Baidu comes to Britain: new online marketing opportunities in China
As Baidu, China's Google, opens its doors to the West. How can UK brands capitalise on the new opportunities it brings?
The Chinese market and the importance of Baidu
For companies aiming to crack the online retail opportunity in China, it’s imperative to understand that the country’s e-commerce market is very different to the established markets of the United States and Europe.
Much of the ecommerce opportunity comes through Baidu, which is the largest search engine in China. Baidu provides a massive opportunity for brands to create awareness and subsequently drive sales. For brands that are looking to grow their business in China, Baidu offers the best opportunity to do so.
However, until recently Baidu has been largely closed to overseas businesses, making it extremely challenging for Western brands to promote their products and services online in China.
But all of this is changing, as Baidu has finally opened its doors to the West. Recently, Baidu has been extending its reach internationally and working with third parties, such as CharmClick, and its UK service provider Net Media Planet, to help reach potential international customers. With the aim being to open up the Chinese market to overseas companies and help brands to leverage the existing demand.