In today’s digital marketing landscape, search behavior has become a key driver of Chinese consumer decision-making. Nowadays, data shows that Xiaohongshu has more than 350 million monthly active Chinese users, with 70% regularly engaging in search behavior and over 85% of these searches being proactive.
Search is rapidly becoming one of the primary ways Chinese users interact with the platform. Because search traffic often appears at the moment when Chinese consumers are close to making a purchasing decision, it carries significant commercial value. In this sense, Xiaohongshu’s search traffic represents an undervalued commercial opportunity. Businesses that aim to grow in Xiaohongshu should therefore pay close attention to how they structure and optimize their search presence.
Recently, I reviewed Xiaohongshu’s newly released “DEEP Search Strategy” and found that it introduces several differences compared to the previous generation. This article summarizes the key ideas and insights. Feel free to read and share it with colleagues who are working on Xiaohongshu-related marketing strategies.
The DEEP Search Marketing Strategy is built around four key steps: Divide, Essential, Expand, and Potential. It focuses on using keyword planning and search engine optimization to deliver high-quality content to a brand’s Chines target audience with greater precision. The goal is to achieve more effective positioning and acquire high-intent traffic from Chinese users.
Merchants can combine Juguang’s “keyword search” tools with Qiangua’s “hot word recommendations” to analyze trending Chinese keywords and optimize their search strategies.
The first step is word segmentation, which aims to categorize Chinese user search terms into different types, such as brand keywords, scenario keywords, and efficacy-related keywords. By organizing these terms, brands can build a comprehensive keyword matrix and combine it with reverse-funnel audience targeting, enabling more precise and effective outreach in the Chinese market.
Unlike on Taobao, Chinese users who search for brand or product keywords on Xiaohongshu are often not yet familiar with the brand. They typically search to learn more about the brand’s key selling points, user reviews, and overall credibility.
In paid search advertising, brand keyword searches can generate conversion rates up to 20 times higher than category keywords, making this group one of the most valuable sources of potential new Chinese customers.
For this reason, Xiaohongshu should be treated as a critical platform for brand keyword optimization. Regardless of how Chinese users first hear about a brand, those who are unfamiliar with it often turn to Xiaohongshu to research and verify information.
To capture this high-intent audience, brands should clearly communicate their core messages through popular brand-related posts (“notes”), helping users quickly understand the brand’s value through consistent content and ongoing education.
At the same time, brands must closely monitor public sentiment around brand-related search results within the Chinese market. If a brand has already built a strong positive presence on Xiaohongshu, future campaigns can focus more on driving conversions.
However, if negative sentiment appears in search results, it can significantly damage brand perception. Because Xiaohongshu strongly influences Chinese consumer purchase decisions, even small negative signals may impact sales across multiple channels.
Therefore, brands should regularly monitor brand keyword discussions, track negative content, respond through customer service when necessary, and report malicious or misleading posts. Effective reputation management helps prevent small issues from escalating into larger public opinion risks in the Chinese digital ecosystem.
To market effectively on Xiaohongshu, brands must understand Chinese user intent at different search stages.
When Chinese users search for category or industry keywords, about 90% already have a general need. They come to Xiaohongshu to explore what is currently popular, what others recommend, and which products are gaining attention in that category.
To attract these Chinese users, brands should focus on high-quality, informative posts (“notes”) that provide useful insights and authentic recommendations, rather than aggressively promoting product features.
Tip: If the top search results for a core keyword are not yet dominated by high-traffic posts, it indicates a valuable opportunity. Brands should quickly create optimized content to capture visibility and establish an early advantage in that keyword space.
Brands can leverage tools such as collaboration codes to work with KOCs and smaller creators in a compliant way. This approach reduces the risk of policy violations while allowing brands to deploy a large number of posts from amateur bloggers to capture search traffic.
Although organic reach from small creators is not as strong as it was a few years ago, brands can still build a low-cost KOC content matrix to expand visibility and cover more search keywords.
KOCs and ordinary users with 0–1,000 followers can generally be categorized into three levels:
For small and medium-sized brands, it is often difficult to compete directly in highly competitive, high-demand categories. Instead, they should focus on identifying niche Chinese audience segments and targeting less competitive keywords for consistent outreach.
These “blue ocean” niche keywords typically share several characteristics:
For example, during keyword analysis, Xigua Makers found that targeting mothers in the Chinese education and training sector was highly competitive and expensive. However, the hashtag #DadsTakingCareOfChildren had already accumulated 8.3 billion views, revealing a large but underexplored audience.
The brand therefore focused on dominating the keyword “Dads Taking Care of Children.” Within six months, this strategy helped Xigua Makers achieve the highest search penetration rate in its category on the platform.
The real value of blue ocean keywords does not lie in high traffic volume, but in their untapped potential across multiple usage scenarios and Chinese audience segments.
After identifying a niche audience, brands can further expand traffic by analyzing user pain points in the comment sections and refining their keyword strategy.
For example, in a case study with a toothpaste brand, we observed frequent questions such as “Can it help with gum bleeding?” and “Does it improve bad breath?”. Based on these insights, we added efficacy-related keywords like “reduces gum bleeding,” “relieves sensitivity,” and “prevents cavities.”
We also introduced scenario-based and long-tail keywords, such as “fresh breath for dates” and “travel-friendly oral care,” into vlog-style and informational posts. As a result, the brand’s search traffic increased by 37%.
By carefully refining keywords based on real Chinese user concerns, brands can not only attract Chinese users who are actively looking for solutions but also reach hidden demand segments, expanding their audience within the Chinese market beyond their existing customer base.
Once small and medium-sized brands gain a certain level of brand awareness, the next step is to strengthen trust and retain core Chinese customers.
Many Chinese users at this stage are repeat Chinese customers who have already purchased and used the brand’s products. They may follow the brand’s official accounts or communities and already have a basic level of trust. For these users, simple product recommendations are no longer necessary.
Instead, brands can focus on brand and product keyword promotion to accurately reach these high-intent users.
For example, Chinese users who search for specific luxury brand names on Xiaohongshu are usually already familiar with the brand and have a clear purchase intention. By targeting these highly relevant keyword searches, brands can directly capture Chinese users who are closest to making a purchase decision.
In addition, brands should build trust-driven content to strengthen their presence on the first page of search results. This can be achieved through a combination of authentic user experiences, word-of-mouth reviews, and credible product endorsements. By consistently optimizing SEO and increasing high-quality trust content, search traffic can gradually become a long-term trust asset for the brand.
For small and medium-sized businesses, the key to capturing search traffic is establishing strong brand recognition at critical points in the user’s decision-making journey. When a brand’s keyword matrix becomes the main reference point for a specific niche demand, traffic will naturally shift from actively chasing users to naturally attracting them.
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