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The Decline of TikTok, the Rise of Rednote, and End of App Loyalty - With Olivia Plotnick

Jan 18, 2025

Olivia Plotnick, Founder of Wai Social and author of 'Who, What, Wai,' dives into the unexpected rise of Rednote among American users fleeing TikTok. She discusses what makes Rednote unique and why it outshines alternatives like Lemon8. The conversation explores the emerging trend of app fluidity, the potential resurgence of platforms like YouTube, and the complexities of building genuine online communities. Plotnick also considers the role of authenticity and engagement amidst evolving digital landscapes, making for an insightful cultural exchange discussion.

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INSIGHT

Xiaohongshu: A Super App

Xiaohongshu (Red) is a Chinese super app encompassing product discovery, reviews, and e-commerce.
It combines elements of Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Instagram, Pinterest, and Amazon into a single platform.

ANECDOTE

TikTok Exodus to Xiaohongshu

TikTok users migrated to Xiaohongshu after the TikTok ban, choosing it over Lemon8.
Lemon8, while similar, offered a poor user experience with inauthentic content, unlike Xiaohongshu's genuine community.

INSIGHT

Unintentional Growth

Xiaohongshu's popularity surge was unexpected, catching the platform unprepared for the influx of American users.
This growth wasn't a planned expansion strategy but a spontaneous user migration.

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Word on the street that Chinese app Xiaohongshu or Rednote, as it is now called, was not expecting nor prepared for the 500K and counting American TikTok Refugees that have downloaded and migrated to the app. Is Rednote a short-lived thing? Will people eventually move back to TikTok, or has the West entered the world of "App Fluidity," where communities move from place to place without little concern for the platform they are on? To discuss this, we are joined by Shanghai-based Wai Social's Founder, Olivia Plotnick.

1. What is Xiaohongshu or Rednote? How is it different from TikTok?
2. What sparked people to migrate there, and why Rednote and not Lemon8?
3. Are we ready for a truly global platform, returning to the LinkedIn days?
4. Have we come to the point where we will see more fluidity of platform users?
5. Are people abandoning Meta platforms because of their complexity or is this the preferred GenZ user experience?
6. What about the role of community and express authenticity?
7. Will YouTube have a resurgence in the U.S.? Who will win out?
8. How can Xiaohongshu become such a community place?
9. What are the most important aspects of this incredible cultural collision?
10. How will the Chinese authority react to this amazing soft power opportunity?
11. What keeps people back when very few people post? What's the role of entertainment? Is there a balance?
12. Is this the right time for Chinese brands to reach out to Western audiences?
13. Is the whole "Rednote movement" a passing fad?
14. Will App Fluidity kill brands?

Olivia on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-plotnick/
About Wai Social: https://www.waisocial.com/
Who What Wai on Substack: https://whowhatwai.substack.com/

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