How to Successfully Market Education on Xiaohongshu?

Want to market your education app on Xiaohongshu? This guide dives into the intricacies of education-related content on the social media platform, taking you through the demographics, top search keywords, and best practices for educational brands aiming to grow on Xiaohongshu. Let’s start with some context before getting into the ways to market.

Why is Xiaohongshu the Perfect Place to Market Education Apps?

According to the 2024 Xiaohongshu Search Promotion Whitepaper, education-related search traffic on the platform has surged by 173%. Further, search intention in education has climbed to the fifth spot in daily search rankings across all categories on Xiaohongshu.

What’s more, 68% of children’s education users and 53% of adult education users prefer Xiaohongshu as their go-to platform for reading about education-related topics. Such users treat Xiaohongshu as a guide for self-development and engage deeply: on average, such users read 8% more notes, spend 13% more time browsing, and spend eight seconds longer on each note than the norm.These numbers indicate that Xiaohongshu has become a potential ground for educational brands to compete for attention. Understanding how to capture this search traffic is crucial for businesses in the education sector to grow.

Who Is Interested in Education-Related Topics?

Let’s look closely at the typical demographics of a Xiaohongshu user interested in education, with data from Xiaohongshu’s February Education Industry Report.

For children’s education:

• Female users account for over 90%.
• Such users tend to be adults over 28 years of age, often new moms interested in starting to educate their children.
• They live in first and second-tier cities.
• More than 61% of the search queries are intended for children aged 1 to 6 years old.

Adult education：

• There are more female users than male users, but the difference is insignificant.
• More than 60% of the users are aged between 23 to 32.
• The geographic distribution is pretty even in terms of city tiers.

What Are the Top Search Keywords in Education?

The top education-related search keywords cover a range of topics, from story and picture books to career planning and studying abroad.

Language learning receives a high search volume in both children’s and adult education. This shows that parents are actively seeking language lessons to lay the foundation for their children’s second language learning, while young adults are increasingly interested in learning a second or even third language for various purposes.

The popular language learning app Duolingo also sought to expand its presence in the Chinese market and has successfully garnered nearly tens of millions of exposures on Xiaohongshu, in collaboration with Nativex.

Breaking down into the children’s education sector, competition is moderate, suggesting an abundance of opportunities, with top searched keywords including “stories,” “children’s songs,” and “learning to read.”

While the market for educational toys and learning machines sees fewer brand entries, terms related to children’s learning machines and children’s programming classes have a high average cost per click (CPC) and are facing increasing competition.

In the adult education sector, keywords related to postgraduate entrance exams, English learning, and side jobs attract high search volumes. Topics related to studying abroad are highly competitive, with relevant keywords seeing high average CPC and significant ad deliveries.

On the other hand, keywords associated with specific career training programs, such as genga (原画 げんが, a Japanese term for key animation) and broadcasting, have relatively lower search volumes, indicating potential growth opportunities in less obvious niches.

Best Practice Notes for Education

In this section, we provide practical tips for creating standout notes for brands in the education business. (“Notes” is a term for posts in the Xiaohongshu community).

We’ll differentiate between children’s and adult education here, with an emphasis on adult education that leans more toward popular topics in vocational, or skill development training.

For language education, we also focus on adult learners due to their growing interest in learning new languages for professional and personal development.

Children’s Education

Cover Image

• Consider adding keywords or phrases to your cover image. For example, you can directly emphasize the target age group, highlight common pain points, or mention the product name to draw attention.
• It is vital to tailor the message to the age you target. Phrases like “I can,” “together,” or “basic English for kids” can be applied to products or materials for young learners; and terms like “high efficiency” and “must-haves” appeal to older students.
• Another good method is to feature chosen KOLs in your image, incorporating popular children’s song titles or common parental questions to pique interest and drive click-through rates.

Title

• Titles should align with the cover image and clearly articulate how your offering addresses specific pain points.
• For example, keywords like “solutions for moms struggling with English,” or “efficient vocabulary building for elementary school English” directly align with parents’ search intentions, increasing their interest in reading the content.
• Using questions can also be effective. Prompts such as “What Do Kids Learn in Elementary Science?” can spark curiosity, inviting parents to dive into the notes for answers, and even nurture interest in your offering.

Influencer Marketing

• With KOL marketing, your KOLs can start their notes by addressing common concerns, such as how to start educating kids in various subjects and situations.
• After that, KOLs explain how a particular offering can address these issues, combined with genuine experiences from their children, to enhance credibility and appeal of endorsement.
• Highlight key benefits, with phrases like “self-care skills” or “independence” to resonate with parents aiming to develop their child’s initiative. Terms like “learning through play” alleviate parents’ concerns about the complexity of the product.

Vocational Education

Cover Image

• Users searching for vocational education either have a particular career path in mind or are exploring options with promising job prospects.
• Considering the common concern about age, highlighting with phrases like “It’s never too late to learn [subject]” on the cover.
• Pictures showcasing timelines or organized notes in company with phrases like “exam prep essentials” can also engage peers preparing for the same exams.
• Interestingly, phrases like “don’t study [subject]” or “why you shouldn’t study [subject]” can be very well-received; people are always curious about the reasons and want to click in and find out.

Title

• There’s a growing trend of titles like “If you start preparing from [month]” to grab the attention of users preparing for the exams. Such titles often include specific timelines, helping exam takers plan their study hours and assess if they can cover all the material.
• Titles including “exam prep tips” and “online course recommendations” are almost always effective, as they prompt users to click through for more details.

Influencer Marketing

• Ad copy can begin with the KOL sharing their personal perspective on a subject or emphasizing the future career prospects associated with the subject.
• Following this, your influencer can guide readers on the effective approach to study the subject, while subtly highlighting the material’s selling points.
• Additionally, KOLs can provide a basic overview of the certification exam, including timelines, study materials, and strategies for exam preparation. In the concluding paragraph, KOLs can incorporate a call-to-action, inviting users to reach out via direct message for further inquiries or to acquire study materials.

Language Learning

Cover Image

• People search for language learning for various reasons, such as school exams, work requirements, and study-abroad opportunities — know what resonates best with your campaign goals.
• Using study materials or collage pictures as background coupled with phrases that clearly indicate the purpose, like “postgraduate English exams,” or “enhancing English skills in the workplace” can directly attract the target audience.
• Highlighting pain points with phrases like “avoid ineffective cramming” and eye-catching statements like “pass exam in just two months” also draw users in to read further.

Title

• The rationale behind creating titles is consistent: directly calling out the target group or highlighting their pain points or needs. For example, a title like “Slow Progress in Exam Prep?” taps into the user’s challenges; similarly, “noob-proof tips and tricks for effective study” indicates the note is packed with practical materials, aligning with the users’ search intention.

Influencer Marketing

• There are several ways to start the copy to cater to different scenarios. For general language learning or preparing for language exams, KOLs can highlight issues with learning progress or share their exam prep experiences, then introduce solutions and detailed study plans, emphasizing the required materials.
• Phrases like “double the results with half the effort,” “it’s not too late,” and “efficient study methods” can directly resonate with users’ concerns and encourage them to take action, such as enrolling in courses or purchasing study materials.
• For those aiming to enhance their language skills for work, the note can place language learning in specific workplace contexts, addressing workplace-related pain points with solutions, and guiding readers on how to access courses to enhance the likelihood of conversion.

Market on Xiaohongshu with Nativex

With a large user base actively seeking education-related content, Xiaohongshu presents vast opportunities for advertisers in the education sector. Whether it’s children’s education, adult learning, or professional development, this platform consistently attracts a diverse audience who are eager to learn and grow. For advertisers looking to capitalize on Xiaohongshu’s potential, Nativex is the ideal partner to guide the way.

We are an official Xiaohongshu Cross-Border Marketing Agency. Our expertise covers media strategy, influencer marketing, creative production, ad campaign management, and social media optimization. We can provide solutions that resonate with Xiaohongshu’s unique user base, ensuring meaningful impact. Ready to get started? Reach out to us today to begin your next campaign.

If you’re looking to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Xiaohongshu, don’t miss our guide, ‘What is Xiaohongshu?‘ to learn about this thriving social platform and the opportunities it offers.

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