Hashtag Re-appropriation on Xiaohongshu: User Trends

What is Happening

On Xiaohongshu (aka RedNote / Little Red Book), some users are deliberately using hashtags in ways that differ from their literal topic in order to control who sees their posts. This practice is known as hashtag re-appropriation on Xiaohongshu, and it’s becoming more common among female content creators and members of marginalized groups. arXiv

For example, a user might tag a post with something like #BabySupplementalFood even though the content is not about baby food. The aim is to avoid attracting male users (or a certain part of Xiaohongshu’s recommendation algorithm’s audience) while still getting visibility through the feed. By using a seemingly unrelated or broad hashtag, they reduce the chance of unwanted reach while still leveraging algorithmic visibility through popular tags. arXiv

Why It’s Arising Now

1. Algorithmic Visibility vs. Content Control

Xiaohongshu’s recommendation system is powerful: what you tag, who engages, and what the system sees all influence which users see your content. Some creators feel that certain hashtags draw the “wrong” attention (noise, harassment, mismatched audience) or expose them to content moderation risk. So reappropriating hashtags becomes a way to navigate platform visibility. arXiv

2. Desire for Safer, More Relevant Audiences

For many, especially women or users posting about sensitive topics, there’s value in controlling who sees what, both for comfort/safety and for relevance of engagement. The practice allows boundary-setting in a public social space. arXiv

3. Community Norms & Unspoken Rules

As Xiaohongshu matures, its user base develops more nuanced unofficial norms. Hashtag re-appropriation on Xiaohongshu is one of those norms: many users learn by observing others. It helps maintain engagement while avoiding some of the downsides of being too visible under certain popular tags. arXiv

What This Means for the Platform & For Brands

• Authenticity Matters More: Brands need to recognize that many users are already subtly tailoring their visibility. Content that seems too generic or “tag-spammy” may be ignored or avoided if it feels like it doesn’t respect the culture of subtlety and audience curation.
• Hashtag Strategy Becomes More Complex:Simply using trending tags may no longer guarantee reach; using tags that align with both content and desired audience is increasingly important. For creators, this means experimentation and monitoring what kind of reach vs. engagement different tag structures produce.
• Opportunity for Niche & Community-Driven Content: Because people are curating who sees their content (by tag use), there’s space for niche creators who build smaller but more engaged followings. Brands can partner with creators deeply embedded in these practices for a more genuine connection rather than mass exposure.
• Moderation/Platform Policy Implications: Hashtag re-appropriation on Xiaohongshu; in this way, platforms will face a balancing act: allowing users freedom to control their audiences vs. policing misuse of tags or misleading tag traffic. There may also be regulatory scrutiny if tag usage obscures certain content (from a policy/compliance standpoint).

Challenges & Limitations

• Reduced Discoverability: While reappropriating tags helps control the audience, it may also reduce discoverability among broader users or harm growth potential (if users hide under obscure or unrelated tags).
• Ambiguity for New Users: Newer creators might not understand which hashtags are “safe” or which ones attract unwanted attention; there’s a learning curve.
• Tag Misinterpretation: Some users or algorithms may misclassify content based on tags; this could lead to content not showing for relevant audiences or being surfaced in contexts it wasn’t intended for.
• Platform Policy Risk: If platforms decide to restrict or disallow certain kinds of tag misuse or adjust the algorithm to penalize misleading tags, creators relying on reappropriation might be disadvantaged.

Outlook

Hashtag re-appropriation on Xiaohongshu, this kind of practice is likely to increase, especially among younger users who are more aware of algorithmic dynamics, sensitive to audience composition, and protective of their personal presence online.

For brands, creators, and platform managers, the takeaway is that visibility isn’t just about posting often or following trending tags; it’s about understanding which audiences one wants, which content to create, and how tag strategy (and generally how posts are framed) affects who sees and engages with the content.

In fact, researchers analyzing user experience in China (UX) and exploring methods like CATI telephone interviews in China can also learn from how users reshape digital behaviors on platforms like Xiaohongshu, since these practices reveal deeper cultural and audience insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is hashtag reappropriation exactly?
   It’s when users use tags that don’t directly match their content’s topic but instead signal or filter audience or algorithmic reach in a certain way.
2. Who is doing this more often?
   Women, marginalized groups, and creators posting about sensitive or personal topics are more likely to use it. arXiv
3. Should brands use hashtag reappropriation?
   Possibly, but carefully. If a brand misuses tags or seems to be misleading, it can damage trust. For brand content, alignment of tag, content, and audience expectations is vital.