Xiaohongshu has defined the only path for private messages

"Xiaohongshu's new rules for private messages, new changes in business layout." Xiaohongshu has launched important private message rules to regulate the communication methods between merchants and users. What kind of business considerations are hidden behind this move? How will it affect the operation strategy of merchants and the user experience?

Xiaohongshu recently issued a major announcement. At the beginning of this announcement, it was directly stated that from January 7, 2025, the "Private Message Customer Acquisition Tool" will become the only designated path for merchants in all industries to exchange contact information in private messages between Xiaohongshu and users. And it will be open to all enterprise accounts and their eligible employee accounts for trial use.

According to the promotion timetable published in the announcement, as long as there is a corporate account on Juguang and its eligible employee accounts, they can try out the "Private Message Customer Acquisition Tool" from December 11th.

Starting from January 2, 2025, the trial will be open to all enterprise accounts and their eligible employee accounts.

Before the tool was launched, Xiaohongshu had actually conducted multiple internal tests on the brand side, and the methods of leaving information were initially only phone calls and WeChat accounts, and a new WeChat account leaving method was added in a recent internal test.

The launch of this announcement also indicates that Xiaohongshu’s internal testing may have achieved initial results.

A brand that has invested in Xiaohongshu said that they are already using this feature. Although it is currently free, there are reports that charging standards will be issued next year.

Similar information is also mentioned in the announcement: the current functions are only open for free trial for a limited time, and subsequent charges will be notified separately before charges are made.

Considering Xiaohongshu’s previous crackdowns on matrix accounts and illegal traffic diversion, as well as its commercial actions, it may not be too late to introduce a paid standard for the “Customer Acquisition Assistant”.

In addition, it is worth noting that this announcement also indicates that in the future, merchants who want to leave information on Xiaohongshu through private messages can only send their contact information in the private message customer acquisition tool. It is still prohibited to reveal their contact information in other private messages and welcome messages, and they cannot frequently disturb users to contact them.

For example, during communication, non-private message customer acquisition component channels prohibit merchants from actively pushing their own third-party contact information. Any customer acquisition is prohibited.

Judging from the information leaked this time, Xiaohongshu has once again firmly positioned itself as a "traffic exporter". Although the commercial closed loop of its own platform is still being done, facing those business owners who are obsessed with monetizing on WeChat private domain, Xiaohongshu is trying to provide a solution, that is, to increase the traffic value of its own platform by placing spotlights to obtain traffic while considering charging a certain fee.

Of course, all of this will have to wait until Xiaohongshu officially releases new standards based on "private message customer acquisition tools" after January before the official next intention can become clear.