Baidu

Last updated by Misha on: March 6, 2014

We are often asked lots of questions about Baidu at Nanjing Marketing Group and so periodically we try to answer these questions using our blog. Over time we get the same questions, but the answers change so occasionally we update the blog giving more up-to-date answers.

In this blog I’m going to look at some of the most common questions we’re asked about setting up a pay per click account on Baidu. The information I’ll give comes from our own experience of managing Baidu pay per click advertising accounts.

What is a Baidu reseller?

To set up a pay per click advertising account on Baidu you have to use a Baidu reseller. This is true whether you set up the account as an individual or go through an agency.

Baidu resellers are basically agents that Baidu uses to control the setup process. These agents work on a commission basis so are therefore trying to maximise their profits. Some resellers are better than others.

At Nanjing Marketing Group we work with several resellers. Also, it’s important to note that some details may vary depending on the reseller you use. The advice that I give you here is based on how we work at Nanjing Marketing Group.

What does it cost to set up a PPC account with Baidu?

Baidu requires an initial deposit of RMB 5,000 to credit your account. This is around USD 815-825 depending on the exchange rate. If you’re sending payment in a foreign currency, it’s best to send a bit more due to bank fees and exchange rate losses. We’d usually recommend that you send USD 50 more to cover these costs.

Baidu recommends resellers charge a setup fee of RMB 2,400. If you are committed to getting a pay per click account, then Nanjing Marketing Group can often get that fee waived. If you work directly with a Baidu reseller, you should ask them if they will do it for a lower fee or no fee at all. Some resellers might accept this.

What payment methods does Baidu accept?

If you intend to set up a Baidu pay per click account on your own it’s important to note that Baidu resellers usually only accept payment via wire transfer. Also, they usually only accept the payment in Chinese Yuan (RMB), not foreign currency.

At Nanjing Marketing Group, we can accept payment via several methods, including PayPal, cheque, credit card and wire transfer to our Canadian or Chinese bank account.

What paperwork is involved?

Baidu requires a scanned copy of a business’ Certificate of Incorporation. This document must be translated into Chinese by a company authorized by Baidu. Nanjing Marketing Group will get this translated for our clients, but this is not standard practice. Some other companies may or may not provide this service.

For some specialised high sensitive industries, such as foreign exchange trading, medical care, health products or air tickets there may be a whole host of other legal paperwork that needs to be submitted. We would let you know what we need to get so that we could set up your account as quickly as possible.

Do I need to edit my website?

Yes, Baidu will request some edits to your website. These changes to your website have to be in Chinese. About Us, Contact Us and Products and Services will have to be edited.

  • The About Us page must contain the official company name used in the Certificate of Incorporation.
  • The Contact Us page must contain the company phone number and address, both of which must be for the country in which the business is located.
  • If the business does not have authorization to advertise for a certain industry, the page must not contain words related to that industry.

Baidu will sometimes come back and ask for additional paperwork. We deal with this on a case-by-case basis.

As well as this we wouldn’t recommend spending money on Baidu without having a Chinese language website. Even for services like high-end English-language editing or University-level education in Western countries, we always recommend at least some landing pages are in Chinese.

How long does it take to set up an account?

In our experience it usually takes two weeks to set up a pay per click advertising account on Baidu.

If you are in a rush to set up an account it is possible to do it quicker than two weeks. The fastest we can usually set up an account is from four to seven working days.

The setup time depends on how quickly the client can gather the required documents and make the required website changes. The timing also depends on the Baidu reseller. As I mentioned some resellers are more reliable than others.

It can take up to two working days to get the paperwork translated. And the setup time can also take longer depending on what payment method is used to transfer the money.

Can I advertise for English language keywords?

You are allowed to do this on Baidu. However, search volumes for keywords that are not in Chinese are typically so low that it would be a waste of time and effort to advertise on Baidu.

In some cases we will use some English-language keywords, but we never run campaigns that only target English keywords.

Do I need a website hosted in China?

No, if your website is consistently accessible and fast-loading within China, then there is no need to host your site in China.

The only reason you should consider hosting in China is to increase performance. Hosting is usually quite low on our list of priorities.

What is account verification?

According to Baidu’s rules, the PPC account has to be verified and this now has to be done at the same time that you set up the account.

The documents listed below are required by Baidu to verify the account:

  • The letter of commitment or authorization signed and stamped by the client. Different Baidu resellers may require a different letter of commitment.
  • A screenshot of a search result from the government website that contains the client’s company registration information. This information should have the same company name that’s on the Certificate of Incorporation.

Although this process isn’t tough, it’s another obstacle to navigate and can add more time onto the setup process.

BaiduAdvertising.com

At Nanjing Marketing Group we provide a simple and efficient service to help a company set up a Baidu PPC account with the minimum of hassle called BaiduAdvertsing.com.

This service was launched last year and is a way for you to navigate the Baidu pay per click account setup process and receive support along the way. This is a quick and affordable service with support in English and one point of contact to manage all your Baidu advertising needs.
Do you have any other questions about Baidu PPC account setup? Do you have any questions in general about Baidu or the BaiduAdvertsing.com service? Please leave a comment below and I’ll endeavour to answer your questions.

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