Baidu PPC Ads: How Can Brands in China Benefit From Baidu Advertising?

China is one of the most digitized nations in the world. The country has got residents that love using the internet for almost everything that they do, from paying a taxi fare to purchasing their daily necessities. With a tech-savvy population and a strong purchasing power, if you’re not taking advantage of the right tools at your disposal then you’re missing opportunities that can usher in the growth of your brand or business. One of these tools is Baidu PPC Advertising and today we are taking a look at it.

Baidu is one of the most important and influential search engines in China. It’s no wonder that brands and marketers are eager to explore the benefits of paid advertising on the platform. We have already dived into Baidu SEO, so in this blog post, we’ll take a look at how Baidu paid advertising in China can help brands achieve their marketing goals. We’ll also discuss some of the key features of Baidu paid to advertise, so you can decide if it’s right for your business.

What is Baidu PPC advertising?

PPC (pay-per-click) ads are one of the most popular forms of advertising, not only on Baidu but also Google or Facebook. Using Baidu PPC ads is one of the best ways to reach new customers in China, as it’s the biggest search engine with more than 70% of the market share.

Baidu offers the most advanced and comprehensive advertising platform in the Chinese market, therefore it’s worth advertising with the use of this popular search engine.

What Are the Conditions & Requirements To Run Ads on Baidu?

Here we will discuss how you can run ads and set up an account on Baidu Tuiguang. 

What Is Baidu Tuiguang?

Simply put, Baidu Tuiguang is Baidu’s advertising product or so-called Baidu ads manager, which is similar to Google Ads and AdSense. It is also a pay-per-click ad platform that will allow brands and businesses to put up and bid on ads on search results pages and on websites that are a part of the Baidu Union. 

How Much Does It Cost To Get Started with Advertising on Baidu?

The initial cost to get started on the platform would be around $1,500 to $3,000. The cost will depend greatly on where you are currently located and what is your target audience. What you are going to pay is a small fee to set up your channel and then everything else will go to advertising. 

The average CPC or Cost Per Click will be around $0.1 to $1 but can easily go up to $20 dollars on competitive keywords. But it’s important to note, that when it comes to China market, Baidu paid ads are one of the most affordable ones, in comparison to other platforms. An advertising campaign on Baidu will definitely cost less than a similar one on for example WeChat or Tmall.

Who Can Run Paid Ads on Baidu?

It’s no secret that the Chinese government has got a firm grip on anything that goes live in the digital landscape and if you plan to advertise on Baidu, there’s nothing to exempt you from any restrictions. You’re going to have to comply to start advertising on it.

Your application will be checked by the Chinese government and you need to secure a Chinese business license or an overseas one. Once you’ve secured the necessary documents and paid the fees then you can start putting up ads on Baidu. 

Please do take note that you will also be asked for bank statements, authorization letters, website screenshots, and photos of your office building whenever necessary. 

How Do I Create a Baidu PPC Account?

Well, there are a few important steps that you need to accomplish before you will be able to successfully create a Baidu PPC account and start putting up Baidu ads. Here are steps of setting up a Baidu ads account:

• First is that you will need to get your Chinese website ready. You don’t necessarily need to have a website hosted on the mainland but make sure that your website is fast enough to be opened within it.
• Identify which region you are in and contact the regional Baidu reseller to set up a new account.
• The next step will then involve the reseller validating your company and website, having in mind all the information on Baidu.
• Next is the submission of the necessary documents that we spoke about above. Then, you’re going to have to wait for at least two to four weeks after the submission of said documents to get an approved Baidu PPC account.
• After you get the approval, you’re going to need to sign the contract. The contract may be signed by an agency on your behalf through the reseller or by a company representative directly. 
• Lastly, you need to pay the necessary fees and downpayment before finally activating your Baidu PPC account. Congratulations! 

The Different Types of Paid Ads on Baidu

Under the Baidu Tuiguang mechanism, there are a few types of ads that you may utilize. There’s ProTheme, which is available to union members and perfect when targeting a very specific audience. 

• Keyword Search ads (P4P – pay for placement) Baidu campaigns are perfect to target users that are looking up relevant searches. It’s like Google search ads or similar to Google Adwords.

• You can also go for Baidu TV which is for video advertisements.
• Information Feed Ads, which are mixed in with organic content and are also displayed in products like Baidu News and Baidu forums among others. You could compare it to Google Discovers Ads. This type of ad allows you to extend your reach to other Baidu products such as Tieba.
• Then, there’s the brand zone which is branded campaign and allows brands to occupy most of Baidu’s first organic search results page using a customized design. These campaigns are usually run on branded keywords. It’s a kind of super ad where instead of 1 Baidu landing page, you can send users to your website, your online store, and varied landing pages.

Baidu PPC vs Google Adwords: Differences

The two platforms have some differences when it comes to keyword match types and how the ads are displayed. Adwords has a broader match modifier while Baidu unfortunately still does not. But, Baidu has got a total of six types, namely broad, phrase-core, phrase-synonym, phrase-exact, exact, and negative.

The placing of the ads is somewhat similar, but the placing of the rules on the web page will be different in both Adwords and Baidu. 

You need to understand that copying your Google advertising strategy into Baidu won’t work, that’s why it’s advisable to read our guide to Baidu PPC advertising thoroughly and contact us with any additional questions. Baidu PPC advertising in China is not hard, Baidu Tuigang and Baidu interface in general are not complicated, but it’s not anything like you are familiar with.

The Pros and Cons of Advertising on Baidu (Is It Right For You?)

So, why Baidu? Well, we think that the more appropriate question here is, why not?

Baidu Has Got a Massive Market Share

The very first and most glaring advantage of Baidu amongst its competitors is a massive market share that for a very long time now has maintained at least 70%. Sogou, the second-ranked search engine in the country, does not even come close at around a 14% market share. 

Haosou and Shenma are some of the other search engines in the Chinese digital space that have a significant amount of market share but they are definitely not in the same league as Baidu. To say that Baidu is dominating this side of the world and in this industry is an understatement.

Did you know that Google only takes about 2% of the market share in China? In this aspect, it’s really not that hard to say that Chinese consumers and online surfers really do patronize their own products. This is important if you are a foreign brand, business, or investor wanting to do business in China. Always keep in mind that Baidu is the dominant Chinese search engine and Baidu search results are viewed daily by millions of people.

Unique Features and Advertising Options

Baidu also offers a ton of advertising options. They don’t only have paid search advertising but also give you a chance to run in-feed ads and create what they call brand zones so that advertisers can have a broader reach to their ideal clients.

It’s got an audience segmentation feature that through the years has become one of the most sophisticated in the industry that will enable brands to get right in front of their target market. 

If you advertise on Baidu, you will also have access to insights on industry searches as well as a drag-and-drop builder for landing pages which will prove valuable for your campaign. 

It’s China’s Longest Running Search Engine

With tenure comes maturity in its search engine structure, and Baidu’s influence is ingrained in the minds and even the hearts of the Chinese consumer. Reputation can’t be bought nor built overnight and that’s an area that Baidu will definitely help you with. 

What Are the Limitations of Baidu?

As robust as this platform can be, Baidu most certainly has a few cumbersome limitations that won’t completely put off businesses but can make things challenging. What users first find very challenging is setting up an account on the platform itself. We will discuss how to do so later on.

Some businesses also find the minimum daily budget for each ad campaign restricting if not inflexible. You also won’t have the ability to advertise multiple websites on one Baidu account.  You’ll unearth a few inconveniences here and there as you utilize the space but there’s really nothing else major that might get in your way to implement your strategies effectively. 

We are Your Baidu Agency in China!

There’s no doubt about it, Baidu is definitely where you look first and explore your options as far as advertising is concerned when cultivating a brand in China. Its massive market share and lead amongst its competitors is a testament enough to the potential that’s just lying in wait for you and your brand.

When strategies are aligned and implemented right, then you might just have a chance at making it in this brutally competitive yet highly-rewarding market.  Baidu’s features will not just help you be in a position to succeed but also get you right in front of your ideal client. There’s definitely no other way but up from here.

If you need help getting your brand off the ground or integrating your strategies into Baidu, you know where to turn to. Contact us today for not only educational blogs but to have a partner in building your business and making it relevant in the minds of the Chinese consumer.