Baidu PPC: Ultimate Guide to Advertise on Baidu

With Baidu being the most popular search engine in China, it’s an undeniable good place to start when it comes to reaching Chinese consumers. Brand positioning plays a fundamental role for facilitating this reach and brands need to utilize search in a way that ensures their advertising resonates with the right audience in the most compelling way.

Baidu PPC has been a proven Chinese search marketing platform for both large companies and SMEs. And as long as Baidu remains the largest search engine in China, Baidu PPC advertising should always be the first choice among pay-per-click campaigns for brands looking to reach Chinese consumers. To start your Baidu PPC campaigns, we’ve put together a step-by-step ultimate guide of everything you need to know for setting up an account.

Getting Started with Baidu PPC

Baidu pay per click (Baidu PPC) advertising offers a fast and effective form of digital promotion with instant results. Brands can create rich ads using relevant keywords to target their desired audience. When Chinese consumers search for those targeted keywords, Baidu PPC will show the most relevant search advertisements and website banners on the search results page. You can also target specific audiences or customize the location and time for your ad to appear.

How to Open a Baidu PPC Account in 2020

1. Prepare your business license

Firstly, a scanned copy of your business license in color is required with a company stamp or signature. The license can be in any language, but Chinese or English is the preferred language. You also need to provide a translated copy of the same license in Chinese, including the company stamp and the handwritten statement “翻译件与原件一致”, which means the translation is the same as the original license.

2. Build a localized website

Secondly, Baidu PPC only recognizes Chinese websites and landing pages. It is always best practice to hire a specialized team or translation if you need a Chinese website. When translating your website, Baidu requires for companies to clearly display company information on the About Us and Contact Us pages. Your company name must be the same one that is listed on the business license.

3. Take a screenshot of your website’s homepage

Thirdly, once your Chinese website is ready to go, take a screenshot of your homepage with the address bar included. The screenshot also needs to have your company stamp or signature, as well as the handwritten statement “与网站内容一致”, which means it matches the website content.

4. Locate your company on a Government website

In addition, Baidu wants a legitimate business record check of every business that applies for a Baidu PPC account. Therefore, simply take a screenshot of Government website where your business is listed for public view. The screenshot must also include the address bar of the browser, including your company stamp or signature. A translated screenshot is also required with the company stamp or signature, as well as the handwritten statement “与网站内容一致”.

5. Prepare your business bank account statement

Certainly, this can be any document from your bank as long as it includes:

• Your full business name, which must be the same name on your business license.
• A brief record of your recent transaction history.

This document also needs your company stamp or signature along with a translated copy, including the signature and the handwritten statement “翻译件与原件一致”.

6. Contact Baidu

Once you have all of the above documents prepared, you can reach out to Baidu to apply for your pay per click account. You can work with a local branch of Baidu, a Baidu reseller or do the process yourself. It’s recommended to use a reseller because the reseller can streamline the process and help you prepare the required documents. Sekkei Studio has been helping many companies with establishing Baidu PPC accounts, contact us to know more.

7. Sign your Baidu PPC contract

Once everything meets Baidu’s account requirements, Baidu will send you the service contracts. You can also request the English contracts.

8. Make an initial deposit to your Baidu PPC account

Please take note, the initial fee to open a new Baidu account is 20,000 RMB, where 19,000 RMB will be deposited into your account, and 1,000 RMB will be deducted as a Baidu Technical Support charge. Currently, Baidu does not accept credit cards or PayPal. Alternatively, your deposit would have to be paid via wire transfer.

9. Get started with Baidu PPC

Lastly, once your payment is received, Baidu will send your account details within 4-5 business days and you will receive your username and password via email.

Note: Baidu may have new requirements from time to time, get a consultation from Baidu guide