Baidu, often referred to as the " Google of China," forms the foundation of digital marketing for B2B companies in China. Due to the existence of China's firewalls, Baidu's suite of products has a unique advantage in the mainland Chinese market.
One of its flagship products, the Baidu search engine, holds a 61.94% share of the search engine market in mainland China.
In China, when it comes to buying or searching for products, Chinese consumers generally go directly to e-commerce platforms (JD, Taobao, Tmall, Pinduoduo, etc.) rather than searching for the item on Baidu.
However, this only happens when they already have a good idea of what they want to buy.
If a consumer is unsure or is still in the research phase, they use Baidu to learn more about the various products or services available. In the B2B sector, or for anything involving significant spending, Baidu helps users evaluate their options and make informed decisions.
As a leading Chinese internet company, Baidu has evolved into much more than just a search engine. Baidu is a digital ecosystem offering a wide range of tools and services to meet a variety of business needs. For B2B SMEs in China, Baidu’s suite of products and services offers opportunities to improve visibility, engage target audiences, and optimize operations.
In this article, we'll introduce you to Baidu's main products and tools for B2B companies in China to help you become familiar with these options.
Baidu Search Engine
Baidu maintains a massive global library of Chinese web pages. Baidu's servers, located throughout China, can return search results directly from the nearest server, allowing users to enjoy extremely fast search speeds.
As the world’s leading Chinese-language search engine, Baidu handles billions of search queries every day from more than 100 countries and regions. It is therefore the primary gateway for Internet users accessing information in Chinese.
For B2B companies, optimizing their website for Baidu through SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is just as important as SEO on Google in Europe. This involves using relevant Chinese keywords, creating high-quality content, and ensuring that the website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly.
Baidu Marketing
Baidu's advertising business primarily consists of search ads, display ads, and brand promotion.
Research Announcements
Similar to Google ads, Baidu search ads appear at the top of search results, immediately driving traffic to your website. CPC (cost-per-click) advertising involves prepaid advertising fees for each click a customer makes on the ad. When customers actively search for keywords, they can immediately see the advertiser’s products and services.
Display Ads
Display ads are advertisements shown in the Baidu app, on the Baidu homepage, or on other Baidu products and the Baidu mobile browser. Based on keywords that customers actively search for, targeted marketing content is seamlessly integrated into various types of news feeds.
Brand Promotion
When users search for your brand, your brand page on Baidu will appear first, featuring a combination of text, images, videos, or an online store display. This creates a professional brand image for your company, builds consumer trust, and makes it easier to acquire customers online.
These advertising options enable precise targeting based on demographic criteria, location, and user behavior, making it easier for B2B companies to reach their specific audience.
European companies must work with an agency to open an account and manage ad campaigns. You do not need to register in mainland China. All you need to do is provide your business license, the company’s website, the company’s search results, and the company’s bank information.
Baidu Maps
Baidu Maps is the leading mapping and navigation service in China. For B2B companies with physical locations in China, being listed on Baidu Maps can increase your local visibility. This makes it easy for potential local customers to find you and visit your business location.
Baidu Baike
Baidu Baike, similar to Wikipedia, is a Chinese-language online encyclopedia that provides detailed information on a wide range of topics. Baidu Baike can help companies establish credibility regarding their products, services, and company history.
Baidu Baike is an open platform. While it is said that anyone can edit it, this depends on your editing history on Baidu Baike. If you are not familiar with the rules of it, you may have to resubmit your information multiple times. It is therefore recommended that you work with a professional organization to create your Baidu Baike page.
Baidu Baike is available only to companies registered in mainland China that have a Chinese business license and an ICP (Internet Content Provider) certificate for their website.
Baidu's products and tools are important for B2B companies looking to grow their business in China. By combining SEO and Baidu marketing, you can strategically improve your online visibility in the Chinese market.
To get an overview of your presence in China, contact Maia Consulting. We offer a quick scan so you can see your positioning in China at a glance.