Maximizing B2B SEO in China: The Strategic Role of Baidu Baike

May 9, 2025

When it comes to B2B digital marketing in China, most brands focus on platforms like WeChat. However, many overlook a powerful yet cost-effective asset that can significantly boost brand visibility, credibility, and SEO performance—Baidu Baike (百度百科).

What Is Baidu Baike?

Baidu Baike is China’s equivalent of Wikipedia, but it’s more than just an online encyclopedia. With nearly 300 million monthly homepage views and even more traffic from Baidu Search, Baidu Baike plays a crucial role in shaping brand perception and supporting search-driven research in China.

For B2B marketers, a well-maintained Baike page serves as an authoritative digital asset, offering Chinese professionals a credible first touchpoint when researching potential partners, vendors, or service providers.

Screenshot of the Baidu Baike page for GIC, the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, showing company introduction, details, and related video.

GIC’s official Baidu Baike page serves as a strong example of how foreign organizations can build credibility and improve search visibility in China.

Why Baidu Baike Matters for B2B Marketing

  • Search Visibility: Baidu Baike entries rank highly on Baidu, improving your organic SEO performance.

  • Credibility Boost: A professional Baike page adds legitimacy and positions your brand as a trusted source of information.

  • Lead Generation Support: It helps prospective clients or partners validate your business before making contact.

  • Content Ecosystem Integration: Baidu Baike links seamlessly with other Baidu properties like Zhidao, Baijiahao, and Tieba.

How to Create a Baidu Baike Entry in 2025

  1. Register a Baidu Account

    • Required for submission. You’ll need a verified Baidu account, typically with a Chinese phone number.

  2. Check for Existing Entries

    • Search your brand in Baike to ensure no duplicate entries exist.

  3. Draft a Structured Entry

    • Include your company’s history, services, milestones, and leadership details in simplified Chinese.

  4. Cite Reliable Sources

    • Reference Chinese-language news outlets, government publications, or academic sources to validate your content.

  5. Submit for Review

    • Baidu’s editorial team will review and approve your entry before publishing.

5 Proven Strategies to Maximize Baidu Baike’s Value

1. Create a Structured, Professional Entry

Write your page like a Wikipedia article with a clean layout, well-defined sections, and neutral language.

2. Optimize for Baidu Search

Use industry-relevant keywords, highlight your Chinese brand name, and include internal Baike links to related concepts or categories.

3. Leverage Baidu’s Content Ecosystem

Link your Baike page in:

  • Zhidao Q&As

  • Baijiahao articles

  • Tieba forums

  • SEM ads and Baidu Brand Zone

4. Keep Your Entry Updated

Regularly refresh your page with new milestones, product launches, and verified information to maintain credibility.

5. Use Third-Party Mentions as References

Leverage mentions by KOLs, journalists, or platforms like Zhihu as credible references to strengthen your Baike content.

Final Thoughts

As search-driven research continues to dominate B2B buyer behavior in China, Baidu Baike remains one of the most underrated digital assets for foreign brands. Investing in a credible, well-optimized Baike page can help your brand build trust, visibility, and lead generation potential in the world’s largest online market.

Need help with Baidu Baike or your B2B China marketing strategy? Contact us today to learn more.

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SEO for Foreign Brands: Optimizing Search Engine Results Pages

November 30, 2023

In the digital landscape, optimizing search engine results pages (SERPs) is pivotal for foreign brands looking to establish a strong online presence in China. Navigating the intricacies of search engine optimization (SEO) can be a daunting task, especially in a market as distinct as China’s. Let’s dive in to explore fundamental techniques for foreign brands to enhance their SEO strategies for better visibility on search engines like Baidu.

To begin with, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the most popular search engines in China, as Google doesn’t operate there. For starters, this understanding lays the groundwork for tailoring your SEO efforts effectively to the Chinese market.

💻 Top Search Engines in China and How They Work

Identifying and Targeting Relevant Keywords

An effective SEO strategy begins with the crucial step of identifying the most relevant keywords for your brand and content. This process involves understanding what terms and phrases your target audience in China is likely to use in their searches. To achieve this, consider the following steps:

Keyword Research: Start with comprehensive keyword research. Tools like Baidu Keyword Planner can provide valuable insights into the popularity and competitiveness of keywords.

Competitor Analysis: Analyse the keywords your competitors are targeting. This can offer a useful reference point and reveal gaps in your own strategy.

Long-Tail Keywords: Consider long-tail keywords, which are more specific and have less competition. They can help you target niche audiences effectively.

Localisation: Localise your keywords to cater to the Chinese audience. Understand that certain keywords may have regional variations in their usage.

 

Search Engine-Friendly Websites

Ensuring your website is search engine-friendly is the foundation of a strong SEO strategy. Here are key aspects to focus on:

Mobile Optimization: In China, a significant portion of internet users access the web via mobile devices. Ensure your website is responsive and loads efficiently on mobile platforms.

Page Load Speed: Page load speed is a critical ranking factor. Compress images, reduce unnecessary scripts, and enable browser caching to improve load times.

Chinese Hosting: Hosting your website in China can significantly improve loading speeds. Local hosting minimises latency and enhances the user experience.

Chinese Domain: Consider registering a Chinese domain (ending with .cn) to signal to Baidu and users that your content is relevant to China. Baidu prioritizes indexing websites that have ICP. Those who don’t would find it very hard or even impossible for Baidu to index its contents. You can check what exactly ICP is in our previous post.

 

Tracking SEO Performance and Making Adjustments

SEO is not a static process; it requires continuous monitoring and adaptation. Regularly track your SEO performance to identify areas for improvement. Here’s how to do it effectively:

Analytics Tools: Implement analytics tools like Baidu Analytics or Google Analytics to monitor website traffic, user behaviour, and conversion rates.

Keyword Ranking: Keep a close eye on your keyword rankings. Identify keywords that are performing well and those that may need adjustment.

Content Audit: Regularly audit your content to ensure it remains relevant and valuable. Remove outdated content and update existing pages to align with current trends and user intent.

Backlink Analysis: Monitor your backlink profile and disavow low-quality or spammy backlinks that can negatively impact your SEO.

 

Additional Resources and Expertise

To delve deeper into the world of Baidu SEO, consider leveraging resources from reputable sources and collaborating with experts in the field. Here are some additional tips:

Educational Material: Explore educational material on Baidu SEO, such as blogs, articles, and guides. 

Online Courses: There are online courses and certifications available that can enhance your understanding of SEO practices in China.

SEO Agencies: Collaborating with local SEO agencies in China can provide you with the expertise required to navigate the intricacies of Baidu and its algorithms.

Stay Updated: SEO is an ever-evolving field. Stay updated with the latest trends, algorithm changes, and best practices to maintain a competitive edge.

 

Less obvious facts that SEO optimisation is easily overlooked

Geographic positioning: Firstly, determine the user’s geographical location based on their IP address and return search results that are more suitable for the user’s geographical location.

Above The Fold: Secondly, place the most important information on the first screen and capture the user’s attention within a few seconds.

Social media optimisation: Lastly, publish high-quality content on mainstream media platforms, encouraging users to actively engage with the contents

 

Main Differences between Baidu and Google

While Baidu places greater emphasis on the quantity and quality of links, Google, on the other hand, focuses more on the content relevance and website quality of external links. Baidu places a higher emphasis on the quantity and quality of external links because it believes that these factors are crucial indicators of a website’s authority and credibility.

In contrast, Google prioritizes the content relevance of external links and the overall quality of link sources. This distinction arises from Google’s algorithms, which can adeptly identify content relevance and link quality.

Google’s attention is directed towards factors such as the content’s relevance to the linked page and the overall quality of the source website, including considerations such as website credibility, page quality, and traffic. As a result, Google assigns higher weight to the external links originating from high-quality websites.

🔍 Check out our introduction to Baidu SEO for Beginners

Baidu Index 

Then, there is also the Baidu Index. Baidu Index is a tool provided by Baidu, the leading Chinese search engine. It allows users to track and analyze the popularity and trends of search queries on the Baidu platform. It is similar to Google Trends but specific to Baidu’s search data.

Furthermore, Baidu Index provides a platform for users to input keywords or phrases, allowing them to observe how the search volume for those terms has changed over time. This information is not only valuable but essential for businesses, marketers, and researchers. Additionally, it aids in understanding the interest and popularity of certain topics in the Chinese market, offering insights that can shape strategic decisions.

The tool provides a wealth of data, encompassing the number of searches, regional interest, related queries, and other relevant information. This multifaceted information proves instrumental for various purposes, ranging from market research and content planning to gauging the effectiveness of online campaigns within the dynamic landscape of the Chinese internet.

Moreover, it’s essential to note that access to Baidu Index is contingent upon having a Baidu account. Additionally, the tool not only facilitates a holistic understanding of user behavior but also uniquely tailors its features to primarily focus on Chinese language search queries. This linguistic emphasis underscores the significance of cultural and linguistic nuances when delving into the intricacies of the Chinese online ecosystem.

Baidu Index

 

Conclusions

In conclusion, optimizing SERPs for foreign brands in China emerges as an essential aspect of digital marketing. It is imperative to identify and target relevant keywords to ensure your website is search engine-friendly.

Moreover, continuously tracking SEO performance becomes a crucial practice. This approach enables you to significantly enhance your online visibility and effectively connect with the Chinese audience.

It’s crucial to remember that SEO is a long-term investment. Patience and persistence are key to achieving lasting results. As you embark on your SEO journey in China, consider it an ongoing process of improvement and adaptation. The digital landscape evolves, and so should your SEO strategy. Stay proactive in adjusting your approach to align with the dynamic nature of online trends and search engine algorithms.

You might want to explore our article on WeChat Search for further reading.

For further information, please feel free to contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com to learn more.

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What’s happening in the Chinese market

May 10, 2023

China’s answer to ChatGPT? Baidu shares tumble as Ernie Bot disappoints

The introduction of Ernie coincides with Google and Microsoft upping their AI game. As the CEO of Baidu makes brief video presentations in which he makes it abundantly clear that the AI still needs many improvements, Baidu shares fall.

Analysts claim it was a staged event with pre-recorded videos of the test and showcases, proving they were hesitant to perform it live. As a result, rumors claim it is not yet operational (Baidu stock fell by 6% following the presentation).

The public still cannot access AI. Ernie is able to create images and videos, speak and understand various Chinese dialects, write poetry, and perform math.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/chinese-search-giant-baidu-introduces-ernie-bot-2023-03-16/

 

Top Chinese PR agency to replace copywriters and designers with ChatGPT-like tech

Since securing Microsoft as a client, BlueFocus, which was ranked first among its Chinese peers and 11th overall among public relations firms worldwide in 2022, has made significant investments in AI. The company has also worked with Chinese ChatGPT substitutes, such as Baidu’s Ernie Bot, for use in online persona development and other forms of digital marketing.

It will do away with outside copywriters, designers, and temporary workers in favor of generative AI like ChatGPT. Up to one-fourth of current work could be replaced by ChatGPT-like technology, particularly in the fields of office administration and legal services.

https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/top-chinese-pr-agency-to-replace-copywriters-designers-with-chatgpt-like-tech/99470589

 

Notice on the Compliance of WeChat Official Account Marketing Content

The Measures for the Administration of Internet Advertising were recently released by the Market Supervision of China and will go into effect on May 1.

The official account operators, who advertise goods or services in various ways and include shopping links and other ways to make purchases, are, in my opinion, the most crucial factor for us. The term “advertisement” needs to be clearly identified.

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/R6FoptfmnOiLZPFMTh2uLw

 

A 80 year old grandmother be MIUMIU brand ambassador

When choosing an ambassador, many brands today, particularly luxury brands or high-end new consumer brands, are edging closer to middle-aged and older artists and models.
This 80-year-old grandmother appeared in a Miu Miu fashion advertisement.

In contrast to earlier fashion posters From the posters, we can sense the appeal of the past and another interpretation of fashion.

In order to reach a wider audience and draw in more young customers, brands like Lululemon are starting to favor middle-aged and elderly spokespersons. Fashion does not only belong to young people; it is about exploring individual fashion attitudes at any age.

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Lr4XlQiekcj7ALMhXDVAJA

 

Xiaohongshu decodes the urban core fashion trend through the sports market in Shanghai

Xiaohongshu visited a sports market in Shanghai over the May Day weekend that was showcasing the new fashion craze Urbancore. Participating brands and fashion KOLs organized a variety of outdoor sporting events, capitalizing on China’s enduring fitness craze to increase engagement.

In order to promote participation, a number of live streams with giveaways and prizes of urbancore-inspired clothing were combined with the offline market.

Xiaohongshu decodes Urbancore fashion trend through sports market in Shanghai

 

Xiaohongshu to launch group buying function

This is the most recent action taken by Xiaohongshu to expand her reach in the “local life” market.

Xiaohongshu has been working to strengthen the link between online peer-to-peer recommendation and offline services in users’ local areas ever since the launch of the “Nearby” feed in 2019. Consumers can be encouraged to spend money locally by offering discounts for group purchases, which must be made.

Online group buying penetration in China was only 12.7% in 2021, and this number is only anticipated to rise, creating an untapped market.

Xiaohongshu to launch group buying function

 

China’s May Day Holiday Reveals New Favorite Tourist Destinations

The price of admission to scenic areas increased 1,000% from the same time last year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. From April 17 to May 7, Macau was the most popular travel destination for Chinese tourists in Asia, a 32 percent decline from visits to Hong Kong.

Other than these well-known tourist destinations, obscure places saw growth over the holiday. Particularly for its inexpensive barbecue food and good value for money experiences, Zibo has become extremely popular on social media. May Day hotel bookings soared 800 percent from 2019.

Labor Day saw an all-time high in international excursion bookings on Fliggy, more than tripling the previous record set during this year’s Spring Festival. However, the number of available international flights continues to restrict travel abroad.

https://jingdaily.com/tencent-douyin-content-agreement-copyright/

 

For Marketers, Does It Even Matter If It’s Not Real?

Luxury brands are embracing the concept of “virtual luxury” more and more in order to appeal to younger, digitally savvy consumers who value sustainability and one-of-a-kind experiences. To engage customers and create fresh opportunities for brand interaction, this entails using virtual experiences and products.

But the question still stands: Is authenticity still important in marketing? While virtual luxury might be alluring in the short term, brands shouldn’t discount the value of authenticity and quality when fostering long-term consumer trust and loyalty.

Given these trends, luxury brands should think about how to strike a balance between the advantages of virtual luxury and the requirement to uphold a strong brand identity and reputation. This might entail coming up with inventive ways to combine tangible goods and services with digital ones, all the while upholding the brand’s commitment to excellence and authenticity throughout.

https://www.luxurysociety.com/en/articles/2023/04/marketers-does-it-even-matter-if-its-not-real

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Chinese Market Updates

February 7, 2023

Chinese internet search giant Baidu plans to launch a ChatGPT-style bot in March

Despite having a heavily censored domestic internet that is largely cut off from the rest of the world, ChatGPT has captured the attention of Chinese internet users. On regional social media, many people posted screenshots of the AI bot having unexpected conversations.

The application from Baidu will at first be integrated into its web search services. The combination will enable users to obtain search results in the form of conversations, similar to the well-known platform from OpenAI.

https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3208420/chinese-internet-search-giant-baidu-plans-launch-chatgpt-style-bot-march-source-says

 

China B2B Marketing in the Year of the Rabbit

 

Since trade shows and in-person meetings had to be canceled due to lockdowns and other circumstances, businesses had to find new ways to reach their target audiences.

New trends emerged:

  • Using trade publications for KOL marketing
  • Experiments with video and accelerated their WeChat content creation efforts using the WeChat Channels video platform,
  • Businesses can connect remotely with their clients and business partners thanks to webinars.
  • Digital-only trade shows and hybrid trade shows.

With COVID-19 still a major concern and vaccination efforts ongoing, it is more than likely that digital channels – especially newer channels – will to play a significant role

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/RG2S6bSwLJnQxwPz0Vvhdg 

 

Data report of LV, Chanel, Burberry, Prada and other official account in 2022

 

Service numbers include FENDI, Prada, HERMES, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Burberry. In 2022, Chanel has the most mass-produced items (totaling 72), while Louis Vuitton has the fewest (totaling 35), more than twice as many as the latter.

The opportunity is effectively not wasted because the service number can be pushed four times per month and all brands can send in groups three to four times per month.

Burberry, which has the second-highest number of mass-market articles, has the most likes and views, with totals that are 269.95% and 429.05% higher than the benchmark FENDI, respectively. Chanel, which has the most articles published in groups, won the challenge with 180.54% more reading than the benchmark, FENDI. 

However, Louis Vuitton, which has the fewest articles published in groups, has launched a counterattack, placing second overall among the six brands in terms of reading, liking, and viewing.

It can be seen on the mass distribution time distribution histogram that luxury brands tend to push more frequently in the second half of the week, occasionally on Saturday, and not as much on Sunday.

LINK: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/0bWYZZhJePNMCMHSEWiuBA

 

Spring Festival shoppers shift to 3 new trends in post-covid China

 

This year, the burgeoning young generation of consumers has turned away from the traditional idea of New Year’s goods  such as red gift boxes filled with roasted nuts and candies and biscuits in favor of contemporary trends in the post-pandemic era.

First and foremost, healthcare products were in high demand among Chinese people of all ages as health became a priority for everyone for reasons that were unmistakably related to the pandemic. 

The “firework” bubble gun machine was another popular item during the Spring Festival because most cities continued to impose stringent regulations on all kinds of fireworks. Young customers took an immediate liking to the firework substitute that closely resembled the sound and sight of the genuine article.

Thirdly, young shoppers this year exhibited a strong desire for distinctive and fashionable Chinese New Year gift boxes.

https://daoinsights.com/news/spring-festival-shoppers-shift-to-3-new-trends-in-post-covid-china/ 

 

Tencent carves out niche with new Brand Discovery mini program

 

Tencent Huiju will be replaced by WeChat’s new mini-program “Brand Discovery,” which will be introduced soon. 

The new program will concentrate on information aggregation and act as a hub from which users can find other smaller programs and get suggestions. Users interested in further browsing or purchasing a particular brand’s products will be redirected to the relevant mini program of that brand or shopping site.

Ma Huateng, the CEO of Tencent, has hinted that the company plans to take advantage of the popularity of short-form video content in the future, perhaps by using it to increase brand awareness and traffic to suggested products on the Brand Discovery mini program. 

https://daoinsights.com/news/tencent-carves-out-niche-with-new-brand-discovery-mini-program/ 

 

The male beauty market in China is developing fast and should not be overlooked

 

From 2016 to 2019, retail sales in China’s male beauty market were significantly higher than the global average (13.5% versus 5.8%).

59.50% of the total are between the ages of 18 and 25, while 21.30% are between the ages of 26 and 30.

Male beauty consumers can also find information on websites like Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

The top online stores for male beauty are Taobao and Tmall.

In China’s male beauty market, daily moisturizing creams and facial cleansers are crucial.

https://daxueconsulting.com/male-beauty-market-china/

 

 

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What’s going on in China?

December 1, 2022

Sephora: The French retailer primed to be a digital powerhouse for C-Beauty

 

Five of the newest beauty trends that makeup companies should be on the lookout for in order to capitalize on the Chinese beauty boom were unveiled by Sephora. Chinese brands have been actively welcomed by the platform, which has accelerated the upgradation of regional market players.

Five local premium beauty brands are expected to generate over 100 million RMB ($13.92 million) in annual revenue with the aid of the retailer’s “China Accelebrate” program over the next three years.

https://daoinsights.com/works/sephora-the-french-retailer-primed-to-be-a-digital-powerhouse-for-c-beauty/

 

Baidu Baike: The Chinese online encyclopedia as a marketing tool

 

The Chinese search engine Baidu owns the online encyclopedia Baidu Baike, which sees billions of searches annually and 200 million DAUs (daily active users).

In fact, Baike has developed into a crucial marketing tool for companies looking to build their online presence in the Chinese market, and it has become essential for western businesses looking to improve their brand reputation in the nation. 

Each Baike webpage has a standard length of 800 characters and typically has a very straightforward structure with sections made up of text and images. The platform’s intriguing feature, however, is that it enables brands to establish a direct connection to their official website or social media accounts by allowing them to insert corporate links and referrals inside the page.

The most significant advantages include things like raising trust and authenticity levels, increasing search rankings on Baidu, and more

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/TfIoftKlY3_28vDvwnDPNQ 

 

Decoding China’s CIIE And What It Means For Foreign Brands

 

The expo, which is supported by the government, has been held at Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Center since 2018. The six-day event in 2021 attracted more than 2,900 businesses from 127 nations, and the total value of the deals concluded there was $70.7 billion.

The fifth iteration of CIIE this year welcomed companies from 145 nations, including several L’Oréal, Kering Group, and Richemont brands.

Even when partnered with prestigious organizations like the World Trade Organization, government-run trade fairs are not known for their glitz or appeal to cutting-edge fashion brands and design houses. 

However, access to the enormous Chinese market has been siloed because COVID-19 restrictions continue to limit business travel to China and make it nearly impossible for locals to shop abroad.  

https://jingdaily.com/china-international-import-expo-2022-loreal-kering/  

 

Tencent tests animation video creation App “Wan Ju”

 

On November 25, Tencent conducted a limited test of the “Wan Ju” app. It is a tool for making straightforward animated videos. By using the text and editing resources in the “Wan Ju,” which include stories and science popularization, users can create animated videos.

Additionally, “Wan Ju” supports the split mirror function and allows the addition of multiple animation scenes, ensuring a variety of animation content. Users can view their creations in the “Personal Center” after they have been published and saved in the mobile phone album. 

 

Twitter: Half of top 100 advertisers stop advertising

 

A significant exodus of advertisers is threatening Twitter. According to market research firm Media Matters, half of Twitter’s top 100 advertisers have stopped using the platform 25 days after Elon Musk purchased the company.

According to Media Matters, those 50 businesses have given Twitter close to $2 billion in advertising revenue since 2020, with $750 million spent this year alone.

 

FIFA World Cup sets off consumption boom for JD.com

 

JD.com has partnered with supermarkets nationwide and extended business hours to launch a special “Night Market” in order to take advantage of the World Cup’s business opportunities. This will allow fans who stay up late watching games to take advantage of quick deliveries whenever they place an order. 

Since the Covid-19 outbreak and ensuing lockdowns, the idea of instant retail has rapidly gained traction in China and even turned into a well-liked business model for e-commerce behemoths like Alibaba and Tencent.

JD.com hopes to increase its market share and expand its instant retail services by taking advantage of the World Cup festivities. 

 

https://daoinsights.com/news/fifa-world-cup-sets-off-consumption-boom-for-jd-com/

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Top Search Engines in China and How They Work

August 23, 2022

If you want to implement an effective marketing strategy in China, you must get acquainted with the largest search engines in the country. 

As of 2021, China had 1 billion internet users, making it the largest online market in the world. But because of the filters imposed by the Great Firewall of China, a number of well-known search engines, including Google, are not accessible in China.  

If Google is not working in China, then what are Chinese people using? Let’s examine the popular Chinese search engines and how they work.

Popular search engines in China

 

Baidu

The most popular search engine in China is Baidu, and it is comparable to Google in the West. It was among the first search engines to appear in China, and since then, its use has grown significantly.

It dominates the market for search engines in the PRC by more than 75% and even draws some users from abroad, like the United States and Japan.

Baidu only indexes websites using simplified Chinese characters. Therefore, if you don’t have a website in Mandarin, your website won’t appear. Additionally, it favors websites that are stored on Chinese servers.

An Internet Content Provider License is required in order to host a website in China. Let’s learn about the ICP in a later part of the blog. Keep reading!  

Also, if you want to know about it in detail, check this blog: Baidu SEO for beginners.

 

Sogou

Sogou, the second player in China, has been operating since 2004. They managed to gain 24.54% of the market in December 2020, outpacing all other Chinese search engines in terms of growth.

Sogou’s algorithm is unique. As a result, don’t anticipate Baidu SEO strategies to be effective on this search engine.  Sogou’s search algorithm highly values original content and site authority. The importance of backlinks as a ranking factor seems to lean more toward quantity than quality. 

Due to its more affordable pay-per-click campaigns, Sogou has proven to be very helpful for businesses that aim to market to consumers in lower socioeconomic areas.

With Tencent’s acquisition of Sogou, the Chinese search engine now has a special feature that no other search engine in the country can claim: the ability to search on the WeChat platform. The QQ browser, created by Tencent, also uses Sogou as its default search engine. 

 

Haosou

Haosuo, also known as Qihoo 360 Search and s.com, is ranked third in the domestic Chinese search engine market. The search engine focuses on many services including news, websites, videos, images, music, and many more, and it has a reputation for being safer than Baidu.

Most Chinese computers come with the Qihoo 360 browser preinstalled, making it China’s equivalent of Internet Explorer. Because there is less competition on 360 Search, paid advertisements frequently have a lower cost-per-click.

Haosou is a significant player in B2B marketing because many Chinese companies recommend using it due to its security features. Additionally, rankings seem to reflect this emphasis on cybersecurity, with sites with more authority and credibility appearing to be ranked higher.

 

Shenma

Shenma is the result of a joint venture between Alibaba and UC Web. One of the most widely used web browsers, UC, uses it as its default search engine. In the upcoming years, it is anticipated that Shenma’s user base will continue to expand.

The fact that Shenma is only compatible with mobile devices is a key characteristic of this Chinese search engine. This is a key factor because of how widely used mobile devices are in China. Shenma is actually widely used for apps, books, and shopping. Shenma is therefore essential if you work in one of these market segments.

Shenma’s link with Alibaba allows it to include direct links to product pages. It’s widely used for home goods, clothing, books, and apps. Products that are listed on Taobao or Tmall (Alibaba shopping properties) are given priority, which improves placement in search results.

 

Youdao

Chinese search engine Youdao was launched by NetEase in 2007. Websites, images, news, music, blogs, and Chinese to English entries can all be searched using Youdao. Youdao Hui Hui Assistant, a shopping assistant tool that enables users to compare products and prices online, was introduced to Youdao in 2012.

More than 20 languages can be translated from Mandarin by Youdao. It offers example sentences and word usage guidance and is the PRC’s largest translation tool and online dictionary.

Because it includes a free online dictionary, Youdao is very well-liked by Mandarin learners. The Youdao Chinese dictionary is useful because it is simple to use and includes examples of sentences and instructions on how to use words.

 

WeChat Search – Souyisou

Last but not least, WeChat’s own search engine is slowly but surely eating its way into the search engine market in China. Launched in 2017, it’s already indexing the majority of content shared by official accounts (as long as published in the text format – read more about do’s and don’ts to optmize your SEO performance in our quick Guide To WeChat Search)

At the moment, its market share is relatively low but with more than 500 million Daily Active Users and Tencent confirming earlier this year at WeChat (Weixin) Class PRO that Seach will be one of the priorities in 2022, we can only expect it will grow considerably in the near future. 

SEO in China

People in China will Baidu your brand rather than Google it. Therefore, understanding how Baidu SEO functions is crucial. The main distinctions between the SERPs of Baidu and Google are:

  • the interface is available only in Simplified Chinese. No other languages support.
  • Links clicked on the SERP open in a new window, keeping the Baidu window always open for users to come back to it.
  • Image-based related searches are present for almost every single search on the right side.
  • Oftentimes, it is tough to distinguish between organic and paid results
  • Google’s mobile search shares the same URL as its desktop version. Baidu uses m.baidu.com for its mobile search engine.
  • Google uses structured data from schema.org markup and crawled data for rich snippets, while Baidu provides its own platform (Baidu Open or Baidu Webmaster Tools) for submitting structured data.
  • If your site is not mobile-friendly, Baidu might transcode it to make it load faster for mobile devices.

Google vs Baidu’s algorithms

When it comes to algorithms, Google and Baidu’s algorithms are similar in theory, but in practice, Baidu still needs to update its game. Though they are almost similar, they have differences too. Some common differences between Google and Baidu algorithms are

  • The algorithm used by Baidu has a significant explicit bias in favor of everything Chinese.
  • In terms of Chinese natural language processing, Baidu has a significant edge over Google and typically returns more accurate results for Chinese queries than any other search engine.
  • Duplicate content is much less tolerated on Baidu. It may take a long time to regain lost rankings if a website receives a Baidu penalty for duplicate content. 
  • It’s better to avoid JavaScript and AJAX content if one wants to rank highly in Baidu because the search engine has trouble crawling it.
  • Baidu spider typically crawlers Chinese websites much more frequently than those by Google.
  • Backlinks from Chinese-based websites are worth much more to Baidu than those from foreign websites.
  • In terms of machine learning for image processing, Baidu still lags. Therefore, for an image to rank well in Baidu’s image results, the alt text and surrounding plain text content must be properly optimized.
  • Baidu prefers websites with frequently updated content. It affects particularly new websites.
  • Compared to Google, Baidu gives a domain age more importance. To rank highly for a new site is harder, but it gets much simpler over time.
  • Baidu uses meta keywords as a ranking signal.

 

What is ICP? Why do you need it?

The Chinese government maintains strict control over the internet. Consequently, obtaining an ICP (Internet Content Publishing License) in China might enhance Baidu’s SEO performance.

A legitimate Chinese hosting company can only host your website on their servers if they have an ICP license. The best way to stay in the competition and stand out is to have a website in China or at the very least use a test to see if your website is blocked due to the Great Firewall in China and an increasing number of blocked foreign websites.

Compared to websites without an ICP license, obtaining one means much faster loading times for internet users. Internet users in China are therefore more likely to discover websites with an ICP license and to visit those sites again. Possessing an ICP license enhances Baidu SEO results. The ICP license, however, is restricted to businesses with Chinese registrations. Even though Baidu will not block websites for not having an ICP license, having one is not absolutely necessary for Baidu SEO. Paid media on Baidu it’s another story.

Conclusion

Although Baidu is the most popular search engine in China, it does not have market dominance. Users can use a wide range of additional resources, as we have already discussed in this article.

It is essential to familiarize yourself with the different search engines before creating a strategy for the Chinese market in order to ascertain which search engines resonate with your audience and how to use them to gain the most exposure.

If you wish to know more about Chinese search engines and SEO strategies or other marketing techniques in China, please contact our team. We use our knowledge and expertise to help businesses build meaningful partnerships and develop their networks among Chinese customers. For additional information, please contact us at contact@thewechatagency.com.

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Search, the WeChat way!

May 25, 2017

In order to understand how much positive energy is prevalent in the country, China watchers tracked the term “transmitting positive energy to society”  and the number of times it was mentioned in the chinese newspapers, especially People’s Daily the country’s top print.

 

This exploration was headed by David Bandurski, a researcher with the China Media Project at the University of Hong Kong. He found that the term was taken into importance after it was mentioned by Chinese president Xi Jinping during a 2012 meeting with former US president Jimmy Carter, calling for more positive energy in the China-US relationship. He also used the term “transmit positive energy” when he toured state-controlled news outlets last year.

However the usage happen to decline from a peak in 2014 has resurfaced in the international stage resulting in the term appearing in 111 People’s Daily articles so far this year.

 

When exploring such research it brings us to understand how easy it is to find and track such content today in the digital world. Tencent recently launched a new feature ‘WeChat Search’ that will allow us to search content within WeChat (Moments, Articles and Official accounts). This feature has surely made WeChat a great threat to Baidu, the internet company that provides search engine services.

 

Baidu has been predominantly used for checking company’s background and reputation, while WeChat allows users to see the engagement of other users, the articles and the social comments in turn establishing the performance of the brand and its influence real time. With Tencent purchasing a 36.5% stake Sogou, the pioneer of search engine that is able to index WeChat content on their special section bringing the much need integration for WeChat.

 

Baidu’s slow growing revenue is no match to Tencent’s profits and revenues shooting upto 50% growth each year. The more the merrier can be the motto for the search engine industry, striving on mere existence of data, more of which enables better output upon the results. The popularity of WeChat brings in users, more users leading to more data which again leads to more users and it goes on.

 

WeChat has created quite the buzz in the digital space and it is surely taking the lead among its competition in the country.

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