From "Guide" to "Community": What Xiaohongshu’s New Slogan Tells Us About the Future of Content and Brands
- Double V
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 17
Earlier in July, Xiaohongshu quietly changed its slogan—from “Your Life Guide” (你的生活指南) to “Your Life Interest Community” (你的生活兴趣社区). It may seem subtle, but this shift tells us a lot about the platform’s evolving identity and where it’s heading next.
As marketers, content creators, and brand builders, we need to pay attention.
🔁 From Guide to Community: Passive Browsing → Active Participation
The old slogan positioned Xiaohongshu as a practical guide - a place to discover useful tips on skincare, travel, or home organizing. This “guide” identity was aligned with Xiaohongshu’s strength as a searchable, informative platform.
But today, the emphasis is shifting from what you can learn to how you participate.
The word “community” puts UGC (user-generated content) and peer-to-peer sharing at the center. It encourages users not just to consume, but to create, interact, and co-build their own version of Xiaohongshu.
In other words, Xiaohongshu no longer wants to be just a guide. It wants to be your digital neighborhood.
🎯 Why “Interest” Matters: Stronger Circles, Smaller Niches
The second key change is the word “interest” (兴趣). It’s not just a linguistic update, but reflects a deeper strategic intent.
By emphasizing “interest”, Xiaohongshu is doubling down on vertical communities, niche hobbies, and personalized content circles. From coffee lovers to camping dads, from Gen Z therapists to hyper-specific fashion subcultures, the goal is clear:
Build communities so engaging that users don’t just visit - they belong.
This move also reveals a classic tension in platform growth: how do you scale without alienating your early adopters?
By pushing “interest-based communities”, Xiaohongshu is trying to expand into a more mainstream user base while keeping its original depth and stickiness alive.
🤔 But here are my concerns：
1. Interest Circles = Filter Bubbles?
While the idea of “interest circles” makes sense for engagement and retention, it also raises a real concern: will Xiaohongshu’s algorithm trap users deeper into filter bubbles?
We noticed that many users are already frustrated by seeing “too much of the same”. Hashtags like #BreakTheFilterBubble and #TheTrumanShow are gaining traction as people actively try to escape echo chambers.
When everything becomes hyper-personalized, how can platforms (and brands) ensure discovery still happens? Will cross-circle content still have a chance to surface?
2. Is Xiaohongshu Becoming a Mix of WeChat Moments + Douyin?
This slogan change also hints at something broader: a hybrid model.
Like WeChat Moments, Xiaohongshu wants users to feel close, to build trust-based micro communities. Like Douyin, it still relies on algorithmic push, interest tags, and short-form visual appeal.
The slogan change is not a total pivot - it’s a combination. And it signals a future where personal interest + social interaction + content creation merge more tightly.
💡 What This Means for Brands?
If you're building on Xiaohongshu, this update should change how you think about content:
Stop trying to appeal to everyone.
Mass messaging feels out of place in an “interest-based community”. Focus on micro-audiences. Know their language, their needs, their in-jokes.
Forget perfection, embrace authenticity.
Polished, studio-shot videos might not perform as well as relatable, lo-fi content that speaks directly to a niche audience. Xiaohongshu is leaning toward "real" over "refined."
Don’t just push. Join!
Brands need to act more like community members and less like broadcasters. Participate in discussions, reply to comments, feature UGC, and collaborate with creators inside niche circles.
Balance short-term interest with long-term identity.
Yes, target interests. But don’t lose sight of your core brand story. In a platform of communities, your story is what helps users carry your brand across circles, and remember it beyond one post.
Xiaohongshu’s new slogan isn’t just branding. It’s a signal. As the platform grows beyond its original user base, it’s reimagining itself as a constellation of communities, not a one-way information feed. And that means brands can’t just “target”, they have to belong.
So ask yourself: Are you showing up on Xiaohongshu as a broadcaster… or as a neighbor?
If you're interested in learning more about how we can assist your brand in understanding and connecting with Chinese consumers, don't hesitate to reach out here.
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