[2025 Update] Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Account Guide: Application Process for Personal/Verified Pro/Enterprise Account Types + Features, Advantages, and Restrictions
- Dawn Yuen
- 4 days ago
- 15 min read
Xiaohongshu (RedNote) has become a popular platform for brand promotion and personal content creation. Whether you're sharing your daily life, marketing products, or managing a store, it continues to attract attention from online users. If you're a Taiwanese user just starting out on Xiaohongshu (RedNote), this article will quickly guide you through the differences and application processes of the three main account types.
Whether you simply want to share your life with the Personal Account, build a personal brand with a Verified Professional Account, or operate at scale with a Enterprise Account, this article provides a detailed explanation of each type's features, permissions, limitations and target users. From content promotion and ad placement to brand showcasing and e-commerce operations, you'll be able to choose the most suitable option based on your needs. This guide is made ideally for creators, brands, and businesses preparing to step into the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) platform.
Application Process: Personal Account, Verified Professional Account, and Enterprise Account
Differences in Account Features: Brand Presentation - Homepage Design
Differences in Account Features: Brand Presentation - Search Term Research and Strategy
Differences in Account Features: Brand Presentation - Verification Badges and Trust Indicators
Differences in Account Features: Customer Relationship Management
Differences in Account Features: Sales - Linkage to Physical, Offline Stores
Differences in Account Features: Sales - Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store
Differences in Account Features: Sales - Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Official Mall
Understanding the Three Account Types: Personal Account, Verified Professional Account, and Enterprise Account
If you're new to Xiaohongshu (RedNote), you might be curious about the differences between the various account types. Simply put, the Personal Account is suitable for general users, the Verified Professional Account is ideal for content creators, influencers, and key opinion leaders, while the Enterprise Account is specifically designed for brands. You can choose the account type that best suits your needs.
Anyone who completes the registration process will automatically receive a Personal Account, which allows you to freely post content, like, and save posts. Once you complete identity verification (usually by uploading an ID document), a red checkmark will appear next to your account. However, in terms of features, it remains largely the same as a standard Personal Account, the main difference is that the verification increases trust among other users for the content you publish.
If you're a content creator on Xiaohongshu (RedNote) and frequently share beauty tips, fashion, travel, or professional insights, you might consider upgrading to a Verified Professional Account. After passing the verification process, your account will display a gold checkmark. This not only increases the chances of your content being recommended but also grants access to advanced analytics tools to better understand your audience's preferences and engagement. Additionally, having a Verified Professional Account makes it easier to secure brand collaborations and monetize your content. During the application process, you’ll typically need to submit supporting documents such as a portfolio or proof of professional background.
The Enterprise Account is designed for brands, businesses, or companies and is marked with a blue checkmark. To apply, you’ll usually need to provide relevant documentation, such as company and product information, industry classification, and more. Xiaohongshu (RedNote) also charges a higher annual verification fee for Enterprise Accounts, and the review process tends to take longer. Depending on your business and industry, Xiaohongshu may request various certification documents, such as corporate identity verification, product authorization, or a business license.
The biggest advantage of an Enterprise Account is access to business promotion tools and eligibility to participate in official e-commerce campaigns. This includes adding product links to your profile, running advertisements, joining major promotional events like Double 11 (Singles' Day), or hosting giveaways to attract followers. These features support broader and more large-scale sales objectives and marketing activities.
Application Process: Personal Account, Verified Professional Account, and Enterprise Account
If you're an individual user, applying for a Personal Account on Xiaohongshu (RedNote) is the simplest and fastest option. You can start using the platform immediately just by registering with your mobile number, there’s no need to submit any supporting documents. This type of account is ideal for users who simply want to share their lives or browse content. However, keep in mind that the features of a Personal Account are limited. If you plan to engage in commercial activities later on, it's recommended to directly apply for a more advanced account type.
If you wish to operate as a content creator or small brand, you can apply to upgrade to a Verified Professional Account. To apply, you’ll need to prepare identity verification documents (such as a Taiwan ID or passport), along with materials that demonstrate your expertise. These might include a portfolio, business registration certificate, or links to social media platforms. Once verified, your account will receive a gold check mark badge, which helps increase credibility. Note that a Verified Professional Account requires annual re-verification. If your content no longer aligns with your declared field of expertise, your verified status may be revoked.
For businesses or brand owners, the Enterprise Account is the most comprehensive option, though the application process is more complex. You’ll need to provide business documentation such as a company registration certificate, trademark registration, as well as a brand introduction and business plan. The review process typically takes 7–10 business days. If your documents are incomplete, or if you operate in highly regulated industries such as legal consulting, beauty, or financial products, the process may take longer. Once approved, your account will receive a blue check mark as an official enterprise verification badge, which greatly enhances brand authority. Enterprise Account users should note that the platform periodically reviews account activity. If your account is inactive for an extended period or violates the platform's rules, your verified status may be revoked.
Regardless of which type of account you apply for, it's recommended to carefully read Xiaohongshu (RedNote)’s community guidelines beforehand. After verification, be sure to maintain regular activity and ensure that your content aligns with the category declared during the application. If you encounter issues during the review process, you can contact customer service, but note that response times may be slow. To avoid delays, prepare all required documents in advance. Additionally, due to differences in terminology and regulations between Taiwan and mainland China, Taiwanese users should pay special attention when filling out information, for example, company name and address formats must comply with platform requirements.
The following section will compare the official features of Xiaohongshu (RedNote)'s Personal Account, Verified Professional Account, and Enterprise Account.
Differences in Account Features: Brand Presentation
Homepage Design
A Personal Account offers limited customization on the homepage. Users can only set a basic layout and content framework, such as profile picture, nickname, and a brief bio. It does not support features like pinned posts, official contact information display, custom brand banners or theme colors, exclusive content categories, nor can it link to a Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store or physical storefront, or include interactive widgets (e.g., giveaway buttons). As a result, brand representation is quite constrained.
Verified Professional Account offers greater design flexibility. Users can upload a brand profile image and banner, customize homepage categories (such as product sections or service introductions), and pin up to three key posts. It also allows for a detailed brand description and displays a verified badge, enhancing professional image and credibility.
Enterprise Account provides the most advanced homepage customization. In addition to the features above, it supports integration with the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store or online storefront, a contact button, offline store information, embedded website links, giveaway widgets, and brand topic aggregation pages. Enterprise-exclusive templates help maintain brand consistency and significantly enhancing user engagement and brand recognition, ideal for companies with diverse brand presentation needs.
Search Term Research and Strategy
Personal Account is limited to using content tags like #BeautyRecommendations or #BestMovieOfTheYear within posts to boost visibility. There are no advanced keyword strategy tools, and users cannot set brand-specific search terms. Exposure relies solely on organic traffic, which may be unstable.
Verified Professional Account can increase search visibility through strategic use of hashtags and content planning. It allows binding 1–2 brand keywords to improve discoverability in user searches. However, it lacks advanced search ranking controls and cannot access keyword package features on Xiaohongshu's advertising platform, limiting targeting precision.
Enterprise Account utilize the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Juguang Platform (Xiaohongshu's official advertising system) to set brand-specific keyword packages. It supports “brand tags” and “search term layout” functionalities, enabling precise targeting using core keywords to improve search ranking and exposure. This is particularly beneficial for brands needing efficient access to target audiences.
Verification Badges and Trust Indicators
There are clear differences in brand identity and credibility based on the type of account, due to varying verification features.
Personal Account does not include any official verification badge. The homepage only shows basic personal information, which can make it harder for users to trust the brand due to the lack of official endorsement.
Verified Professional Account comes with a prominent gold checkmark badge. The username is accompanied by "Professional Account" or an industry-specific tag such as Beauty Expert or Fashion Blogger. These tags enhance perceived authority and help the target audience quickly understand the account's niche and credibility.
Enterprise Account offers even more robust verification. It features a blue checkmark badge and allows customizing the suffix of the account name (e.g., “XX Brand Official”), significantly boosting brand authority and consumer confidence. Additionally, Enterprise Accounts can add a “Brand Story” section to their homepage, using multimedia content to share brand philosophy, certifications, and other in-depth information. This strengthens user awareness and trust. These verification features not only symbolize legitimacy but are also crucial in shaping users’ first impressions.
In summary, a Personal Account on Xiaohongshu is suitable for individuals or small sellers with basic needs, offering limited customization and no official verification. A Verified Professional Account is better for users aiming to establish a more credible and professional image, providing greater homepage flexibility, limited keyword binding, and a gold verification badge. For large brands or cross-border businesses, the Enterprise Account is the most powerful option, offering advanced customization, full access to advertising tools like the Xiaohongshu Spotlight Platform, detailed brand storytelling features, and a blue verification badge with an official brand suffix, making it the ideal choice for building authority, trust, and strong brand recognition.
Differences in Account Features: Customer Relationship Management
A Personal Account is typically used by individuals or small brands and offers basic features. For example, users can manage comments, reply to or delete public messages, but lack advanced interaction tools and automation options. The direct messaging (DM) feature is limited to passively replying to messages initiated by other users; it does not allow auto-replies or proactive messaging. Additionally, Personal Accounts do not support mass messaging or group push notifications, which limits a brand’s ability to communicate efficiently with a large audience. This type of account is suitable for first-time brand promotion attempts or small-scale operators with limited resources. However, for brands that require scaled management, its capabilities are clearly insufficient.
The Verified Professional Account offers more advanced brand management features, making it particularly suitable for brands or organizations that require deeper engagement. While comment management is similar to that of Personal Accounts, Verified Professional Accounts support auto-replies for DMs, keyword-based automated responses to frequently asked questions, the ability to hide or delete inappropriate comments, and the setup of automated replies, greatly improving efficiency and reducing labor costs. Verified Professional Accounts usually allow proactive messaging to specific users and support small-scale mass messaging, enabling personalized brand promotion.
Building upon the permissions of both Personal Accounts and Verified Professional Accounts, the Enterprise Account further expands functionality. It supports broader mass messaging and group push notifications, allowing for large-scale information dissemination to specific fan segments and messaging users with whom there has been no prior interaction. These features are also integrated with advanced analytics tools to track interaction performance. As a result, enterprise accounts are the preferred option for large brands or companies that require refined operations. They are especially effective for carrying out various types and scales of marketing campaigns or announcements, particularly when aiming to increase fan engagement and brand influence.
Differences in Account Features: Influencers & Partnerships
Xiaogongshu (RedNote) Pugongying Platform as the official commercial collaboration system of Xiaohongshu (RedNote), features a tiered permission design that clearly reflects the platform’s professional management mechanism over its content monetization ecosystem. Therefore, significant differences exist in the permissions granted to different account types. Personal Account only has basic functions, cannot actively participate in commercial collaborations, and has limited access to analytics. In contrast, a Verified Professional Account is granted full access, including the ability to initiate and modify collaboration projects, proactively reach out to influencers, view advanced follower data, and analyze content performance, therefore greatly enhancing monetization capabilities. The Enterprise Account enjoys the highest level of access. In addition to initiating commercial campaigns and filtering creators, it can also leverage precise targeting tools and competitor analysis features, enabling full control over the platform’s commercial ecosystem.
Differences in Account Features: Sales
Linkage to Physical, Offline Stores
Personal Accounts cannot directly link to physical stores, nor can they tag store locations on their profile pages or in posts. This poses a significant inconvenience for businesses with physical storefronts, as they can only rely on textual descriptions or image hints to indicate store locations, lacking any integration between online and offline experiences.
Verified Professional Accounts, on the other hand, are granted basic store-linking privileges. Once verified, users can display essential store information (such as address and business hours) on their profile pages, allowing followers to access map navigation directly. However, Verified Professional Accounts still cannot set up a dedicated store information section on their homepage, nor can they integrate data for multiple branches. This type of account is more suitable for small businesses with a single physical location. In addition, while location tagging is available, there is no access to store-specific analytics, making it difficult to track offline conversion performance.
Enterprise Accounts offer the most comprehensive solution for store linking. They not only allow precise location tagging in each post, but also support the setup of a dedicated "Store Information" module on the homepage, where all branch locations, business hours, and other details can be displayed at once. More importantly, Enterprise Accounts support data tracking features that connect online engagement to offline traffic, enabling businesses to analyze which posts drive the most visitors to their stores. For chain brands or businesses that require accurate O2O (Online-to-Offline) conversion analysis, the store management features of an Enterprise Account are undoubtedly the most professional and effective option.
Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store
Personal Accounts are not eligible to open a Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store. They cannot directly add product links or store information in their posts, nor can they list products or enable transaction features. They can only passively showcase products through text or images, or redirect users to external platforms via links to complete transactions, resulting in lower conversion efficiency.
Verified Professional Accounts are granted basic Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store management permissions. They can apply to open a store, but must provide a business license or identity verification documents and complete real-name authentication. The store functions for Verified Professional Accounts include product listing and basic order management, with the ability to set prices and handle orders. These accounts can also embed product links in posts to enhance product promotion, though the scale is limited. However, Verified Professional Accounts cannot use advanced store customization tools, and lack features such as multi-store management, inventory synchronization, promotion management, and data analytics. This type of account is more suited for individual sellers or small businesses.
Enterprise Accounts offer the most comprehensive permissions for setting up and operating a Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store. In addition to basic listing features, they allow for homepage customization, the creation of dedicated promotional pages, and support for multi-store management, complex product management, multi-account collaboration, promotional setup, and inventory synchronization. More importantly, Enterprise Accounts can integrate with the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Juguang Platform for advertising analytics, providing precise conversion tracking for each product. For brands requiring professional e-commerce features or multi-store operations, the Enterprise Account is undoubtedly the most complete solution.
If you're only testing the waters or operating on a small scale, a Verified Professional Account will suffice. However, if you're aiming to build a professional brand presence with access to comprehensive data analysis tools, the Enterprise Account is the more ideal choice. Xiaohongshu also provides dedicated store setup guides tailored to different types of businesses, helping users quickly get started with the platform's e-commerce features.
Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Official Mall
When operating e-commerce on the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) platform, merchants can choose between two different sales channels: Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store or Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Official Mall based on their business scale and needs. These two options differ significantly in positioning and functionality. The choice between them depends on the merchant’s stage of development and operational goals. Generally, for those who are new to e-commerce on Xiaohongshu, it is recommended to start with a Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store to gain experience. Once the brand has grown in size, upgrading to Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Official Mall will provide more comprehensive brand exposure and access to platform resources.
For small to medium-sized sellers just starting out, or companies newly entering the market, the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store is a more accessible option. It serves as a lightweight e-commerce solution within the Xiaohongshu platform. Merchants can apply to open a Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store by obtaining a Verified Professional Account or an Enterprise Account. The approval process is relatively lenient, allowing quick product listings and sales launch. While the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store offers basic functionalities sufficient for managing daily orders and content-driven product promotion, it has limited layout customization and cannot participate in major promotional events hosted by Xiaohongshu, such as those available in the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Official Mall. It also lacks exclusive marketing features like a brand homepage or promotional modules, so sellers must rely heavily on advertising and content marketing to drive traffic.
For established brands, the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Official Mall is a more professional and robust option. It functions similarly to a flagship store and carries an “official” certification badge, which enhances consumer trust and reinforces the brand’s authenticity. The key advantage of the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Official Mall lies in its ability to create custom brand pages, organize product categories, and leverage advanced marketing tools such as flash sales and tiered discounts. Merchants can also participate in Xiaohongshu’s annual mega sales campaigns, such as 618 and Double 11. The platform also allocates more exposure resources to Enterprise Accounts operating an Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Official Mall, such as increased chances of being featured on the homepage or in special promotional zones.
Access to the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Official Mall is restricted to merchants with an Enterprise Account. Personal Accounts and Verified Professional Account are not eligible. Furthermore, applicants must pass a more rigorous brand qualification review, which includes requirements such as being a Mainland China resident or company, trademark registration, and holding a valid business license. This channel is primarily geared toward medium to large-sized brands that already have a solid foundation and value long-term brand development.
Differences in Account Features: Advertising Options
Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Shutiao Advertising aka Content Boosting Ad (薯條投放)
Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Shutiao Advertising (aka Content Boosting Ad) is a lightweight promotion tool available to all Xiaohongshu (RedNote) accounts. With its simple operation and low entry barrier, it is especially suitable for emerging brands and individual creators to test the popularity of their content. However, each account type comes with different promotion permissions. The core function of Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Shutiao Advertising is to increase the basic exposure and engagement of posts. It offers three main promotion objectives: increasing post views, boosting likes and saves, and attracting more followers.
Personal Accounts can only access basic content promotion and must meet a minimum threshold of 1,000 followers. The default daily promotion limit is RMB 100, and precise audience targeting features are not available. Verified Professional Accounts have a daily promotion limit of RMB 500 and a lower follower requirement of 500. They also gain access to advanced targeting functions such as interest tags and intelligent delivery, along with more comprehensive engagement analytics. Enterprise Accounts enjoy the highest level of permissions without any minimum follower requirement. These accounts are not subject to daily promotion budget limits and can utilize professional marketing tools such as lookalike audience expansion and competitor account targeting. They also receive advanced data reports including conversion rates and consumer profiles.
Xiaohongshu (RedNote)'s News Feed Ad (小紅書信息流廣告) & Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Juguang Advertising Platform (小紅書聚光平台)
Both are exclusive to Enterprise Accounts; Personal Accounts and Verified Professional Accounts are not eligible.
Xiaohongshu (RedNote)'s News Feed Ad can be seamlessly integrated into users’ Explore Page news feed as native content, significantly enhancing user receptiveness and willingness to engage. Enterprises can flexibly set advertising strategies based on different marketing objectives, whether it's increasing note click-through rates, boosting engagement levels, or directly driving product sales and Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Store visits, there are corresponding ad placement models available. Brands can also target their audience based on interest tags, geographic distribution, and consumer behavior, and use A/B testing for ad creatives. In addition, the platform provides comprehensive backend data reports that allow marketers to track actual conversion metrics, such as the number of private message inquiries, form submissions, and sales volume on the Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Official Mall. These insights help brands continuously refine their strategies for optimal results. It is worth noting that this access-level mechanism reflects Xiaohongshu (RedNote)’s professional strategy for managing its content monetization ecosystem. Creators are encouraged to choose the most suitable account type based on their commercialization needs and consider upgrading accordingly.
Xiaohongshu (RedNote) Juguang Platform is an advertising tool specially designed for Enterprise Accounts, aligning with the commercial promotion needs of brands and creators. It supports Xiaohongshu (RedNote)'s news feed ads, search ads, and other targeted ad placements. The platform also offers multiple conversion options and flexible customization capabilities. Taiwanese users can set budget, audience age/interests/location, etc., as needed, and choose from flexible pricing models such as cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-mille (CPM). Powered by AI algorithms, the platform can match ad content to the target audience’s Explore Page or note feed. By combining data analytics with ad placements, it helps boost brand exposure and conversion rates, making it particularly suitable for brands aiming to grow in the Chinese market or operate cross-border e-commerce.
Summing Up
Xiaohongshu (RedNote) continues to adjust its feature thresholds and content presentation methods to better meet both user and business needs. As a result, the platform may frequently update the permissions and benefits associated with different account types in the future. As a professional marketing agency focused on the Chinese market, Allua stays up-to-date with the latest platform trends to tailor highly effective marketing strategies for clients. If you would like to learn more about Xiaohongshu (RedNote) or other Mainland China platforms, or if you're looking for the most suitable account setup solution, please contact us through the form at the bottom of this page.