7 Best Free and Paid XiaoHongShu Courses and Certifications

XiaoHongShu (小红书), also known as Little Red Book, is a popular social e-commerce platform in China that combines social networking, product reviews, and online shopping. It is an app that is popular amongst Chinese users for its genuine, truthful reviews and authentic community.

If you intend to capture the attention of Chinese-speaking Millenials and Gen Z consumers, it’s important to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to market on XiaoHongShu.

Fortunately, there are many free and paid XiaoHongShu courses and certifications available to help individuals and businesses learn how to use this platform effectively. In this article, we will explore the best free and paid XiaoHongShu courses (小红书课程) and certifications available, and highlight the benefits of each. Whether you are a business owner, marketer, or simply interested in expanding your skill set, this article will provide valuable insights into the world of XiaoHongShu.

#1 [Free] OctoPlusMedia: Introduction to XiaoHongShu

OctoPlusMedia’s free XiaoHongShu course is presented by Cynthia Chan — a social media strategist and XiaoHongShu marketing coach with China Marketing Academy. Aimed at total beginners, the course covers what is XiaoHongShu, the basics and features of XiaoHongShu and why brands should market on XiaoHongShu.

Available as a website article or a series of YouTube videos, learners can choose their preferred format as the guide walks through every function on the app. At the end of the course, you’ll have a good idea of how XiaoHongShu works, its user base, and how to navigate and use the app.

OctoPlusMedia: Introduction to XiaoHongShu Course.

Who is it for: Beginners
Mode of learning: Articles and videos
Language: English
Duration: 1 hour
Cost: Free
Certification: No

#2 [Free] CHINAble Academy: Your Guide to XiaoHongShu

Hosted on Teachable, “Your Guide to XiaoHongShu” is created by CHINAble Academy. CHINAble Academy is a training and resources sharing platform offering courses and workshops about China business, Internet, e-commerce and marketing. Their goal is to “decode” the Chinese market to a Western audience.

Chinable Academy’s XiaoHongShu course is published by Lauren Hallanan and Miro Li. Lauren Hallanan is the founder of China Marketing Insights and co-author of Amazon bestselling book “Digital China: Working with Bloggers”. Meanwhile, Mirro Li is the founder of Double V, a consulting company helping overseas brands enter the Chinese market. Together, they have plenty of credentials in Chinese social media

Noticing that many brands feel lost and unsure when it comes to marketing on XiaoHongShu, “Your Guide to XiaoHongShu” was created to provide in-depth, English explanations about the platform.

Although it is free to download, the guide is not lacking in content. Presented in the form of a downloadable PDF, this XiaoHongShu course is split into 6 parts.

Why XiaoHongShu Matters
Overview of XiaoHongShu
How Can Brands Use XiaoHongShu
Content Best Practices
Working with KOLs on XiaoHongShu
Brand Case Studies and KOLs to Check Out

Chinable Academy’s “Your Guide to XiaoHongShu” is chock full of insights such as Chinese consumer trends, best practices, case studies and examples. Although aimed at beginners, the content is in-depth and can be quite advanced if you take the time to learn it. You will need to create a Teachable account in order to download the PDF guide, but like the guide, it’s free.

Chinable Academy: Your Guide to XiaoHongShu.

Who is it for: Beginners to advanced users
Mode of learning: PDF
Language: English
Duration: Self-paced
Cost: Free
Certification: No

#3 [FREE] China Marketing Masterclass: Chinese Social Media Overview

While not an exclusive XiaoHongShu course, “Chinese Social Media” by China Marketing Masterclass provides a detailed overview of China’s social media scene with in-depth insights for all of the popular apps.

The course content is presented as a video and is organised by social media platforms. If you’re only interested in XiaohongShu you can skip to the RED section of the course. The video XiaoHongShu section of the course lasts for 18 minutes and covers a range of topics related to the Chinese social e-commerce platform.

Topics covered include an overview of XiaoHongShu function and features, its user demographics, content trends, marketing insights and strategies to engage with XiaoHongShu users.

A potential critique some may have about the course is that the videos do not come with timestamps. This makes it difficult to skip to a particular topic or segment you might be interested in.

China Marketing Masterclass: Chinese Social Media Overview.

Who is it for: Beginners
Mode of learning: Video
Language: English
Duration: 18 minutes
Cost: Free
Certification: No

#4 [$98] Digital Masterclass: XiaoHongShu Marketing

The XiaoHongShu marketing course by Digital Masterclass aims to help beginners understand the basics and best practices for marketing on the platform.

Conducted in Chinese, the course consists of online videos and written materials for anyone attending the course to learn at their own pace. With a total of 12 chapters, topics covered include:

The Essence of XiaoHongShu
How to Create a XiaoHongShu Account
How to Use XiaoHongShu
How to Design Effective XiaoHongShu Notes
How to Meet XiaoHongShu Marketing Requirements
Examples of Successful XiaoHongShu Marketing

The XiaoHongShu course by Digital Masterclass has a good mix of theoretical and practical knowledge. Making it an ideal course for learners who need a little demonstration on how to use the app and refer to examples to further their own learning.

Digital Masterclass: XiaoHongShu Marketing.

Who is it for: Beginners
Mode of learning: Video and written materials
Language: Chinese
Duration: Self-paced
Cost: MYR 98
Certification: No

#5 [$49.98] Udemy: How to Run Your Own Brand with XiaoHongShu

Udemy is an online learning platform where users can take courses in a wide variety of subjects taught by expert instructors. “ How to Run Your Own Brand with XiaoHongShu” is one of the few XiaoHongShu courses on the platform.

The instructor is Tina Sun who has over 6 years of experience in localised brand strategy to increase brand visibility and customer engagement on social media. This XiaoHongShu course is conducted in Chinese and consists of 5 video lectures on the following topics:

The history, development and how XiaoHongShu works
XiaoHongShu enterprise account creation and management
The four elements of popular notes in XiaoHongShu
XiaoHongShu IP creation and viral note analysis
Tips on how to select content topics in XiaoHongShu and photo editing skills

Compared to other courses on this list, “How to Run Your Own Brand with XiaoHongShu” doesn’t spend too much time covering the operational features of the platform. Instead, the majority of the course runtime is dedicated to covering enterprise account activities as well as content creation.

Most notably, Tina discusses how you can use XiaoHongShu to attract more fan traffic and attention to your brand. She dissects what makes viral posts popular and shares tips you can use to replicate the same success for your brand. This course is ideal for learners who want a focused curriculum on content creation strategies for XiaoHongShu.

Udemy: How to Run Your Own Brand on XiaoHongShu.

Who is it for: Beginners
Mode of learning: Video lectures
Language: Chinese
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $49.98
Certification: Yes

#6 [$99] CHINAble Academy: XiaoHongShu 101

The second XiaoHongShu course by CHINAable Academy on this list, this is a paid course that expands upon the topics taught in the free course in greater detail. Unlike the free course which is self-paced, “XiaoHongShu 101” is led by instructor Miro Li — who is a founder of Double V, a consulting company that helps overseas brands enter the China market.

The course aims to help learners:

Understand XiaoHongShu’s basic features and user behaviours
Understand XiaoHongShu’s popular categories and content best practices
Understand why XiaoHongShu matters and how to reach female millennials on the platform
Learn how to open a cross-border shop, set up an official brand account and start posting on XiaoHongShu
How to start your own XiaoHongShu campaign, evaluate and choose the right KOLs
Learn from real examples and case studies from successful brands on XiaoHongShu

Taught using video lectures, the course is separated into 6 modules. Its contents are more advanced, such as focusing on what makes XiaoHongShu different from other social apps, delving into user behaviour as well how XiaoHongShu’s algorithm works. It also covers e-commerce functionality such as how to open and manage an enterprise account, and the rules businesses must follow when engaging a KOL.

CHINAble Academy: XiaoHongShu 101.

Who is it for: Beginners to advanced users
Mode of learning: Video lectures
Language: English
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $99
Certification: Yes

#7 FirstCom Academy: Marketing on XiaoHongShu

Created by training organisation FirstCom Academy, “Marketing on XiaoHongShu” aims to teach learners how to use XiaoHongShu to raise brand awareness amongst Chinese-speaking consumers in Singapore.

Unlike the online courses on this list, “Marketing on XiaoHongShu” is taught in-person with hands-on experience with the app in an intensive 2.5 day in-person course. Not only will you learn by using the app, you’ll also have an industry expert with vast experience on the platform to guide you along.

Course contents include an introduction to XiaoHongShu, how to create an account and start posting on XiaoHongShu, how to use XiaoHongShu to discover new content, how to evaluate and engage KOLs on the platform, as well as case studies of how local businesses use XiaoHongShu to promote their products and services.

At the end of the SkillsFuture course, you’ll be able to stay up-to-date with Chinese trends, identify key KOLs for your brand as well as manage marketing efforts on XiaoHongShu! You’ll also receive a certificate of completion from FirstCom Academy and a SkillsFuture statement of attainment as proof of your competency.

FirstCom Academy: Marketing on XiaoHongShu.

Who is it for: Beginners and anyone who wants to learn how to use XiaoHongShu.
Mode of learning: In-person.
Language: English
Duration: 2.5 days
Cost: $330 (with subsidies)
Certification: Yes

Should You Choose an Online vs In-person XiaoHongShu Course

Online courses can be incredibly convenient and cost-effective. However, online courses require the self-discipline and the ability to learn a new topic without interaction. That said, they are still a great way to learn the basics of XiaoHongShu if you’re not yet ready to commit to a full-fledged course.

On the other hand, in-person courses provide hands-on experience, face-to-face interaction and a structured learning environment. With the right guidance, they can be one of the fastest ways to learn the ins and outs of XiaoHongShu.

Finally, learners should be aware that there are subtle differences to operating on XiaoHongShu depending on whether you are mainland Chinese or an overseas business entity. An online course might neglect to inform you about these differences, leaving you confused when the content they teach is irrelevant to your situation. To prevent this, we strongly recommend learning XiaoHongShu with a local course provider in Singapore, so you can be aware of the nuances of operating on a Chinese social commerce platform as a Singaporean business.

7 Best Free and Paid XiaoHongShu Courses and Certifications