E-commerce and social platform REDnote also goes by the names of Xiaohongshu (XHS) and RED.
Still, whatever you choose to call it, with 120+ million daily users, and blending the features of Instagram, Pinterest, and an online shop, there’s a good chance you have heard (or are already a fan) of China’s premier lifestyle app.
From a marketing and advertising perspective, REDnote provides a golden opportunity for B2C brands to attract more users; however, the platform is strict about how you convert your followers, so turning users into customers outside the platform is where things can get a bit tricky.
We often get frustrated questions from our clients like: “Can’t I send my official website URL via a private message?” and “Why can’t I use my official website as the landing page for REDnote advertising?”
This is not an issue unique to REDnote.
Sadly, not all Chinese social platforms allow this type of external conversion of users so more often than not, it may seem like everything starts and ends within these platforms.
At first glance, this might seem like a dead end, but not all hope is lost.
The good news is that things changed for the better after January 7th with the introduction of REDnote’s private messaging module. This new feature allows accounts to set up a customized menu to share contact info with followers officially.
Private Messaging Module
From January 7, 2025, the private messaging module (私信获客工具) will become the only designated method for businesses on REDnote to exchange contact information with users.
The following information can be shared :
- Personal WeChat ID
- Phone number
- WeCom (企业微信)
- Links to posts
One critical piece of information before we begin: You must verify your account to use the private messaging module.
As a verified company account (denoted by the blue tick next to the account’s name), you used to be able to send your salesperson’s WeChat or WeChat Official Account ID to your users, using some subtle changes.
For example, the term “VX” in place of “WeChat”—or placing the words onto an image—meant the message would not disappear into the system. REDnote users were familiar with this approach and understood exactly what VX referred to; however, after the first week of January, this was no longer possible.
REDnote provides examples of two user journeys to show you how brands can share their contact information with followers after January 7th.
The first example:
- The users see your post via REDnote advertising or their news feed flow.
- They send private messages to your account.
- Your customer support team sends the form to collect their info.
- They click to fill in the form.
The second example:
- The users see your post via REDnote advertising or their news feed flow.
- They send private messages to your account.
- Your contact info is on the menu, or your customer support team can send a contact info card.
- They copy and add your personal WeChat.
Besides this contact info (personal WeChat ID, phone number, and WeCom), you can add a popular post to the menu or include one to help you finish the conversion.
Sharing Contact Information with Users
Let’s examine a private messaging module set up by Nanjing Marketing Group.
We have the contact info on the menu, including a personal WeChat account, phone number, and a post so users can learn more about the brand.
In the past, as a verified personal sales account, we had to use “V” in place of “WeChat”.
Users can copy and paste the WeChat card into their WeChat app to search for the account.
Clicking on the phone icon will reveal the contact phone number for the user to call.
The final option is “know more” (了解更多), and clicking on this will forward the user to the post.
Below is the contact form for the user to complete.
Companies can see the tracking results from the account backend, but it’s often unclear how many people added the WeChat account or called the phone number provided. However, we can check the REDnote backend data to see when the user copied and pasted the contact information or made a phone call.
Contact Us
As you can see, REDnote’s private messaging module is a win-win for brands and their account followers or fans. Businesses that have not yet set up the feature are encouraged to do so and get up to speed with how it works.
- The advantage for users: They can conveniently find and contact company salespersons, book meetings, or request free products, and the pre-stored information allows them to fill out forms easily.
- The advantages for brands: It’s a big improvement in the user journey because they don’t need to worry if your contact info has disappeared into the system. Furthermore, the brand can tell if the leads are from ads or organic posts.
Remember: You must have an account with a blue verification “V” or you can’t take advantage of the private messaging module. Platform moderators may block or remove an unverified account that sends users its contact information.
Do you want to explore what REDnote marketing could look like for your brand?