Two Platforms, Two Audiences: Crystal Yu on the Business of Influencing Across Instagram and Xiaohongshu

Most influencers build an audience on one platform and stay there. Crystal Yu operates across two ecosystems that couldn't be more different: Instagram in the West and Xiaohongshu in China. The content strategies, audience expectations, brand partnership dynamics, and even the definition of authenticity diverge significantly between them. Crystal has built a following on both, and in this episode, she pulls back the curtain on what that actually looks like.

Crystal walks us through how she became an influencer, what she's learned about creating content for two very different platforms, and how she approaches each one differently. She also breaks down the business side of influencing — fee structures, how brand partnerships come together, and what brands consistently get wrong when approaching creators for collaborations.

For brands and marketers trying to understand how influencer marketing works in China versus the West, this episode offers a rare insider perspective. Crystal explains how Chinese brands approach collaborations differently from Western brands, why authenticity means something different on Xiaohongshu than it does on Instagram, and how to build trust with audiences on both sides of the divide.

Discussion Points

·       How Crystal became an influencer and whether it was a deliberate choice or an organic evolution

·       The key differences between Instagram and Xiaohongshu as platforms: audience expectations, content formats, and culture

·       How Crystal's content strategy differs across platforms and whether she creates separate content for each

·       The business side of influencing: fee structures, compensation models, and how deals are structured

·       How brand partnerships come together: inbound vs outbound, agency involvement, and selection criteria

·       What brands consistently get wrong when approaching influencer collaborations, and what makes one successful

·       How Chinese and Western brands approach influencer partnerships differently

·       Balancing sponsored content with audience trust, especially on Xiaohongshu, where authenticity is paramount

·       Where influencer marketing is heading over the next few years, particularly in China

·       Advice for anyone looking to build a cross-platform presence or pursue influencing as a career