Leading Chinese Search Engine was in Hot Water

BEIJING (NC) -- Baidu, the leading search engine (NASDAQ: BIDU) in China, was under storms of criticism from users and media in the second largest internet market in the world.

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[app2]

In English:
http://free.donews.com/viewthread.ph...extra=page%3D1

In Chinese:
http://www.donews.com/Content/200607...badce9dd5.shtm
http://tech.sina.com.cn/focus/baidu_...06/index.shtml
http://net.chinabyte.com/baiducy/

A Baidu Emloyee's Blog
http://baidu315.blog.sohu.com/

Dear moderator, please don't block my ID and make any censorship for truth. I have to registered a new ID to post a reply. Why? Are you shareholders of Baidu?

App2

[andrewgoodman]

Is it true that if you search for "cancer" on Baidu, the top ten results are all paid ads? (This is what the news article states.)

[app2]

The Blog
http://csew.blogspot.com/2006/07/bai...-in-china.html

Baidu's SERP


Baidu's SERP of Query "cancer"


More screen shots here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/87336946@N00/

If you can read Chinese, go to Baidu and search by yourself.

[Coqui Colunge]

Andrew it looks like they do man.
Not a good idea in my opinion.

No wonder why some people are so angry at them.

Coqui

[GlobalSEO]

It has actually been that way for quite a while for all of the most popular searches. We have seen cases where the first organic listing is in the 50's.

Also, this is a common problem with companies in China selling SEO as a CPC service since they are actually selling ppc positioning to unsuspecting businesses.

[app2]

Other search engines in China like Google and Yahoo follow their way in the states. Users can easily identify ads from orginal results. See screenshots below.

Yahoo China's SRP


Google China's SRP

[andrewgoodman]

A report today indicates Google losing significant China market share to Baidu:

http://www.redherring.com/Article.as...tAndService s

I wonder, how credible are these numbers?

[GlobalSEO]

I would trust the data and their interpretation. I spoke with them last year after SES in Nanjing and they are very reliable and have a sound methodology.

As the Red Herring article indicates, there is a backlash against Google as well as the significant marketing Baidu is doing. The other variable is the exponential growth in those markets and many of the newer users tend to gravitate to Baidu. I am concerned about the sample size in amarket that large and would be very interested in the demos of the sample as well as the context "search usage" was asked.

I just got back from my 4th trip to China this year and most people would tell you they use Baidu as their search enigne. When you ask them what they search for it is for "quality of life" and "recreational" items like MP3 files, horoscope etc. When they need to do research on purchases, expecially higher priced items, they tell you they use Google. Now, my sample size is relatively small and within executives in F100 companies based in Beijing and Shanghai.

I look forward to seeing the data. I suspect they will release more info at Ad:Tech Shanghai next month.

[app2]

Poor Google. Most Chinese users complain about their connection speed and service reliability, which is actually out of Google's control in China. That is the search business model. Google at least has two rivals in China: one is Baidu, the other is the government...