Chinese Generation Z consumers can accomplish their entire shopping journey on Xiaohongshu (小紅書, RedNote), from searching for restaurants and travel destinations to checking government AI policies and demographic data. Just a few years ago, they would have started their searches on Baidu.
The reason is simple: Xiaohongshu is fast and user-friendly. When users input a search term on Baidu, they often receive a long list of government announcements and related articles, requiring them to open multiple pages to find the necessary information. In contrast, Xiaohongshu presents content where someone has already summarized the key points, often in a table format. Users can easily find content that visually represents regional statistics on a single map.
Until a few years ago, Xiaohongshu was commonly referred to as the 'Chinese Instagram,' a platform for discovering beautiful cafes, travel spots, and product reviews in cosmetics and fashion. It was more about discovery than search, focusing on personal tastes and aesthetics.
However, by 2026, this description no longer suffices. The scope of searches on Xiaohongshu has significantly expanded. Currently, the platform boasts 350 million monthly active users, with about 70% utilizing its search function. A 2025 survey revealed that 55.1% of users cited 'information acquisition' as their primary reason for using Xiaohongshu, surpassing 'shopping and consumption' (41.78%) and 'learning new knowledge' (42.35%). Information acquisition has overtaken shopping as the main purpose.
AI has played a role in this transformation. Previously, compiling numerous data into tables or maps required considerable time and expertise. Now, thanks to AI, even non-experts can easily organize information in a professional manner. This year, Xiaohongshu introduced AI content management principles, showcasing visually organized content as a desirable application of AI.
However, just because information is visually appealing does not guarantee its accuracy. Unverified statistics presented in convincing tables can be easily accepted as facts. Nevertheless, the reason people turn to Xiaohongshu is clear: they can quickly access answers that someone else has already organized.
As a result, users may feel that the boundaries between Instagram and Google are gradually disappearing within a single app. The journey of discovering what to wear or where to go has expanded to include searching for information and verifying others' experiences and knowledge. The range of possibilities within one app has increased significantly.
It remains uncertain how much of Baidu's role Xiaohongshu will take on in the future. Internationally, it is even compared to Google. A global marketing firm has described this shift as moving from 'Googling' to 'Xiaohongshu-ing.'
In search, the quantity of information is not the only important factor; the speed at which users can find the answers they need is also crucial. While Baidu requires users to sift through materials, Xiaohongshu allows them to encounter answers that someone has already found and organized. The steps to reach an answer are shorter, which is why users are increasingly opening Xiaohongshu before Baidu.
- Choi Yeo-jin, CEO of MaxValue Capital, PhD candidate in International Communication at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
* This article has been translated by AI.
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