Why your Xiaohongshu marketing fails? The KFS framework reveals all
In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital marketing, brands are increasingly shifting their focus from traditional impression-based metrics to engagement-driven evaluation. This trend is particularly evident on Xiaohongshu, China’s leading lifestyle-sharing platform, where user interaction and content authenticity play pivotal roles in advertising success. Recent data from Euromonitor highlights the explosive growth of China’s fragrance market, projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 21.78% over the next five years. This surge in demand has prompted brands like MINISO to leverage unique engagement metrics to penetrate the mass fragrance market effectively.
The digital marketing landscape is undergoing a seismic shift as platforms redefine success metrics beyond traditional impressions. Where conventional Xiaohongshu Ads measured visibility through click-through rates and view counts, the ecosystem thrives on meaningful interactions—likes that convert to purchases, comments that spark community discussions, and shares that trigger viral loops. This paradigm shift reflects a fundamental truth in modern marketing: consumer attention has transformed from passive viewing to active participation.
I. Case Study Analysis: Measuring Success Through Engagement
1. BY FAR's Qixi Festival Digital Collectibles Campaign
BY FAR's collaboration with Xiaohongshu during the 2022 Qixi Festival became a masterclass in leveraging cultural moments with digital innovation. Recognizing that NFT-related discussions on Xiaohongshu had surged by 1,228% year-over-year, the luxury brand transformed its leather accessories into "Seven for Love" digital collectibles—blockchain-based tokens representing eternal affection. This wasn't merely a tech gimmick; it addressed a psychological need among young Chinese couples seeking unique ways to commemorate relationships beyond physical gifts.
The campaign's multi-channel execution created concentric circles of engagement. A cinematic video depicting love stories across decades established emotional resonance, while 15 KOLs reinterpreted the NFT theme through virtual fashion shows and metaverse styling guides. Crucially, BY FAR designed offline incentives—customers purchasing physical products received exclusive digital collectibles, bridging tangible and virtual ownership. The results were staggering: 19.11 million impressions, 470,000+ interactions, and a 285% follower growth for BY FAR's official account. Most tellingly, the digital collection outsold all comparable releases during the festival, proving that Xiaohongshu Ads and engagement metrics could directly monetize cultural participation.
2. MINISO's Master Aromatherapy Market Penetration
MINISO's fragrance line expansion demonstrated how data-driven engagement strategies can unlock new market segments. Xiaohongshu's search analytics revealed an underserved niche: while premium perfumes dominated discourse, 50% of aromatherapy-related searches came from users seeking affordable yet sophisticated scents. MINISO responded with its "Master Aromatherapy" collection, priced at ¥49-¥99 but developed by renowned perfumers—a value proposition tailored for pragmatic romantics.
The brand implemented Xiaohongshu Ads and KFS (Knowledge-Focused-Search) framework with surgical precision. Initial "knowledge seeding" involved perfumer interviews explaining scent composition, followed by "focus amplification" through 1,000+ lifestyle posts showing fragrances in cozy home settings. Finally, "search domination" tactics ensured MINISO appeared in 78% of "affordable perfume" searches. The content wasn't just seen—it was actively utilized, with users screenshotting scent profiles to discuss in group chats. Within six months, Master Aromatherapy became MINISO's top-selling category, while e-commerce searches for the line grew 30-fold, illustrating how engagement fuels both online buzz and offline sales.
3. Semper Building Blocks' 520 Festival Activation
Semper Building Blocks' "Flowers in Bloom" campaign revealed how engagement metrics can revitalize traditional product categories. Xiaohongshu data showed that "building block flowers" searches spiked around gifting holidays, particularly on May 20 (520, homophonous with "I love you" in Chinese). Semper co-created limited-edition rose-shaped block sets with Xiaohongshu, designed explicitly for couples to assemble together—transforming a children's toy into a romantic ritual.
The activation blended digital and physical touchpoints. Online, KOCs posted "520 love challenge" videos showing partners collaboratively building the floral sets, while offline pop-ups featured Instagrammable block flower walls. Crucially, Semper tracked not just sales but participatory behaviors: 37% of buyers posted assembly videos, and the branded hashtag accumulated 8,200+ UGC posts. The campaign drove 2,000+ gift set sales and made Semper the platform's top-searched building block brand, proving that engagement metrics could reposition a commodity product as an experiential luxury.
II. The KFS Content Marketing Framework Decoded
Xiaohongshu's Knowledge-Focused-Search (KFS) methodology represents a radical departure from funnel-based marketing. Rather than pushing users linearly toward purchase, it creates a self-reinforcing content ecosystem where each interaction deepens brand affinity while feeding algorithmic visibility. The framework's first pillar, Knowledge Seeding, involves creating educational content that addresses latent consumer queries—like a dermatologist explaining how MINISO's fragrances avoid skin irritation. These posts gain traction not through hard selling but by becoming reference materials users bookmark and cite.
Focus Amplification then leverages unique "grass planting" culture, where trusted KOLs demonstrate product use in authentic scenarios. A notable case saw beauty bloggers using Semper's blocks to create Valentine's Day tablescapes, inspiring followers to replicate the designs. Unlike traditional influencer marketing, these collaborations prioritize utility over celebrity—the most engaged posts often come from micro-influencers with hyper-relevant niches like "DIY home romance."
Search Domination completes the cycle by optimizing content for hybrid search engine. The platform's users frequently search phrases like "gifts under ¥200" or "hypoallergenic perfumes," treating it as a discovery engine rather than a social network. Brands dominating these queries through optimized notes and targeted Xiaohongshu Ads can achieve what MINISO did—owning 70%+ visibility in key commercial search terms. The KFS model's brilliance lies in its reciprocity: every piece of engaged content improves search rankings, which in turn drives more engagement.
III. Overcoming Content Marketing Challenges on Xiaohongshu Ads
The platform's engagement-centric environment presents unique hurdles. Information overload is rampant—users scroll past 120+ posts daily, forcing brands to balance frequency with relevance. BY FAR's solution was thematic consistency; even its NFT campaign posts maintained the brand's minimalist aesthetic, making them instantly recognizable amid clutter. MINISO took a different approach, using data analysis to identify "content fatigue points" and pausing promotions when engagement rates dipped below 8%.
Multi-platform coordination poses another challenge. Semper Building Blocks synchronized its 520 campaign by first teasing the product on Xiaohongshu with "leaked" factory images, then driving traffic to Douyin live streams where hosts demonstrated assembly techniques. Crucially, performance metrics were unified—offline sales were attributed to specific Xiaohongshu Ads posts via QR code tracking, proving how digital engagement fueled physical purchases.
Measurement remains the thorniest issue. Traditional metrics like CPM become meaningless when a single highly-engaged post (e.g., MINISO's perfumer interview with 22,000 saves) outperforms 50 low-engagement ads. Forward-thinking brands now track "engagement depth"—calculating how each interaction (comment, tag, collection) correlates with eventual conversion. BY FAR found users who engaged with both NFT and leather bag content had 3.2x higher lifetime value, allowing refined audience segmentation.
Topkee addresses this through thematic consistency and data-driven optimization, leveraging its diverse operation team (video, design, note creation) to align content with brand identity while avoiding fatigue. For instance, its DMP (crowd package) targeting combines user behavior, life stages, and shopping habits to refine audience segmentation, ensuring ads resonate with high-intent users. Unlike generic approaches, Topkee’s localization teams craft region-specific content that taps into local emotional appeals, enhancing recognizability in cluttered feeds.
IV. Future Directions for Engagement-Centric Advertising
Emerging technologies are set to deepen engagement metrics. Early experiments with AR try-ons for beauty products have shown 40% higher interaction rates than static images, suggesting virtual product experiences will become expectation rather than novelty. MINISO is piloting "scent-enabled" videos where users scratch their screens to "release" fragrance notes—a tactile engagement layer that could redefine digital olfaction marketing.
Predictive analytics will also transform engagement strategies. Xiaohongshu's algorithm already anticipates content trends—it flagged the building block flower opportunity six weeks before Semper's campaign. Future tools may forecast optimal posting times based on individual user activity patterns or automatically A/B test content variations to maximize shares.
Most crucially, brands will shift from chasing one-off engagements to cultivating persistent communities. BY FAR's NFT collectors now receive exclusive styling guides, turning a campaign tactic into an ongoing membership perk. Similarly, MINISO's fragrance buyers get invited to "scent mixing" live streams, where their real-time feedback influences future products. These strategies recognize that sustained engagement, not viral spikes, builds enduring brand equity.
Topkee's data-driven approach utilizes multi-dimensional insights—including user attributes, life stages, and shopping habits—to optimize ad performance. The company's note analysis tools track metrics like views, likes, and shares, identifying high-performing content to refine strategies. Topkee's fan analysis provides detailed portraits—age, gender, and geographic distribution—enabling brands to cultivate long-term relationships. Through services store setup and French fries promotion, Topkee ensures sustained engagement, recognizing that enduring brand equity stems from consistent interaction rather than viral spikes.
Topkee's comprehensive suite—from enterprise certification to smart ad placements—positions brands to thrive in Xiaohongshu's evolving ecosystem. By combining precise targeting, high-quality content production, and data-driven optimization, the company empowers brands to transform engagement into lasting community value.
Conclusion: The Competitive Edge of Engagement Measurement
Xiaohongshu's model proves that in an attention-scarce world, quality engagement trumps quantity of impressions. The platform's unique blend of search, social, and commerce creates a closed-loop system where every like or save directly influences purchasing decisions—a stark contrast to traditional platforms where visibility rarely correlates with intent. For brands, the lesson is clear: master the art of meaningful interaction, and algorithmic rewards will follow. Those who treat Xiaohongshu Ads as a transactional ad space will falter; those who embrace its culture of participatory marketing will reap unprecedented ROI. As consumer behavior grows increasingly interactive, engagement metrics won't just measure success—they'll define it.