Insights from Yuan Jiang, Digital Ads Manager at Charlesworth Enago

In today’s globalised marketplace, navigating regional advertising platforms is essential. Reaching diverse audiences requires the right tools and strategies. Baidu, China’s dominant search engine, offers a unique gateway to this vast market, but its intricacies can pose challenges for international advertisers.

Join Charlesworth’s Claire Hao as she interviews Yuan Jiang, Digital Ads Manager at Charlesworth. Yuan oversees all paid advertising across the business. He manages campaigns across platforms, analyses data, and ensures alignment with business goals.

Our Focus: practical tips for optimising Baidu ads and their implications for international advertisers. Mastering Baidu can significantly enhance brand visibility and conversions in China. Yuan, with his wealth of knowledge, will guide you through Baidu’s unique ecosystem.

Join us to explore:

• Optimising Baidu Ads: Practical tips and insights for international success.
• The Baidu Landscape: Understanding its nuances and implications.
• Leveraging Baidu for Growth: Strategies to maximise your reach in China.

Claire: What are the key similarities and differences in functionality and features between Google and Baidu?

Yuan: Both Google and Baidu use keyword-based bidding and have similar account structures, including ad campaigns, ad groups, and keywords. They offer various matching options like broad, phrase, and exact match, as well as negative keywords to control traffic precision. Both platforms also provide advanced tools for keyword targeting, time and location targeting, and data analysis.

Claire: What localisation efforts are required for a foreign company to enter the Chinese market, particularly concerning search engines?

Yuan: For a foreign company to successfully enter the Chinese market, significant localisation is needed. Unlike Google, which is global and primarily English-based, Baidu caters specifically to Chinese users. Localisation efforts should include translating the website content into Chinese, understanding local user behaviour, and adapting marketing strategies to align with Chinese cultural nuances.

Claire: Does my website need to be in Chinese?

Yuan: It is recommended to have a Chinese website because Baidu’s advertising services target Chinese users. Without localizing an English website, it could compromise user experience, lead generation, and order conversion. Moreover, it might create additional management challenges for the Baidu advertising account.

Claire: Do I need a website in China and an ICP license[AS1]  to use Baidu advertising??

Yuan: There are two scenarios to consider:

1. Website in China: Yes, if you plan to host your website on a server located in mainland China, you will need an ICP license. This is a state-issued registration that allows you to operate a website with content accessible within China.
2. Website outside China (International Account): You may not need a website in China or an ICP license if you use an international Baidu account. With this account, your ads can be displayed on Baidu in Chinese, even if your website is hosted outside of China (e.g., Japan – .jp domain).

Regarding Domain Suffix:

• While Baidu doesn’t have specific domain name requirements, using suffixes like .cn, .com,.com.cn, or .net can improve user trust in your brand, especially for users familiar with the Chinese internet landscape.

Focus During Account Creation:

• Baidu primarily focuses on reviewing your website content for compliance with advertising regulations during the account setup process. The domain name itself isn’t a major factor.

Claire: Can you show us how paid Baidu ads appear?

Yuan: There are two types of Baidu ads:

1. Baidu brand advertising

Additional details:

• The metric used to calculate the performance: is Cost per thousand (CPT)
• Baidu leading display position: the first position in the display of search brand words
• Baidu dominant style: According to the purchase package, different display styles and the size of the occupied position are presented

2. Baidu PPC advertising (A regular choice for businesses in China)

This ad includes:

• Text ads
• Display ads (Image + text advertising)

Additional details:

• The metric used to calculate the performance: Cost per click (CPC)
• Baidu dominates the display position: Ranking is determined by bid + creative copy strategy + historical account performance, which appears under brand advertising, ranking in the top 5
• Baidu dominant style: Based on account management, Baidu promoters configure different copywriting and styles to display advertisements in the top five of Baidu with bidding strategies.

Claire: How do I set up a Baidu ad account?

Yuan: Setting up a Baidu advertising account can be complex and requires familiarity with both Baidu’s platform and the overall marketing landscape in China. Here’s a simplified step-by-step guide to help you get started:

1. Market Research and Strategy Development

Start by conducting thorough market research to understand your target audience. This includes learning about your potential customers’ demographics, analysing competitors, and researching relevant keywords. Investing time in this step helps ensure that your campaigns are well-targeted.

2. Register a Baidu Account

Go to Baidu’s official advertising site and complete the account registration process. Although this might seem straightforward, be sure to review and agree to all terms of service and privacy policies carefully.

3. Submit Business Documentation

Baidu requires certain documents, such as your company’s business license and ICP certification, to verify your account. Submitting these documents may take time, and the review process can vary.

4. Set Up Your Advertising Campaign

Define your target keywords, budget, and audience based on your research. This step includes building ad groups, setting budgets, and optimising traffic to maximise your campaign’s effectiveness.

5. Create Ad Content

Craft engaging ad copy and visuals. Ad content should follow Baidu’s advertising guidelines to avoid rejection. This step may require marketing and design expertise to ensure the ads are both effective and compliant.

6. Manage Keyword Bidding

Set competitive bids for your keywords and monitor ad performance closely. Adjust bidding strategies as necessary, based on data analysis, to improve results.

7. Monitor and Optimise

After your campaign launches, continuously monitor performance metrics, such as click-through and conversion rates. Adjust your strategy based on real-time data to maintain high performance.

8. Ensure Compliance

It’s essential to follow China’s online advertising regulations and Baidu’s guidelines to avoid issues like ad removal or account suspension.

9. Technical Support

During your campaign, you may encounter technical issues. Having access to a support team ensures these can be resolved quickly to keep your ads running smoothly.

Each of these steps is crucial for a successful Baidu advertising campaign, especially in navigating China’s unique online advertising landscape.

Claire: What unique metrics does Baidu offer, and how are they useful for advertisers?

Yuan: Baidu provides several unique metrics. One key metric is the Arrival Rate, which indicates the percentage of users who click on an ad and successfully load the website. This metric is essential for advertisers because it helps identify technical issues with the website and understand the true cost of acquiring traffic. Additionally, Baidu offers real-time visit details and a commercial shield to monitor and manage invalid traffic, protecting advertisers from fraudulent clicks.

Claire: How does Baidu handle regulatory and compliance issues differently compared to other platforms?

Yuan: In China, data privacy laws are stringent, and Baidu adheres to the Personal Information Protection Law. Baidu rigorously checks content for fraud and misleading information, maintaining strict content standards. For advertising, Baidu enforces industry-specific prohibited terms, ensuring compliance with Chinese laws. The platform’s content review process is more stringent compared to international standards.

Claire: How do seasonality and cultural trends impact advertising strategies on Baidu?

Yuan: Seasonality and cultural trends significantly influence advertising strategies. For example, during major shopping festivals like “618” (June 18th)  and “Double 11”, (November 11th) advertisers tailor their content to align with consumer expectations, offering promotions and discounts. These shopping holidays are promoted by e-commerce shopping giants JD and Alibaba. For the Chinese New Year, companies might create special campaigns to engage with users celebrating the holiday. These strategies enhance user engagement and optimize ad performance by resonating with cultural moments.

Claire: What are some common mistakes advertisers make in search engine advertising, and how can they avoid them?

Yuan: Common mistakes include poor keyword management, leading to irrelevant traffic, and inefficient budget allocation. Advertisers often fail to optimise their account structure, resulting in higher costs and lower ROI. Neglecting the creative elements of ads and landing pages is another frequent error. Advertisers should ensure their ads are relevant, engaging, and well-targeted. Regularly monitoring and adjusting keywords, budgets, and ad creatives is crucial for successful campaigns.

Claire: What are your thoughts on the future development of Baidu in the next few years, particularly regarding AI integration?

Yuan: Baidu is heavily investing in AI and smart advertising. We can expect to see more intelligent ad formats and deeper integration with digital ecosystems like smart driving and customized ad content. Baidu’s focus on AI will likely lead to more precise targeting and improved ad performance, making it easier for advertisers to reach their desired audiences effectively.