Xiaohongshu vs Instagram: Which Suits Malaysian Brands?

2. What Is the Difference Between Xiaohongshu and Instagram?

Quick Answer: Instagram is a visual feed app where people discover brands while scrolling, then tap through to WhatsApp or a website. Xiaohongshu works more like a review site and search engine in Chinese: people look up a place or product, read real users’ notes and save them. Instagram builds awareness; Xiaohongshu builds trust at the research stage.

The two apps look alike at first glance, with photo posts, short videos and creators. Underneath, they reward different behaviour. Xiaohongshu’s COO said in December 2023 that nearly 70% of its monthly active users search on the app, which is why a good note keeps getting found for months. An Instagram post, by contrast, does most of its work in the first few days.

If Chinese-speaking buyers are new to you, our Xiaohongshu marketing guide for Malaysia covers the strategy basics. For the Instagram side, see how Instagram ads in Malaysia turn scrollers into buyers.

3. Who Uses Instagram and Xiaohongshu in Malaysia?

Quick Answer: Instagram reaches about 16.1 million Malaysians through ads, mostly under 35 and slightly female-leaning. Xiaohongshu has more than 300 million monthly users worldwide, but it publishes no Malaysia figure. Its local audience is Chinese-speaking Malaysians plus visitors, students and investors from China, so it is narrower but often closer to buying.

Audience size is where Instagram pulls clearly ahead. The table puts the verified numbers side by side, and flags where a number simply does not exist yet.

The missing Malaysia figure matters. On Instagram you can type a location and age range into Ads Manager and see an estimated audience before you spend. On Xiaohongshu you are working from signals instead: how many notes exist for your search terms, and how many comments and saves they collect. Our breakdown of Instagram users in Malaysia goes deeper on age and gender trends.

Xiaohongshu’s audience is smaller but has a clear official push behind it. Tourism Malaysia’s 2025 tie-up with the platform targets China travellers for Visit Malaysia 2026, which helps hotels, food spots, education providers and property sellers. If that fits you, start by registering a Xiaohongshu business account so your brand profile looks official.

4. Are Malaysian Brands Moving From Instagram to Xiaohongshu?

Quick Answer: Not moving, but adding. A 2026 influencer marketing report found Instagram’s share of Malaysian influencer campaigns fell from 89.66% in 2023 to 47.69% in 2025. TikTok took most of that share. Xiaohongshu reached 7.87% in its first year of formal brand campaigns, with its strongest showing in lifestyle and home.

The headline “brands are leaving Instagram” is misleading. As NetInfluencer’s coverage of the 2026 report shows, most of Instagram’s lost share went to TikTok, not Xiaohongshu. Still, Xiaohongshu picked up a real slice in one category, which tells you where it works best.

Three lessons follow for SMEs:

• Instagram is still half the market. Food and drink brands in particular still put about half their influencer spend there.
• Xiaohongshu suits considered purchases. Lifestyle and home items, such as furniture, renovation and décor, take time to research, which plays to RedNote’s search-and-save habit.
• TikTok is the real challenger. If you are weighing a third channel, read why TikTok beats Instagram for some brands in Malaysia.

Younger, English-speaking lifestyle audiences have another option too. Our guide on Lemon8 marketing in Malaysia covers that app, and the Lemon8 vs Xiaohongshu comparison helps if you are torn between the two.

5. Xiaohongshu vs Instagram Cost: Which Is Cheaper to Run?

Quick Answer: Instagram is cheaper to start. You can run self-serve ads in ringgit, and testing budgets of about RM1,800 to RM3,500 a month all-in work for many SMEs. Xiaohongshu starts at about RM3,000 to RM3,500 a month for creator notes, and paid ads through a cross-border account pass RM10,000 once fees and content are added.

The gap comes from how you buy. Instagram ads are self-serve. Xiaohongshu leans on creator notes and Chinese-language content, and its paid ad tools bill in yuan through a cross-border account. These are indicative ranges from ZenWeb’s own pricing guides, not platform rate cards.

For the full breakdown of Instagram’s spend, management and setup fees, see our Instagram ads cost guide for Malaysia. On the RedNote side, our Xiaohongshu ads cost guide converts each yuan price point to ringgit, and the RedNote advertising guide explains how the ad tools work.

One hidden cost often decides the matter: content in Chinese. Instagram captions can stay in English or BM. Xiaohongshu notes need natural Simplified Chinese written the way locals or China visitors search. If nobody on your team writes it, budget for a writer or creators.

6. Which Platform Should Your Malaysian Business Choose?

Quick Answer: Choose Instagram if you sell to all Malaysians, need leads quickly or want WhatsApp enquiries. Choose Xiaohongshu if your buyers are mainly Chinese-speaking, research before spending, or come from China as tourists, students or property buyers. Run both if Chinese speakers are a big share of a high-value product.

Use this guide to settle Xiaohongshu vs Instagram for your own business. Find the line that sounds most like you:

Two follow-ups help China-facing brands. After first contact, buyers based in China usually move to WeChat, so set up a WeChat Official Account and consider WeChat Moments ads for retargeting. And since RedNote is search-led, learn how to rank notes in Xiaohongshu search before you post.

7. How Do You Run Instagram and Xiaohongshu Together?

Quick Answer: Shoot once, edit twice. Use the same photo or video shoot for both apps, then write an Instagram caption with a WhatsApp call to action and a separate Chinese note with search keywords and no contact details. Track each channel separately, and let Google search and your website catch buyers who look you up afterwards.

Running both does not have to double your workload. This is the routine we use:

1. Plan one shoot for both. Capture vertical video for Reels and clear photos for a RedNote carousel in the same session.
2. Write two different captions. Instagram gets a short hook and a WhatsApp prompt; Xiaohongshu gets a keyword-led title and a detailed, useful note in Chinese.
3. Keep RedNote clean. No phone numbers, WhatsApp links or QR codes, because Xiaohongshu treats these as traffic diversion under its March 2025 rules.
4. Boost what works. Put ad money behind the Instagram post that earns enquiries and the note that ranks in search.
5. Track sources. Ask every new customer where they found you and log Instagram or Xiaohongshu in your CRM.

Rule three trips up most Malaysian brands, because “WhatsApp us” is a habit. If you also use chat channels to keep fans warm, compare Telegram vs WhatsApp Channels. Meta’s text app is another add-on: see how Threads ads work in Malaysia and whether Threads or X suits your business.

Social apps rarely close the sale alone. Many readers search your brand on Google before they buy, so make sure your SEO and Google Ads catch them.

8. Conclusion

Quick Answer: In the Xiaohongshu vs Instagram decision, Instagram is the safer first channel for most Malaysian brands: bigger, measurable, cheaper to start and WhatsApp-friendly. Xiaohongshu is a strong second channel when Chinese-speaking buyers research before they spend. Pick by audience, then measure enquiries, not likes.

Neither app is “better” in general. Instagram is the wide net; Xiaohongshu is the trusted recommendation. The brands that win use each for the job it does best and join them up with search and a website that converts.

If you want help building that mix, ZenWeb’s digital marketing services plan social, search and ads around where your buyers decide.

9. Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Xiaohongshu better than Instagram for Malaysian businesses?

Not for most. Instagram reaches about 16.1 million Malaysians and suits every language group. Xiaohongshu is better only when your buyers are mainly Chinese-speaking and research before buying, such as hotels, colleges, property and lifestyle brands.

2. How many people use Xiaohongshu in Malaysia?

Xiaohongshu does not publish a Malaysia user figure. It reports more than 300 million monthly users worldwide. Its Malaysian audience is mainly Chinese-speaking Malaysians plus visitors, students and investors from China.

3. Can I put my WhatsApp number on Xiaohongshu like on Instagram?

No. Since March 2025, Xiaohongshu treats phone numbers, WhatsApp links, WeChat IDs and QR codes in notes, comments or profiles as traffic diversion. Use the app’s official contact tools instead. Instagram allows WhatsApp links in your bio and ads.

4. Which is cheaper, Instagram ads or Xiaohongshu ads?

Instagram is usually cheaper to start, at about RM1,800 to RM3,500 a month all-in for a test. Xiaohongshu starts at about RM3,000 to RM3,500 a month for creator notes and bills its ad tools in yuan. These are indicative ranges.

5. Should I post the same content on Xiaohongshu and Instagram?

Use the same photos and videos, but not the same captions. Instagram needs a short hook and a call to action. Xiaohongshu needs a keyword-led Chinese title and a detailed, useful note with no contact details.