Xiaohongshu Account Optimization Guide: 3 Proven Strategies to Increase New Customer Conversion

The digital marketplace is evolving rapidly, and brands are constantly seeking innovative ways to attract and retain customers. Xiaohongshu, China's leading lifestyle and e-commerce platform, has become a critical battleground for brands aiming to scale their businesses. One standout example is Sanji Heihua, a mature women's clothing influencer store that successfully overcame the challenge of heavy reliance on existing customers by optimizing its Xiaohongshu Account content and promotional strategies. The results were staggering: a 38% increase in new customer conversions, a 53% boost in daily GMV from new customers, and a 16% rise in live-stream sales. This case study highlights the power of strategic content creation, targeted promotions, and the synergy between notes and live streaming.

1. Understanding the Challenges of New Customer Conversion

For many merchants, the biggest hurdle is breaking free from dependency on an existing customer base. Sanji Heihua faced this exact issue—while their loyal followers drove consistent sales, expanding beyond this circle proved difficult. The brand's Xiaohongshu Account primarily engaged long-time fans, limiting transaction volume despite a rich SKU portfolio. Additionally, managing a brand-name store required meticulous operational strategies, and scaling new customer acquisition demanded a more refined approach. These challenges are not unique; many brands struggle with audience diversification, SKU management, and balancing short-term sales with long-term growth. Sanji Heihua's success demonstrates that overcoming these obstacles requires a multi-faceted strategy, combining high-conversion content with precision-targeted promotions.

2. Content Strategy for Higher New Customer Conversion

Content is the cornerstone of ecosystem, and Sanji Heihua leveraged three high-converting note formats to expand its Xiaohongshu Account reach. Item x Styling Notes focused on showcasing individual products in real-life scenarios, enhancing visual appeal and stimulating purchase interest. Search Reputation Interception Notes strategically targeted users searching for specific keywords, ensuring the brand appeared in relevant searches and attracted potential new customers. High-click-through-rate interactive copy notes reused viral formats, such as scenario-based displays and pain-point dialogues, to maximize engagement. These content strategies didn't just increase visibility—they actively drove new customers into the sales funnel by aligning with user intent and platform trends.

3. Promotion and Advertising Tactics

Beyond organic content, Sanji Heihua utilized new customer acquisition promotion products to amplify its efforts. The brand adopted a simplified campaign management approach, lowering operational barriers while enabling precise audience targeting for its Xiaohongshu Account. By focusing on dual goals—payment ROI and order volume—they balanced immediate conversions with long-term customer base growth. Additionally, the brand optimized its promotional infrastructure by conducting material testing with 7-10 notes per plan, allocating 30% of the budget for flexible scaling, and implementing tiered testing to refine costs dynamically. These tactics ensured that every ad dollar was spent efficiently, maximizing new customer acquisition without sacrificing profitability.

Topkee help brands leverage Xiaohongshu Account capabilities to enhance its promotional efficiency. By obtaining Blue V certification, a Xiaohongshu Account strengthens its credibility and authority, which is critical for building trust with potential customers. The certification also unlocked access to advanced features like business topics, performance advertising, and lottery notes, enabling Topkee to diversify its promotional strategies. Brands utilize CPC (cost-per-click) ads to increase visibility in search results and information streams, ensuring targeted exposure to relevant audiences.

4. Synergy Between Note-Taking and Live Streaming

Sanji Heihua's success wasn't limited to static content—live streaming played a pivotal role in driving sales. The brand employed a pre-broadcast content strategy, building anticipation through high-quality notes that achieved a fan penetration rate exceeding 65% for its Xiaohongshu Account. During live streams, interactive and professional content kept viewers engaged, while post-broadcast analysis helped refine future strategies. This closed-loop approach ensured that every stage of the customer journey—from discovery to purchase—was optimized for conversion. Other brands, like Saucony, have replicated this model, using pre-broadcast seeding to attract 3,000-5,000 viewers per session and achieving monthly sales exceeding 1 million RMB.

To optimize campaign performance, Topkee help brands adopt a data-driven approach by leveraging comment management and automatic private message reply functions. These tools allowed the brand to efficiently monitor user interactions, filter high-engagement comments, and respond promptly, improving overall community engagement for its Xiaohongshu Account. The @Me Note Management feature was particularly valuable, as it enabled Topkee to showcase positive user-generated content (UGC) on its profile, further enhancing brand reputation. Moreover, the brand utilized group private messaging (up to four messages per month) to deliver curated content, including product promotions and coupons, to its follower base, fostering stronger relationships and increasing repeat interactions.

5. Case Study: Sanji Heihua's Results and Key Takeaways

Sanji Heihua's transformation offers valuable lessons for brands aiming to scale. The 38% increase in new customer conversions and 53% GMV growth underscore the effectiveness of combining diverse content formats with precision-targeted promotions. The brand's ability to balance short-term ROI with long-term customer acquisition highlights the importance of a dual-goal approach. Moreover, the 16% rise in live-stream sales demonstrates how integrating notes and live streaming creates a seamless shopping experience. These results prove that even niche brands can achieve exponential growth by leveraging unique ecosystem.

6. Additional Success Stories

Sanji Heihua isn't the only brand thriving on Xiaohongshu. Saucony, a global running brand, saw explosive sales growth by embedding products into relatable scenarios, such as "For autumn and winter outfits, a pair of versatile retro casual shoes is all you need." Similarly, Yi, a cashmere brand, refined its content formula (monochromatic + multiple outfits + styling + creator demonstrations) and achieved a sevenfold increase in live-stream viewership, ranking in the Top 10 during Double 11. Another standout, EME-MADE EXTREME, leveraged outdoor snowfield live streams and rapid product testing to become a top-growing brand in the trendy apparel sector.

Conclusion and Actionable Recommendations

The dynamic environment offers unparalleled opportunities for brands willing to invest in content diversity, targeted promotions, and live-stream integration. The future of marketing lies in personalization, interactivity, and data-driven refinement. Brands that master these elements—especially through a well-optimized Xiaohongshu Account—will not only attract high-value new customers but also sustain long-term growth. For merchants ready to take their  strategy to the next level, partnering with experienced consultants can provide the tailored insights needed to thrive in this competitive space.

Further Reading:

• Sanji Heihua's Case Study
• Saucony's Live-Streaming Strategy
• Yi's Three-Step Live-Streaming Success
• EME-MADE EXTREME's Rapid Growth