How do you use Xiaohongshu (小红书) to market a Singapore business?

Short answer: set up a verified business (professional) account, then post useful notes that answer what people search for, like "新加坡 [your service] 推荐". Work with small, real creators (KOCs) before paying big ones, and label every paid post clearly. Give it a few months: Xiaohongshu rewards steady, helpful posting more than one viral hit.

Written 24 October 2026, sources checked 26 October 2026. Platform rules change, so we date this guide and link our sources.

Who's on Xiaohongshu in Singapore?

Honest answer: we couldn't find an official count of Singapore users, so we won't make one up. Be careful of guides that quote one without a source.

What we can say from public reports:

1. In May 2026, Xiaohongshu Business announced a strategic cooperation (reported as an MOU) with the Singapore Tourism Board, built around how Chinese travellers now plan trips abroad.
2. Xiaohongshu opened a Singapore office at Guoco Tower in October 2026, as reported by Lianhe Zaobao.
3. Users outside China grew sharply in early 2025. Rest of World, citing Sensor Tower, reported about 8 million daily users outside China at the January 2025 peak.

In practice, the people you'll reach here are Chinese-speaking: Singaporeans who use the app, new residents and students from China, and tourists planning a trip. If your customers are in that group, Xiaohongshu is worth a serious look. Food, beauty, aesthetics, tuition, property, travel and retail tend to fit well.

Personal vs professional account

Xiaohongshu has personal accounts and professional accounts (专业号). A business should use an enterprise professional account, which carries a blue V badge once verified.

From what's been reported in 2026:

1. Verification asks for business registration documents and an authorised operator. Reports describe either face recognition of the legal representative or a corporate bank transfer check.
2. A March 2026 guide for Hong Kong merchants lists a certification review fee of RMB 600 paid to a third-party reviewer, renewed yearly, and mainland Chinese guides from mid-2026 quote the same RMB 600. We haven't confirmed the fee for Singapore companies, so check in the app before you apply.
3. You apply in the app through the Creator Centre, then the Professional Account Centre.

Don't buy a "ready-made" verified account. In June 2026, Chinese media reported sellers getting blue V badges for accounts using false documents, and Xiaohongshu said it would re-check its finance-related blue V accounts.

What is a note?

A note (笔记) is the basic post: photos or a short video, a title and text. Think of each note as a tiny search result. A good note has:

1. A clear cover image with a few words of text on it.
2. A title people would type, for example "新加坡东部好吃的海南鸡饭" instead of "Our new menu".
3. Real, useful detail: prices, location, what to order, how to book, honest pros and cons.
4. Relevant tags so the note shows up in search.

People search on Xiaohongshu like they search on Google

This is the big difference from Instagram. Xiaohongshu's own data, as reported by IT之家 in December 2024, showed about 70% of monthly active users search on the app, and about one in three open it to search first.

So plan your notes around questions. List 20 searches your customers might type in Chinese, like "新加坡 牙医 推荐", "新加坡 补习 中心" or "樟宜机场 附近 酒店". Search them yourself, see what comes up, and write notes that answer them better.

KOC vs KOL

KOL (key opinion leader): a creator with a big following. Great reach, higher cost, and their audience may not be in Singapore.

KOC (key opinion consumer): a regular user with a smaller following who posts honest experiences. Cheaper, often more trusted, and easier to find locally.

For most Singapore SMEs, we suggest starting with several KOCs who actually live here and fit your customer, then trying a KOL once you know what works.

Rules on labelling ads

This part matters. Get it wrong and your posts can be held back.

1. Xiaohongshu's own rules. Paid brand and creator deals are meant to go through 蒲公英 (Pugongying, the official creator collaboration platform), and those notes carry a visible brand label. In 2022, Xiaohongshu brought in a points system that penalises brands for marketing outside the rules, from warnings up to traffic limits and a temporary ban.
2. China's advertising law. China's Internet Advertising Measures, in force since 1 May 2023, say that experience-sharing or review content that promotes a product and includes a way to buy (like a shopping link) must be clearly marked "广告".
3. Singapore's code. ASAS's Guidelines on Interactive Marketing Communication and Social Media, in force since 2016, expect sponsored posts to be clearly disclosed and to reflect the creator's genuine views.

Clinics, property agents and other regulated businesses have extra Singapore rules on top. Check those before you post.

Simple rule: if you paid, gifted or gave a discount for a post, label it. That's the safe way to go.

Your first month on Xiaohongshu

1. Week 1: set up. Apply for an enterprise professional account. Write a clear bio in Chinese: what you do, where you are in Singapore, how to contact you. Make your list of 20 searches.
2. Week 2: first notes. Post three notes that answer your top searches. Use your own photos, not stock images.
3. Week 3: keep going. Post three more. Reply to every comment. Look at which notes get saved (收藏), since saves show the note is useful.
4. Week 4: first creators. Reach out to two or three Singapore-based KOCs whose posts fit your brand. Agree on clear labelling. Review what worked and plan month two.

Three posts a week is a realistic start for a small team. Steady beats bursts.

Want help? Tell us about your brand and we'll send an itemised quote within 48 hours. We'll also tell you honestly if the platform isn't a fit for your customers.

Quick answers

Can a Singapore company open a Xiaohongshu business account? Yes, through an enterprise professional account with business documents. Check the current document list and fee in the app, since reports describe them for other regions.

Do I need to post in Chinese? Mostly, yes. The search terms people use are in Chinese. Some English is fine for a bilingual audience.

Is Xiaohongshu good for every business? No. It works when your customers are Chinese-speaking residents, students or visitors. If they aren't, spend your budget elsewhere.

Do I have to label paid posts? Yes. Xiaohongshu's own rules, China's ad rules and Singapore's ASAS guidelines all expect paid content to be clearly disclosed.

Sources

1. ANTARA / PR Newswire: Xiaohongshu signs MOU with Singapore Tourism Board (19 May 2026) (checked 26 Oct 2026)
2. RecordOwl: Xiaohongshu (RedNote) opens Guoco Tower office, citing Lianhe Zaobao (checked 26 Oct 2026)
3. Rest of World: Xiaohongshu expands overseas (2025) (checked 26 Oct 2026)
4. IT之家: fake blue V accounts on Xiaohongshu (3 Jun 2026) (checked 26 Oct 2026)
5. Aspire: How to open a Xiaohongshu shop, guide for HK/overseas brands (11 Mar 2026) (checked 26 Oct 2026)
6. IT之家: Xiaohongshu search behaviour data (13 Dec 2024) (checked 26 Oct 2026)
7. 36Kr: Xiaohongshu brand violation points rules and 蒲公英 (Aug 2022) (checked 26 Oct 2026)
8. China News: Internet Advertising Measures, effective 1 May 2023 (checked 26 Oct 2026)
9. ASAS: Guidelines on Interactive Marketing Communication and Social Media (checked 26 Oct 2026)
10. Marketing-Interactive: what ASAS's digital and social media guidelines require (checked 26 Oct 2026)
11. 账号帮: 小红书专业号怎么认证？入口、费用、材料（2026） (checked 26 Oct 2026)
12. Xiaohongshu official: 小红书企业号认证申请指南 (PDF, older fee/overseas rules) (checked 26 Oct 2026)