Mainland Chinese travelers and the growing population of “Gangpiao (港漂)”, i.e. mainland ‘drifters’ who come to Hong Kong to work or study, present a major opportunity for Hong Kong businesses to tap into and capture sales. However, with competition fierce for attracting visitors, how can you ensure your brand stands out?
The answer may lie within Xiaohongshu. As China’s leading social commerce platform, the “Little Red Book” connects over 260 million monthly active users with engaging content and great deals. In this article, we’ll first explore:
Xiaohongshu’s massive mainland user demographics and behaviors
The growing population of local Hong Kong Xiaohongshu users and “Gangpiao”
Armed with these insights, we’ll then cover Xiaohongshu strategies like Xiaohongshu content seeding and Little Red Book KOL partnerships to pique interest from Chinese tourists and Gangpiao exploring Hong Kong.
Cracking the Audience Profile: Xiaohongshu’s Young Influential Community
To truly connect on Xiaohongshu, you need to understand who its users are. The app enjoys over 260 million monthly active users, primarily Gen Z and Millennials. Approximately 70% of this expansive community are female users actively seeking inspiration and recommendations.
They also exhibit strong purchasing power, with nearly half based in thriving Tier 1-2 cities across China. Armed with insider local knowledge and deep pockets, these urban users are always seeking fresh recommendations worth their spending.
Hong Kong Businesses Well-Positioned to Surf the Mainland Tourism Wave
With a staggering 23+ million mainland Chinese tourists visiting Hong Kong between January to November 2023, local businesses have a significant opportunity to tap into this influx. As Xiaohongshu is their go-to guidebook for travel and shopping inspiration, it’s the prime platform to market directly to these inbound Chinese tourists.
Leverage the opportunity of these socially connected explorers to deepen impressions of your brand and what makes Hong Kong a destination that continually captures their wanderlust. With an optimized Xiaohongshu presence, Hong Kong businesses are well-positioned to capture the tourism opportunity.
Reaching Gangpiao and Local Xiaohongshu Users Beyond Chinese Tourists
While inbound tourism presents huge opportunities, Xiaohongshu equally allows Hong Kong businesses to engage local Xiaohongshu communities. Already over 2 million people call the platform home in Hong Kong as it facilitates city discovery and trends.
A valuable subset within this homegrown crowd is “Gangpiao”—approximately 300K mainland drifters residing in the city long-term for study, work, or residence. As Hong Kong increasingly draws such border-blurring individuals, these digitally-driven decision-makers uniquely bridge cultures.
Constantly leveraging Xiaohongshu to uncover fresh neighborhoods, experiences, and go-to local brands, Gangpiao fuels discovery for their mainland networks too. By tailoring compelling content aligned with their interests, preferences, and lived-in local mindsets, Hong Kong businesses can seamlessly tap this growing gateway group, expanding their reach.
Leveraging Xiaohongshu Marketing to Engage Chinese Tourists and Gangpiao
To truly connect with both inbound Chinese tourists and resident Xiaohongshu users like Gangpiao, an integrated Xiaohongshu marketing strategy and Little Red Book KOL collaboration are key.
Inspiring Chinese Tourists’ Wanderlust through Xiaohongshu
With a lineup of major events priming Hong Kong’s 2024 calendar to stoke curiosity, local brands have a prime chance to welcome this valuable flow.
Tip 1. Xiaohongshu content seeding through Xiaohongshu KOLs:
Partner with popular Xiaohongshu KOLs in the travel niche and provide Xiaohongshu content seeding products/experiences for them to create organic content about brands and Hong Kong destinations. This helps gain exposure to their large follower base.
Tip 2. Drive viral campaigns and generate leads:
Leverage Xiaohongshu to drive viral campaigns targeting Chinese tourists with promo codes. Generate leads and capture contacts from click traffic on contact forms, H5 pages, and landing pages for future re-targeting and conversion into leads and customers.
Engaging the Hong Kong Xiaohongshu Users, especially the Gangpiao
To effectively reach Hong Kong’s Xiaohongshu community, especially the valuable Gangpiao, consider the following strategies:
Tip 1. Partnerships with Chinese Gangpiao influencers:
Collaborate with Chinese influencers living in Hong Kong to promote your brand and offerings to the Gangpiao audience. Through Xiaohongshu content seeding, these Xiaohongshu KOC influencers can create content that resonates with their peers and provide authentic recommendations that drive engagement and conversions.
Tip 2. Tailored content about unique experiences and shopping opportunities:
Create content that highlights the unique experiences and shopping opportunities in Hong Kong, catering specifically to the interests and preferences of Gangpiao. This can include showcasing local hidden gems, insider shopping tips, and personalized recommendations that align with their aspirations as mainland drifters.
Elevate Your Sales Through Xiaohongshu Marketing with New Digital Noise
As China’s social commerce landscape evolves rapidly, staying ahead of shifting dynamics requires specialized knowledge and expertise. The New Digital Noise’ team understands Xiaohongshu’s nuances and how to optimize the platform effectively for brands.
Through proven experience in Xiaohongshu content marketing, collaborating with top Little Red Book KOLs, and executing innovative Xiaohongshu content seeding activations, we amplify visibility and trust in your brand on the app. Our customized solutions drive invaluable awareness, engagement, and real-world results.
Partner with our Xiaohongshu marketing strategists to navigate changes and tap into new opportunities. Leverage our insights that come from deep app analysis and a cultural understanding of Chinese consumer behavior. Unlock Xiaohongshu’s full potential for your business through our integrated solutions tailored to your goals. Contact us to discuss customized solutions optimized for your brand today.
