The potential US TikTok ban has sparked significant discussion across the media landscape, raising questions about the future of platforms like TikTok.

Many self-described “TikTok refugees” have begun to flee to alternative social media sites. As we know, social platforms rise and fall over time (RIP Myspace), but RedNote skyrocketed to the top of the US free app charts overnight in response to the TikTok Ban.

This shift raises critical questions for advertisers, education marketers and universities that have invested in TikTok. 

How will they adapt their media plans and budgets? What alternative platforms will effectively reach their target audiences? How will they navigate the uncertainty while maintaining brand visibility and engagement?

What is Rednote? 


RedNote (known as Xiaohongshu in China and Little Redbook/Redbook globally), is a social media platform and is a visual storytelling powerhouse. Founded in 2013, it now boasts over 300 million active users monthly. RedNote combines e-commerce, blending elements of Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. 

It’s not new for us to talk about a social platform, such as TikTok, to be the new “search engine”. But Google remained Google, and TikTok didn’t entirely replace it. However, in China, RedNote has become the go-to search engine, surpassing even Google. This shift speaks volumes about the platform's influence.

So, what does this shift mean for Higher Education Marketers? First, let’s look at what the app actually does.

Key differences from TikTok include:

  • Focus on quality over virality: RedNote prioritises authentic storytelling and high-quality, engaging content over TikTok's short-lived trends.
  • User-Driven Discovery: Unlike TikTok where videos are directly served to users, in most cases, on RedNote, users decide if they want to click on a post or not. This shift in "impression" counting emphasizes organic discovery and genuine interest.
  • Community-Driven: The platform fosters a sense of community and encourages genuine interactions. The more interactive you are, the higher chance your post will be given to reach wider audiences. 
  • Decentralised Algorithm: Even smaller accounts can gain significant visibility if they produce valuable content, making it friendly to newcomers and niche creators. Vice versa, a huge follower base is meaningless if someone’s content is or becomes of poor quality - they will get few opportunities to be seen because RedNote will think it’s not relevant. 

What does this mean for Higher Education Marketers?

Well, don't panic and delete your TikTok accounts just yet. 

For users who already have TikTok installed, it will not disappear from their phones. However, it is likely that the app will no longer be available for download from app stores. We are therefore expecting no immediate significant impact on live activity. 

Whilst, RedNote advertising is available geotargeting is only available for mainland China. However, there are a few targeting options, including interest-based targeting, that enable us to target all users, including those who are based in the US and UK. 

Plus, the political landscape surrounding TikTok is dynamic, with the new President expressing support for the app. This introduces an element of uncertainty and may influence future policy decisions regarding the ban.

The rise of RedNote presents both opportunities and challenges

It is also important to note that RedNote is a content-heavy channel. So, the first step would be to work on organic content before stepping into advertising. 

  • New Audience Reach: Tap into a potentially large and engaged audience, particularly among younger and diversified demographics.  
  • Language barrier: RedNote is primarily a Chinese-speaking platform but now sees bilingual and even multilingual content. AI powered translation tools will become the centre of the show. 
  • Content Strategy: Adapt your content to align with RedNote's focus on high quality copy, authentic storytelling and community engagement.  
  • Risk of Censorship: Users have already reported shadowbanning of politically sensitive content, which could impact user experience and content visibility.

What are Net Natives doing?

Navigating unexpected shifts in the social media landscape is what our Native experts do best! 

We are currently running ads and managing the organic social media content for our clients on RedNote to target Chinese audiences. 

Our partnership with NYU Shanghai streamline their lead generation across five major Chinese social media channels including RedNote. By integrating our custom conversion tracking dashboard with their CRM, we provided a single point of truth for all leads, empowering the university to efficiently nurture and convert prospective students. Our relationship with the platform will enable us to help our clients face this rapid shift. 

Gif of NYU shanghai campaign

For clients with TikTok campaigns scheduled to end within the next 30 days, your dedicated Account Manager will be in contact with you. We’ll be diligently monitoring campaign delivery and performance throughout this period. We have been maintaining close communication with TikTok, who have advised that the best approach for now is to continue activity as normal

Should the current restrictions on TikTok continue, we’ll strategically reallocate your budget to alternative, high-performing channels. Simultaneously, we will actively explore and test the effectiveness of emerging media platforms to identify the best opportunities for reaching your target audience.


Speak to our experts to learn how Net Natives can help you achieve your marketing goals.