Introduction to Baidu Ads

Whether you’re a performance marketer or just looking to expand your reach in China, running Baidu ads isn’t just a copy-and-paste from Google.

Baidu’s advertising platform offers powerful tools for businesses to connect with millions of Chinese consumers across search results, partner sites, and mobile apps. Understanding the different Baidu ad types can help you create an effective marketing strategy tailored to your goals.

So, what are the different Baidu ad types?

TL;DR: Baidu offers a diverse range of ad types, including paid search ads, display ads, in-feed promotions, video ads, app ads, and Brand Zone ads. Each format is tailored to help businesses effectively engage with their target audience across Baidu’s vast ecosystem. By choosing the right Baidu ad type, companies can achieve specific marketing goals in China.

Baidu paid search ads

Overview:

Paid search ads appear at the top of Baidu search results as sponsored content. These ads are designed to match user search intent and operate on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, similar to Google Ads.

Key Features:

Keyword-based targeting.

Extensions like sitelinks, contact information, and images for higher engagement.

Immediate visibility for relevant searches.

Best For:

Baidu paid search ads are best for businesses targeting users with high purchase intent, such as e-commerce, professional services, and travel.

Baidu Search Ad example

Baidu display network ads

Overview:

Baidu Display Network (BDN) ads are visual advertisements displayed across a network of partner websites and apps. These can include banners, pop-ups, or interactive ads.

Key Features:

Wide reach across Baidu’s partner sites and apps.

Creative flexibility with rich media options.

Targeting by demographics, location, and interests.

Best For:

Baidu display network ads are best for building brand awareness and retargeting users.

Baidu display ads

Baidu in-feed ads

Overview:

In-feed ads are native advertisements embedded within the content of Baidu platforms such as Baidu Tieba, Baidu Baijiahao, and news feeds. They mimic the appearance of organic content for seamless integration.

Key Features:

Non-intrusive design for higher engagement.

Ideal for mobile-first audiences.

Contextual targeting to match user interests.

Best for:

Baidu in-feed ads are best for mobile engagement and promoting relevant content to specific audience segments.

Image source: Comms8

Baidu video ads

Overview:

Video ads may refer to video and text ads, which may appear on the Baidu SERP or within the display network, or ads within videos on platforms like iQIYI and other affiliated streaming services. These ads range from pre-roll and mid-roll ads to interactive banners.

Key Features:

High engagement potential through storytelling.

Available in short and long-form formats.

AI-powered targeting to reach the right viewers.

Best for:

Baidu video ads are best for brand campaigns aiming to captivate audiences with visual content.

Baidu video ad examples

Baidu app ads

Overview:

Baidu app ads are designed for promoting mobile apps within Baidu’s ecosystem, including Baidu Maps and Baidu Input. These ads drive app downloads or in-app purchases.

Key Features:

Target mobile users with high precision.

Performance tracking with Baidu analytics.

Optimized for app marketing and engagement.

Best For:

Mobile app developers and businesses seeking to boost app adoption or revenue in China.

Baidu Brand Zone ads

Overview:

Brand Zone ads are premium ad placements that give businesses unparalleled visibility on Baidu search results pages. These ads occupy a significant portion of the page, offering a mix of branded content, multimedia, and links to specific landing pages.

Key Features:

Exclusive branding with customized designs.

Dominant placement at the top of search results.

Enhanced brand credibility and trust.

Best for:

Baidu Brand-Zone ads are best for established brands seeking maximum exposure and credibility in competitive industries like luxury goods, automotive, and technology.

Example:

A luxury watch brand using Baidu Brand Zone could showcase its logo, featured products, a promotional video, and direct links to its e-commerce store—all prominently displayed when users search for related keywords.

Baidu Brand Zone ad

How to choose the right Baidu ad type

The choice of Baidu ad type depends on your business goals. Broadly speaking, you could apply these rules to your choice of Baidu ads:

Capture search intent: paid search ads.

Drive brand awareness: display network, Brand Zone, in-feed, video or app ads.

Retarget website visitors: display network, in-feed, app or video ads.

Establish brand authority or drive e-commerce conversions: Baidu Brand Zone.

Combining multiple ad types often delivers the best results. For example, a campaign might pair Brand Zone ads with retargeting via display or in-feed ads.

Baidu Ads form a strong component of a brands’ paid marketing efforts in China and it’s useful to understand how to maximize for success with different objectives and ad types.

Prior to launching any sort of paid marketing campaign in China, it’s important to check your website loads effectively (you don’t want your ads pushing prospects to a broken site…). Try our Visual Speed Test to see what visitors from China see when they try to load your site.