Top 6 Mistakes to Avoid In Your Baidu PPC Management

Running ads on Baidu but not seeing results? Many Western businesses dive into Baidu advertising assuming it works just like Google, but quickly discover that China’s largest search engine plays by its own rules.

With over 679 million monthly active users, Baidu dominates China’s search landscape. However, without proper localization, your campaigns are likely to underperform or get rejected altogether. Issues like mistranslated keywords, slow-loading landing pages, and non-compliant ad copy can quietly burn through your budget.

That’s why effective Baidu PPC management isn’t about copy-pasting your Google strategy. It’s about adapting to a different ecosystem that favors mobile-first design, cultural context, and strict compliance.

This post highlights the most common mistakes foreign brands make on Baidu and provides strategies to avoid them, boost ROI, and effectively connect with the right audience in China.

Let’s look at the common mistakes that can hurt your PPC campaigns.

Mistakes to Avoid in Your Baidu PPC Campaigns

Mistake #1: Ignoring Chinese User Behavior and Search Intent

One of the biggest mistakes Western brands make when running Baidu ads is assuming Chinese users search the same way their global audience does. In reality, search behavior in China is deeply shaped by language, culture, and user intent, and misunderstanding this can hurt your Baidu PPC campaigns from day one.

A simple example will make this much clearer.

Chinese users often search using longer, more descriptive phrases, sometimes combining brand names with social proof terms like “real reviews,” “authentic,” or “user feedback.” If your keyword strategy is based on literal translations from English, you’re missing out on what people type into Baidu.

Here’s a quick comparison:

Notice the difference? It’s not just language,  it’s the intent of the customers. Ignoring this step can result in tons of impressions but no clicks, or worse, irrelevant clicks that waste your budget.

How to Avoid: 

• That’s why localized, intent-driven keyword research is a must. Use tools like Baidu Keyword Planner, or even community platforms like Zhihu, to understand how users frame their problems and what kind of terms signal buying intent.
• If you’re serious about Baidu PPC management, don’t just translate your keywords. You need to localize your digital marketing strategy around how Chinese users think, search, and buy. It’s the foundation for everything else that follows.

Mistake #2: Not Localizing Landing Pages Properly

Your Baidu search ads might get the click, but if your landing page feels slow, foreign, or out of touch, users will bounce within seconds.

One of the most common mistakes foreign businesses make is sending Chinese users to a generic or poorly translated page. In China, your landing page isn’t just a place to drive conversions; it’s where trust is built (or lost) instantly.

What do Chinese users expect?

For example, if your Baidu search ad promotes a skincare product but the landing page is hosted overseas, loads slowly, and uses stiff English-to-Chinese translations. The user will likely leave before reading your offer.

Because if your landing page doesn’t look and feel local, it doesn’t matter how good your ads are; users won’t convert.

How to Avoid: 

• To truly succeed, localization must go beyond words. It means creating an experience that feels native, from copy tone to visuals to hosting.
• Make sure your landing pages are in simplified Chinese, with images and offers that resonate with local culture.
• Using a .cn domain, optimizing for mobile is essential for high-performing Baidu PPC campaigns.
• Optimize your pages for quick loading in China to improve load times.
• Keep calls-to-action (CTAs) clear and make sure your forms are short and mobile-friendly.
• You can partner with a marketing agency for your Baidu landing page creation.  

Mistake #3: Overlook Baidu’s Strict Ad Compliance Rules

One of the biggest surprises for Western advertisers is just how strict Baidu’s ad review process can be. If you’re used to running ads on Google or Meta, Baidu’s approval standards can feel like hitting a wall, especially if you’re in a “sensitive” industry.

Unlike Google, Baidu manually reviews nearly all ad creatives, landing pages, and even keywords. The platform places a high priority on consumer protection, regulatory compliance, and national standards. That means your ad might get rejected not because it’s misleading, but simply because it lacks verified documentation or overstates product benefits.

Here, you can see the high-risk categories that Baidu watches closely:

Even if your product is safe and legal, wording matters. Terms like “fastest cure,” “guaranteed results,” or “risk-free investment” are red flags in Baidu’s eyes. Violations can result in ad disapproval, account warnings, or even full account suspension.

How to Avoid: 

• Get to know Baidu’s advertising rules and the regulations in China.
• Always localize your copy without using restricted words, symbols, or sensitive topics in your ads and landing pages.
• Getting Baidu PPC right isn’t just about keywords; it starts with playing by Baidu’s rules. 
• Respecting their ad policies helps protect your ad account and builds trust with your audience.

Mistake #4: Using  Low-Context Creatives

One of the most overlooked mistakes in Baidu advertising is using ad copy that sounds like it was written for Google, translated word-for-word from English. While the copy might look fine to you, it often comes across as unnatural, vague, or overly direct to Chinese users.

In China, tone and context matter just as much as the offer itself. A “Buy Now” CTA might work on Western platforms, but Chinese audiences respond better to value-first, trust-driven messaging like “Get expert advice now,” or “Official store or Learn more.”

CTAs that sound respectful, helpful, or informative typically perform better. In fact, according to the Tencent report, ads with localized messaging and visuals saw up to 2.5x higher click-through rates than those with generic or poorly translated copy.

How to Fix:

• Chinese users are highly visual buyers and often look for subtle trust indicators like certification badges, 24/7 customer support icons, chat widgets, or “official flagship store” tags. If your creative lacks these elements, it may look suspicious or “foreign,” causing users to scroll past.
• Match native expectations while highlighting what makes your brand unique. Work with native copywriters and designers who understand the platform and your category.
• Baidu users are discerning. If your ads don’t speak their language, literally and culturally, they’ll tune you out. Native content isn’t just about translation; it’s about resonance. That’s what drives performance.

Mistake #5: Fail To Optimize For Mobile-First Experience

If your Baidu ad campaign isn’t designed with mobile in mind, you’re already losing. The majority of Baidu users search via the Baidu app, making its market share on mobile the highest at 71%. But many Western businesses still send users to desktop-heavy landing pages that load slowly or don’t fit local mobile design expectations.

 Baidu search market share on mobile

Chinese users expect fast, mobile-friendly experiences. If a page takes more than 3 seconds to load, most users will bounce. Unlike Western users who might tolerate slightly clunky UX, Chinese users have higher expectations and plenty of alternatives. A mobile-unoptimized page damages trust instantly.

For instance, a U.S. fashion retailer running Baidu ads saw a 68% bounce rate because their landing page, designed for desktop, was heavy on graphics and slow to load in China. Once they created a lightweight, mobile-first version hosted in China, the bounce rate dropped below 30%, and conversions improved within two weeks.

For that, you need to understand the Baidu ad formats and their specific requirements to effectively reach and engage your target audience.

How to Fix:

• Build a Baidu display advertising strategy that goes beyond ad copy. It needs a landing page that’s built for speed, relevance, and trust, all optimized for mobile.
• Use clear CTAs, trust signals (like service icons or mobile payment options), and host your content locally to reduce latency.
• Use responsive design and keep page elements simple for faster loading.
• Consider mobile-friendly ad formats or bidding strategies to reach users on the go.

Mistake #6: Setting and Forgetting Campaigns

One of the most common mistakes Western businesses make with Baidu ads is treating them like “set it and forget it” Google campaigns. That approach may work (temporarily) on other platforms, but Baidu PPC requires much more hands-on management.

The platform operates in a highly dynamic environment. Click fraud is more common in China than many realize, with studies estimating that over 30% of paid clicks in some industries may be non-human or low-quality. If you’re not watching closely, your ad spend can disappear fast with little to show for it.

On top of that, competition in Baidu’s ecosystem can be intense. Local brands often adjust bids daily and launch aggressive retargeting strategies that push up CPCs. If you’re not keeping up with keyword performance, negative keyword lists, or ad creative testing, your campaigns can quickly become irrelevant or inefficient.

Baidu’s algorithm evolves fast. What worked a month ago might fail today. This is especially true for industries like education, finance, or health, where content compliance and search behavior shift frequently.

How to Fix:

• Smart Baidu PPC management involves regular optimization, checking click sources, refining ad copy, retesting landing pages, and continuously adjusting keyword bids. Weekly adjustments should be the norm, not the exception.
• Treat Baidu PPC like a living system with regular attention to grow, perform, and outpace aggressive local competitors. A well-managed campaign doesn’t just survive on Baidu, it leads.

Key Takeaways

Success with Baidu ads isn’t about copying your Google strategy, it’s about understanding how China’s digital marketing ecosystem works. From mobile-first behavior to strict ad compliance, Baidu requires a localized, strategy-first approach.

For foreign businesses, these mistakes can be costly. But done right, Baidu becomes a powerful growth engine. Effective Baidu PPC service means writing culturally relevant ad copy, using fast local landing pages, and navigating approvals with confidence. It needs to understand the realities of Baidu advertising for foreign companies.

Struggling with your Baidu ad strategy? We can help you create an approach that delivers results and avoids common pitfalls. Get in touch today to start engaging the right audience easily.