To effectively reach your target audience in China, your content must be easily discoverable on Baidu. This is where Baidu indexing and trust certificates come into play. Indexing and trust certificates are crucial for increasing the visibility and credibility of your journal content on Baidu, China’s dominant search engine. By ensuring proper indexing, you can drive more referred traffic to your articles. Additionally, trust certificates signal the reliability and reputation of your journal to Baidu users.

What is Baidu Indexing?

Baidu Indexing refers to the process by which Baidu, China’s largest search engine, discovers, crawls, and organises content from websites to make it available in its search engine results pages (SERPs). Similar to how Google operates, Baidu’s indexing involves two major components:

1. Baidu Search (Crawling and Indexing for General Content) is Baidu’s main search engine that uses web crawlers, such as Baidu Spider (Baiduspider), to navigate the internet and collect information from web pages.

The process includes:

• Crawling: Baidu Spider visits websites and scans their content. This includes text, images, and links to other pages.

• Indexing: After crawling, Baidu organises the content in its databases, making it searchable based on user queries.

• Ranking: Baidu uses algorithms to rank the indexed content, prioritising factors like relevance, freshness, keywords, user engagement, and adherence to Baidu’s content policies.

Key Considerations for Baidu Indexing:

• Chinese Language Content: Baidu is optimised for Chinese content and prioritises websites hosted in China or optimised for Chinese users.
• ICP License Requirement: Websites hosted in China need an Internet Content Provider (ICP) license for full indexing and visibility in Baidu’s search results within China.
• Content Guidelines: Baidu applies strict censorship and content filtering, making adherence to its guidelines critical for successful indexing.
  

2. Baidu Scholar (Academic Content Indexing) is Baidu’s dedicated search engine for academic and scholarly content, similar to Google Scholar. It provides access to research papers, theses, conference proceedings, patents, and other academic resources. Baidu Scholar specifically caters to researchers, students, and academics in China.

Key Features and Process of Baidu Scholar:

• Academic Content Crawling: Baidu Scholar indexes content from academic institutions, publishers, and research repositories.
• Indexing Agreements: While indexing agreements aren’t strictly necessary, they can be beneficial. Sometimes, not all content is properly indexed, and agreements are required to obtain a trust certificate. Such agreements facilitate collaboration to optimise indexing methods and metadata inclusion.
• Metadata Support: Proper metadata (e.g., author name, publication date, keywords) enhances discoverability in Baidu Scholar.
• Focus on Accessibility: It aims to provide streamlined access to research and promote academic dissemination.
  

What are Baidu Trust Certs?

Baidu Trust Certificates (also known as Baidu Trust Certs) are digital seals of credibility provided by Baidu, China’s leading search engine, to certify the reliability and legitimacy of specific online content. These certificates are particularly important in the academic and research fields, as they signify that the associated content has undergone a thorough review and adheres to Baidu’s quality standards.

Key Features of Baidu Trust Certs:

1. Purpose:
   • To validate the credibility and trustworthiness of academic journals, articles, or other online content.
   • To improve visibility and search rankings on Baidu’s platform, as trusted content is prioritised in search results.
2. Eligibility:
   • These certificates are typically available to academic journals and publishers.
   • To receive a Trust Certificate, journals must submit their content for review to Baidu. The review process ensures that the content meets Baidu’s standards for accuracy, relevance, and credibility.
3. Review Process:
   • Baidu reviews the submitted content to verify its academic integrity and quality.
   • Factors considered include the authenticity of the publication, peer-review status, adherence to academic standards, and the absence of plagiarism or misinformation.
   • The process does review content for politically sensitive content in China and journals with critical content will be prevented from obtaining this service.
4. Appearance on the Screen:
   • Once approved, the Baidu Trust Cert is displayed prominently on the search result snippet for the certified journal or article.
   • The certificate usually appears as a badge or seal next to the title or URL of the content in the search results.
   • It may include text such as “Baidu Certified” or display an icon indicating its trusted status. This visual cue helps users quickly identify reliable sources.
5. Benefits:
   • Enhances the journal’s credibility among researchers, readers, and other users.
   • Boosts the content’s ranking and discoverability on Baidu, as trusted content is favoured by the algorithm.
   • Establishes the journal as a reputable source of information, potentially increasing readership and citation rates.
6. Significance for Academic Journals:
   • Academic journals seeking wider recognition in the Chinese academic ecosystem often apply for Baidu Trust Certs.
   • It is a strategic move to gain visibility among Chinese researchers and institutions that heavily rely on Baidu for accessing scholarly content.
   By earning a Baidu Trust Cert, academic journals can significantly improve their reach and reputation in China’s academic and research communities.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: Reaching Potential Authors

PPC advertising on Baidu can significantly boost the visibility of your journal for potential authors who are actively searching for publication opportunities. By targeting relevant keywords and creating compelling ad copy, you can attract high-quality submissions and expand your author base.

How We Can Help

We are China’s SEM agency, that offers comprehensive support to help you navigate the complexities of the Chinese digital market. Our services include:

• Baidu Indexing and Trust Certs: We handle the process of obtaining necessary agreements, setting up a Baidu account, and managing communication with Baidu to ensure smooth indexing.
• Baidu Ads: Our team of local experts develops effective keyword strategies, sets up and manages your Baidu ads, and provides regular performance reports to optimise your campaigns.

 

Why Choose Charlesworth?

• Local Expertise: Our team possesses in-depth knowledge of the Chinese market and search engine landscape.
• Proven Track Record: We have successfully managed hundreds of Baidu campaigns for clients across various industries.
• Comprehensive Services: We offer a complete suite of services, from indexing and trust certs to Baidu ads management.
  

Baidu indexing and trust certificates represent essential tools for academic journals aiming to succeed in the Chinese market. These mechanisms not only drive referred usage to your journal but also increase trust, visibility, and authorship opportunities. By combining Baidu indexing, trust certificates, and targeted advertising, you can effectively position your journal to thrive in China’s academic ecosystem.

Are you ready to take your brand to new heights in China? Let us help you achieve your goals and connect with your target audience in China. Contact us today!