Baidu PPC vs Google AdWords: Three Key Differences

While Google AdWords all but rules the current Western world for search engine advertising campaigns and pay-per-click advertising (commonly called “PPC”), Baidu is the single most important search engine in China. In order to advertise online there, you will have to understand Baidu PPC, their own version of Google AdWords. Depending on your goals, Baidu can be a powerful advertising tool. But before you get started, here are three key differences you should understand about Baidu PPC.

1. Verification and Identification

The major difference you will notice between Baidu PPC and Google AdWords is the account setup. With Google, getting an account up and running is easy and takes a valid email address. With Baidu, the process is more complicated because of stricter governmental controls that ensure you will not be advertising illegal products. First, you will need to verify your account by providing the following pieces of information:

• Your business license, which can be in English or another language

• A picture of the homepage of your website (most commonly just a screenshot)

• The government web page with your business information listed

• A recent statement from your bank

You will need to supply all of these before you can access and start using Baidu PPC for marketing. Once these are all approved and verified, you will be able to start your Baidu campaign.

2. Accounts and Websites

Related to the verification process for Baidu PPC, clients using Baidu to advertise can only advertise for one domain per account. So if you are planning on advertising on Baidu for multiple websites, you will need separate accounts and, by extension, multiple approvals and verifications.

Baidu PPC is very different from Google AdWords, which essentially allows one user to manage the accounts of multiple domains. This is especially handy for businesses that are comprised of multiple, individual companies, but is a little more frustrating for a move to Baidu from Google. In these cases, consulting with Baidu PPC experts, like Westwin, can help you figure out the best, most efficient plan for advertising on Baidu.

3. Payment Methods

While most people who use Google AdWords are familiar with its innovative automatic and manual payment methods, Baidu PPC only supports manual payments. This means that you will have to prepay for your campaigns with a spending minimum payment of 5000 RMB. So before you start a campaign, make sure you load up at least that amount into your account.

While Google AdWords remains the standard in most of the world for search engine advertising, Baidu PPC is your best destination for online advertising in China. While much of the site and setup will be strikingly similar to Google, Baidu has some key differences that completely change how you set up, create and pay for your advertisements.

If you are looking for insight into how to make the most of your Baidu PPC campaign, contact Westwin. Our experts are experienced and trained in how to maximize your advertising budget on Baidu, and how to reach the world’s largest country with your company.