Baidu SEO: A Critical Strategy for China Digital Marketing

China’s digital marketing has seized global attention over the last decade for its rapid growth, unique online landscape and the rise of domestic online giants such as China’s major search engine, Baidu.

Baidu is the dominant search engine in China, and therefore a brand’s ranking on this search engine is crucial in helping Chinese customers to find the brand’s website and offering. Ranking factors and their respective weighting of importance differ on Baidu in comparison to Google and a distinct strategy is required to succeed. Therefore, when looking to heighten your company’s SEO in China, there are a few things you need to be weary of.

The first one is always using keywords. Understanding of the common language used in China was vital to Baidu SEO; simplified Chinese. This will also ensure that you are delivering the correct information that will be recognized by the masses and reach out to as many potential customers as possible.

The second one vital to Baidu SEO is local hosting. It is extremely important that you make sure your Chinese website design is as accessible to as many users as possible within the Chinese market. If you localize your page then the website will run much smoother and faster, making it much more appealing to the viewer. When websites are set up outside the Great Wall of China, connections tend to be slower and less efficient.

The third one is staying in tune with Chinese social media. Do not be fooled for one second into thinking that although China’s censorship laws have restricted citizens from using Facebook and other networking sites, they don’t use social media. China does have social networking platforms, the most popular being Sina Weibo.

The last one to be aware of some technical differences. Make sure you take note of the types of software that just will not be recognized by the Chinese Baidu search engine such as JavaScript and Flash player. If used, the content will not play and this will only cause the website to look sloppy and unfinished, whilst confusing the potential customer at the same time.