectations and consumerism being generated by influencers.
- An expanding user base has meant communities have formed around interests other than just shopping.
Key quote
“At first, Xiaohongshu was about showing off a privileged life, and making everyone else want that. As more creators join, they are bringing new hobbies and styles to the app” – Luo Kai, co-founder of Shanghai-based influencer agency Tomatogo.
Sourced from Rest of World, Gizmodo
[Image: Xiaohongshu]
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