Baidu Marketing ブログ 📝
Insights, tips, and updates on Baidu advertising, SEM strategies, and China's digital marketing landscape.
📉 Baidu's Profit Crashed 76% — And That's Good News for You
Baidu's 2025 earnings: net profit down 76%. They didn't even break out ad revenue. But buried in the same report: AI revenue hit 40B RMB, 31% of total. The old model is dying, the new one is exploding — three concrete steps to get ahead.
YoY drop
31% of total
playbook
🤔 Will AI Assistants Become the Next Baidu?
Once Chinese AI chatbots start running ads, will we end up with another Baidu? Yes to the ads, no to the garbage. That distinction matters more than people think — and the organic window is still open.
ads eventually
Baidu-style chaos
is still open
📊 China Internet in Numbers: 1.125B Users & Your Ad Budget
China's internet hit 1.125 billion users, 80.1% penetration. Key for advertisers: 99.6% on mobile, avg 32.5 hours/week online, 90.3% mobile payment. Official CNNIC data to back up every strategy pitch.
80.1% penetration
time online
mobile phone
🛡️ Baidu Invalid Click Protection: How We Safeguard Your Ad Budget
Worried about competitors clicking your ads or bots draining your budget? Learn how Baidu's intelligent filtering system works and how we help clients protect every yuan of their ad spend.
🛡️ How to Protect Your Brand on Baidu PPC: A Complete Guide
Competitors bidding on your brand name and using it in their ad copy? Baidu does let you protect your trademark — but the rules differ from Google. Here is exactly what you can block, what you cannot, and the 5 documents you need to get it done.
📉 Search Is Down to 69.5%. Does That Mean It's Dying? Not Quite.
Search engine usage dropped from 79.2% to 69.5% of internet users (2021–2025). Meanwhile, time on generative AI grew 176.7% YoY with 602 million regular AI users. Not a collapse — attention is splitting across surfaces. The 782 million still searching do so with high purchase intent.
💰 China's Digital Consumer: ¥9.37 Trillion and 958M Shoppers
China's digital consumption hit ¥9.37 trillion (~$1.3T USD) in just H1 2025. Behind it: 958 million digital consumers (83.2% of internet users), 90.3% on mobile payment. The 64.69 million SMEs — 45.5% operating online — are the audience many foreign providers chase.
🔢 Why Baidu? The Numbers Behind China's Largest Search Ecosystem
Baidu isn't just a search engine — it's an ecosystem reaching over a billion users daily. The App handles billions of searches, feed distributes 15B daily content recommendations, and its map covers 3.4 billion POIs worldwide.
Monthly Active Users
Distributions
Coverage
📱 Baidu's App Ecosystem: Where Your Ads Actually Show Up
Baidu ads run across products most foreign marketers haven't heard of. Baidu App (708M MAU) is the main search & feed surface. Baidu Maps (3.4B global POIs) captures local intent. Baidu Tieba (80M DAU, 23M forums) is Reddit-like for niche targeting. Haokan Video handles short-form video ads — all sharing the same marketing account.
🎯 Baidu User Data: What You Can Target That Google Doesn't Have
Baidu's targeting combines search history, feed browsing, map queries, and content consumption. Baidu Netdisk (1 billion registered users) and Baidu Wenku (2.3B+ AI interactions) add behavioral signals most platforms lack. Target by keywords, content affinity, geographic movement, and professional interests — not just demographics.
🔄 Baidu Stopped Showing Domain Names in Ads: What This Means for Foreign Brands
Baidu replaced domain names with business registration names in PPC ad displays. For foreign brands with long Chinese legal names, this was a real problem. Learn how to set up custom brand information, what happens if your submission gets rejected, and how to optimize per ad group.
✅ What Is the Baidu V Sign and Why Your Account Needs It
The Baidu V sign is not optional — you need it to run PPC ads. Three levels (V1/V2/V3), annual renewal at ¥600/year, and a 30-day deadline before expiration. We explain what documents you need and how to avoid account suspension.
🔐 Understanding Baidu PPC Account Status: All 5 States Explained
Baidu PPC accounts display 5 possible statuses before and during promotion. Learn what each status means, why it happens, and exactly what action to take to get your campaigns running.
🌐 Why Baidu Ads Deliver Results for Foreign Businesses in China
Baidu handles over 6 billion searches a day, built around intent-based traffic. People searching your product category already have purchase intent. AI-driven targeting adjusts creatives automatically — lower wasted spend compared to audience guessing on social media.
📰 How Baidu Feed Ads Work and Why They Matter
Unlike traditional display, Baidu feed ads target using search history, browsing patterns, and behavioral signals. Feed DAU exceeds 100 million, time-on-feed up 300% YoY. They reach users who aren't actively searching but fit your customer profile — powered by search-intent data others don't have.
🤖 oCPC Explained: How AI Bidding Lowers Your Cost Per Lead
oCPC is Baidu's AI bidding model. It estimates each click's conversion probability and adjusts bids in real time — pushing harder on likely converters, backing off on the rest. For lead-gen campaigns, this typically lowers CPA by 20–40% vs. manual CPC.
🔄 Native Ads vs Feed Ads: What's the Difference?
Native advertising is a format — ads that blend into content. Feed advertising is a placement — ads inside scrolling streams. Baidu feed ads are both. The natural starting point? Baidu feed, because it gives access to search-intent data that WeChat and Douyin lack.
💳 CPC, CPM, oCPA, oCPC — Baidu Pricing Models Guide
CPC is default for search ads. CPM works for display/brand campaigns. oCPA and oCPC are AI-optimized variants — set a target cost, Baidu adjusts bids automatically. For most lead-gen campaigns, oCPC delivers the best results.
🔍 Keyword Tools for Baidu: Researching Chinese Search Terms
Direct translations of English keywords often miss the mark. Baidu's keyword planner shows volume, competition, and suggested bids. Third-party tools like 5118 and Ahrefs (now with Baidu data) supplement. Key: focus on high-intent, mid-tail keywords over broad head terms.
🇨🇳 Digital Marketing in China: Why Online Beats Traditional
Internet penetration passed 80% in 2025 — over 1.1 billion online users. Online advertising runs 24/7, reaches nationwide, and gives real-time data. Cost per qualified lead runs 60–80% lower than offline trade shows or print directories.
❓ Can I Do Baidu PPC? 7 Questions New Advertisers Ask
Small business, niche product, seasonal brand, or no website — can you still do Baidu PPC? We answer 7 common questions new advertisers ask before starting their first Baidu campaign.
💰 How Much Does Baidu PPC Cost? Pricing, CPC, and Budget Guide
Baidu PPC uses a prepaid model starting from $1,000 initial top-up + $142 service fee. CPC only — no charge for impressions. Learn how CPC is calculated and how quality score reduces costs.
📖 Baidu PPC Terms Explained: Quality Score, Ranking, Bidding, and CPC
New to Baidu? Understand the 4 core terms: Quality Score (determines cost), Ranking (calculated as QS × Bid), Bidding (max you pay ≠ actual CPC), and CPC (dynamic formula explained).
💥 Bounce Rate Kills Conversions: Fix Your Landing Pages
High bounce rate? Usual culprits: slow page load (especially overseas-hosted), landing page mismatch, or no clear CTA. Fix: host in China or use a CDN, match headline to ad copy, put the lead form above the fold.
🏗️ How to Build a Baidu Feed Ads Account That Works
Separate campaigns by objective — brand awareness vs. lead gen. Within each, organize ad groups by targeting: category, segment, or region. Keep each group focused on a single theme with tightly related keywords. This keeps quality scores high and optimization easy.
⚡ Optimizing Feed Ad Landing Pages for More Conversions
For Baidu feed campaigns, landing pages need to load fast (under 3 seconds), match the creative's promise, and have a single clear action. Biggest wins: add trust signals, simplify to 3–4 fields max, and test headlines. Small tweaks regularly lift conversions by 15–30%.
🎬 Baidu Search Ad Video Format Guide: Specs, Settings, and Best Practices
Baidu search ads now prioritize video over static images. Complete spec guide: MP4/FLV, ≤500MB, ≥6s, 16:9 (desktop) or 9:16/1:1 (mobile). Includes free Baidu video pool and video editor for advertisers without their own assets.
🔄 Baidu vs Google PPC: 7 Key Differences for International Advertisers
Baidu offers Brand Zone (Google doesn't), richer ad formats with 2x ads per impression, and stricter compliance. Account setup takes 2-4 weeks and requires Chinese documents. Feed ads leverage search intent data. A Chinese phone number is mandatory for access.
🔗 Baidu URL Wildcards: Complete Tracking Guide
Master Baidu URL wildcards to track every click. All 9 active parameters covered — from {keywordid} to {trig_flag} — with usage examples, encoding tips for Chinese keywords, and UTM integration best practices.
📊 CPM vs oCPM vs eCPM: The 3 Metrics Every Baidu Advertiser Must Understand
These three metrics look almost identical — but they live at completely different levels. Advertisers bid with oCPM, the system ranks by eCPM, and what you pay shows up as CPM. Confuse them and you waste budget. This guide explains the chain so you don't.
📈 Is Rising CPM Really Bad News for Your Baidu Campaigns?
A real campaign case: CPM climbed from CNY 28 to 36, yet CPA dropped from CNY 120 to 72. When higher impression cost actually means better performance — and how to tell the difference by reading CPM alongside CTR, CVR, and CPA.
💳 Baidu Ad Billing Models: CPM, CPC, oCPM, and When to Use Each
CPM for brand, CPC for search intent, oCPM for conversions. Pick the wrong billing model and you waste budget. Here is a clear decision framework — know your ad type first, then choose the model that fits.
💰 8 Proven Ways to Lower Your Baidu CPC Without Sacrificing Results
CPC climbing year after year? From long-tail keywords and geo targeting to quality score optimization and brand protection — eight tactics that actually work, with a real client case showing how higher CPC can still mean good results.
🎯 Baidu Audience Targeting: A Complete Guide for Advertisers
Reach the right people on Baidu — not just the right keywords. Feature targeting, search history, browsing behavior, app categories, and precision ID targeting. How each dimension works and how to combine them for better traffic quality and lower CPA.
🏆 Baidu Brand Zone Now Open for Generic Keywords
Brand Zone was previously limited to brand and product keywords. Now any advertiser can bid on generic search terms. How the new CPT-based generic keyword Brand Zone works — quotation, bid, and online stages explained.
🔑 Baidu MCC Account: Managing Multiple PPC Accounts
Baidu MCC (My Client Center) lets you manage up to 500 PPC accounts from one dashboard. Account types, registration steps, auto top-up, multi-report download, and common registration issues explained.
💰 Baidu Shared Budget: Stop Wasting Ad Spend Across Campaigns
Baidu now supports shared budgets across campaigns. Instead of manually allocating budget per campaign, let the system redistribute underutilized spend to high-performing campaigns in real time. Essential for oCPC strategies.
🎬 Baidu Paid Search Video Ads: Specs, Setup, and Why to Use Them
Baidu prioritizes video ads over static images in paid search results. Video format specs (13 formats, up to 500MB), three setup levels, and free Baidu video library. Higher CTR than static Big Image ads.
🌐 Can I Use a Different Domain for My Baidu PPC Account?
Three ways: tracking URL approval for third-party tools (Adobe/Google 360/Kenshoo), domain change requests for rebranding, or registering a new account. What Baidu requires and how long each takes.
🔀 Baidu Keyword Match Types: Why You Need So Many Similar Keywords
Baidu has 5 match types (Exact → Broad) but no BMM. Broader match = lower CTRO = lower QS = higher CPC. Why you need many similar keywords: use Phrase match to gather data, then refine into Exact match winners.