Baidu PPC Advertising Guide: How to Get Started With Baidu Advertising in China

Heard about Baidu? Looking for more leads in China? Maybe it's finally time to get onboard with Baidu PPC advertising. The Chinese search giant has an estimated 704 million monthly active users and is steadily growing as China embraces the internet in even the most remote regions. Essentially, Baidu is the Google of China, and if you’re not leveraging Baidu PPC, you might be missing out on a major opportunity.

Tapping into this Baidu PPC giant market is one of the great challenges of marketing and advertising today – with more and more businesses looking to China for new leads and customers. However, in China, things are rarely easy, and understanding Baidu advertising costs and requirements can help ensure you get a strong return on your investment.

Getting Started with Baidu PPC Advertising in China

To get started, it’s important that you meet the legal requirements for starting a Baidu PPC account in China. Unlike advertising platforms in the rest of the world, your application will have to be reviewed by the Baidu review team to ensure compliance before you can be approved to start advertising.

For companies that want to do Baidu advertising in mainland China, you first need to have a business registration license: either a Chinese business license 营业执照 or an overseas one (any kind of business registration document should do). Depending on which one you have, the process required documentation and the initial deposit for each one is slightly different. We’ll go through all the requirements below.

With Chinese Business License - Baidu PPC Account Setup Process

If you have a Chinese business license, such as a WFOE (Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise), you can opt for opening a Baidu PPC account in mainland China to promote on Baidu. Since Baidu has many representative offices in China, you can open an account based on where your Chinese office is located.

Standard Process & Time Frame

1. During the initial evaluation of the website eligibility, you will need to tell Baidu the name of your company and website URL to check whether you can advertise on Baidu as certain industries, products, and services may have special restrictions. In some cases, they may also require your company business license. This process usually takes about 1-2 working days. For more information on Baidu advertising restrictions, see China Advertising Laws You Need to Know in 2025.
2. Once the website eligibility has been confirmed, you can start preparing the required documentation. How long this takes will depend on how long you need to pull the documents together.
3. Once you have all the required documentation, scan them and submit the digital copies to Baidu for approval. This approval process may take about 2-3 days.
4. Once Baidu approves the digital copies, you can confirm the initial deposit and sign the contract with Baidu online, which can be completed in 1 business day.
5. (In an agency situation) Your Baidu PPC agency will sign the contract with Baidu and confirm the initial deposit amount with you, which can be completed in 1 business day.
6. Transfer the initial deposit to Baidu’s designated account. The length of time will differ depending on your bank.
7. Upon Baidu receiving the deposit, contract, and all required documentation, they will perform a final review of the documentation (usually by the legal department). This will take 3-4 days.
8. Upon final approval, you will receive the password of your activated account on the email address listed on the contract. You can then create your first Baidu ad!

Required Documentation

1. Business Registration - Color scan or photo of original copy (with corresponding colour company stamp).
2. Print the screenshots of the registration pages (including the company basic information and business annual review information) at the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System http://www.gsxt.gov.cn/index.html. Stamp the printed copies.
3. A copy of your account opening license from the bank (银行开户许可证), with the corresponding colour company stamp.
4. Company website URL, the website must have an ICP license (Internet Content Provider) record on https://www.miit.gov.cn/.
5. (For Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise) Bank transfer verification is needed to confirm the authenticity of the company’s bank account. Baidu will provide a specific amount less than RMB 1 and request that this amount be transferred from the company’s bank account to the designated verification account of Baidu. Once the verification is successful, Baidu will refund the amount using the original payment method.
6. A Chinese admin. Provide a mainland China mobile phone number and work email address to receive verification codes for Baidu ads account activation.
7. (In an agency situation) Commissioned promotion certificate 委托推广证明 signed/stamped by both your company and your Baidu PPC agency. You will need to stamp or sign this commissioned promotion certificate document together with your agency’s official stamp (i.e. both parties need to sign/stamp on this single piece of paper provided by Baidu officials).

Fee & Deposit - Baidu Advertising Costs

To successfully open a Baidu ads account as a mainland China company, the minimal initial account deposit requirement is RMB 6,600. This RMB 6,600 includes a RMB 1,000 (refunded as coupons) one-off account opening service fee and a RMB 600 company verification fee charged by Baidu. You can make payments directly to Baidu’s corporate bank account from your business bank account.

For the company verification fee, Baidu will need to review your Baidu ads account annually and will charge RMB 600 for each review. 

Baidu offers coupons based on your initial deposit. For example, a deposit of RMB 10,000 earns RMB 1,500 in search ad coupons and RMB 1,300 in feed ad coupons, which can be used as advertising funds.

Please note that coupon amounts are updated periodically. Contact our Baidu PPC experts to learn about the latest promotional offers!

With International Business License - Baidu PPC Account Setup Process

If you are an international company with no legal entity in China, you may open an international Baidu ads account through Oxygen, the Baidu Hong Kong office or the Baidu International department.

The steps below will guide you through the different steps per different Baidu offices or a Baidu agency.

Through Oxygen - A Baidu Agency

If your company is eligible, open a Baidu PPC account with us, a Baidu agency, it's much easier and more flexible. Here are the steps for opening a Baidu PPC account with Oxygen.

Standard Process & Time Frame

1. Provide us with your company name and website URL for an initial check to see if you are eligible for Baidu advertising. This process usually takes 1–2 working days.
2. Provide digital copies of all the required documents stamped with your company seal. Official approval usually takes 7–10 business days.
   *Note: Oxygen allows you to use Google Translate for document translation, saving you money and avoiding the need for a translation agency, which is typically required for the Baidu Mainland China office.
3. (In an agency situation) Your chosen Baidu PPC agency will need to sign a contract with Baidu for final approval. As Baidu only requires a digital copy of the contract, this will usually be completed in 1 business day.
4. Transfer the initial deposit (a minimum of RMB 7,000) from your company account. The processing time of this step is dependent on your bank of choice.
5. Once we receive the deposit, we will pay Baidu and notify Baidu to activate your account, and you can start running your Baidu ads!

Required Documentation

Aside from those in sensitive industries (e.g. finance, medicine, supplements, etc), the requirements for all other companies are the same. Please submit the coloured scans of the following documents:

1. Business Registration - Color scan or photo of original copy and Simplified Chinese translation* (with corresponding colour company stamp)
2. Landing URL website homepage screenshot (showing clear and full URL) - Original copy and Simplified Chinese translation* (with corresponding colour company stamp)
3. Local Government company search website screenshot (showing clear and full URL)
   - Original copy and Simplified Chinese translation* (with corresponding colour company stamp) (e.g. Singapore: http://www.tis.bizfile.gov.sg/ )
4. Bank Account Proof - Original copy and Simplified Chinese translation* (The full company name is required to be presented on the copies with the corresponding colour company stamp)
   Select the applicable one and submit it to us:
   - the copy of a cheque (Blank cheque is not accepted), or
   - the copy of the monthly bank statement, or
   - the copy of a bank remittance.

* Translations done via Google Translate will be enough—you won’t need to hire a professional translation agency for this. If the documents are already in traditional Chinese 繁体字, a translated version will not be required.

Fee & Deposit - Baidu Advertising Costs

• Minimum Initial Deposit: RMB 7,000
• Annual Company Verification Fee: RMB 600 (deducted from your deposit)

We also accept payments in HKD, USD, SGD, and AED. Exchange rates will be provided at the time of payment for your convenience.

Through The Baidu Hong Kong Office

If you prefer to pay Baidu directly to open a Baidu PPC account but want to avoid the complex procedures of signing with Baidu Mainland’s International Department—such as paying for certified translations of non-Chinese documents—you can choose the easier route through Baidu’s Hong Kong office.

Standard Process & Time Frame

1. Provide Baidu with your company name and website URL for an initial check to see if there are any restrictions placed on your particular industry or product. Occasionally, they may also require your company business license. This process usually takes 1-2 business days.
2. Submit digital copies of all the required documentation to the Baidu HK office. Upon submission, you will need to wait 7-10 working days to receive official approval.
   *Note: The Hong Kong Baidu office allows the use of Google Translate to translate all required documents, eliminating the need to engage a translation agency as required by Baidu Mainland’s International Department.
3. (In an agency situation) Your chosen Baidu PPC agency will need to sign a contract with the Baidu HK office for final approval. As Baidu only requires a digital copy of the contract, this will usually be completed in one business day.
4. Upon official approval, transfer the initial deposit (minimum RMB 7,000) and provide the transaction slip to Baidu. The processing time of this step is dependent on your bank of choice.
5. Upon receiving the full amount, Baidu will activate your account and you can start running your Baidu ads!

Required Documentation

Aside from those in sensitive industries (e.g. finance, medicine, supplements, etc), the requirements for all other companies are the same. Please submit the coloured scans of the following documents:

1. Business Registration - Color scan or photo of original copy and Simplified Chinese translation* (with corresponding colour company stamp & write”与原件一致”)
2. Landing URL website homepage screenshot (showing clear and full URL) - Original copy and Simplified Chinese translation* (with the corresponding colour company stamp & write “与网站一致”)
3. Screenshot of your company listing from your local government website, showing the website URL, and its Chinese translation* (with the corresponding colour company stamp & write “与网站一致” on all the documents). Because each country’s government company search is different, Baidu HK office will advise the designated website case by case.
4. Bank Account Proof - Original copy and Simplified Chinese translation* (The full company name is required to be presented on the copies with the corresponding colour company stamp & write”与原件一致”)
   Select the applicable one and submit it to us:
   - the copy of a cheque (Blank cheque is not accepted), or
   - the copy of the monthly bank statement, or
   - the copy of a bank remittance.

* Translations done via Google Translate will be enough—you won’t need to hire a professional translation agency for this. If the documents are already in traditional Chinese 繁体字, a translated version will not be required.

Fee & Deposit - Baidu Advertising Costs

A minimum deposit of RMB 7,000 is needed when opening an account through the Baidu Hong Kong office. You will also need to pay RMB 1,500 every year for the annual account service fee thereafter. This will need to be paid to the Baidu HK office via bank transfer. Also, after the first year, you will need to pay RMB 600 annually for the Baidu ads account company verification fee. 

If you would prefer to pay with other currencies, HKD, USD and SGD are also accepted. The Baidu HK office will advise on the exchange rate to use at the time of making a payment.

You need to make the payment via your business bank account and the Baidu HK office needs to confirm your business bank account is aligned with the company on the business registration before they can authorise payment. They currently don’t accept any other payment methods.

Through The Mainland China Baidu International Department

If your company is eligible, you can open a Baidu PPC account with the mainland China Baidu office directly. Here are the steps for opening a Baidu account in mainland China.

Standard Process & Time Frame

1. Submit the name of your company and website URL to check if you are eligible for Baidu advertising. This process usually takes about 1-2 working days.
2. Once the website eligibility has been confirmed, you can start preparing the required documentation and their respective translation documents using Baidu’s designated translation agencies. The translation may take a few days (depending on the complexity of the documents). Note: the translation agency needs to stamp on the translated documentation.
   
3. Once you have all the documentation, scan them and submit the digital copies to Baidu for approval. This may take about 3 days.
4. Once Baidu approves your digital documents, you will receive a contract from Baidu. You (or your agency) will need to sign this contract. In an agency-managed Baidu PPC campaign, your Baidu advertising agency will sign the contract with Baidu.
5. After signing, you will need to submit the digital copies of the SLA, the listed documents and their translation copies to the Baidu mainland office. It usually takes 3–7 business days to receive official approval upon submission.
6. Transfer the initial deposit to Baidu’s designated account (minimum RMB 6,600). Processing time will differ depending on your bank.
7. Sign the contract. In an agency situation, your agency will sign the contract with Baidu. As Baidu only requires a digital copy of the contract, this step is usually completed in 1 business day.
8. Submit the digital contract to Baidu, they will perform a final review (usually by its legal department). This will take 3–4 days
9. Upon the final approval, your Baidu ads account will be activated, and you’ll be ready to run Baidu PPC campaigns!

Required Documentation

Aside from those in sensitive industries (e.g. finance, medicine, supplements, etc), the requirements for all other companies are the same. You’ll need the following documents:

1. Original business registration and its Chinese translation (with the corresponding colour company stamp & "与原件一致" written on all documents).
2. Landing URL website homepage screenshot (showing clear and full URL) - Original copy and Simplified Chinese translation (with corresponding colour company stamp & write “与网站一致”).
3. Local Government company search website screenshot (showing clear and full URL) - Original copy and Simplified Chinese translation (with corresponding colour company stamp & write “与网站一致” )
4. Bank Account Proof - Original copy and Simplified Chinese translation (The full company name is required to be presented on the copies with the corresponding colour company stamp & write”与原件一致”)
   Select the applicable one and submit it to us:
   - the copy of a cheque (Blank cheque is not accepted), or
   - the copy of the monthly bank statement, or
   - the copy of a bank remittance.
5. (In an agency situation) Commissioned promotion certificate 委推广证明 signed/stamped by both your company and your Baidu advertising agency. You will need to stamp or sign this commissioned promotion certificate document together with your agency’s official stamp.

Fee & Deposit - Baidu Advertising Costs

A minimum deposit of RMB 6,600 is usually needed for opening an account in mainland China. This amount includes a one-off service fee of RMB 1,000 and a RMB 600 company verification fee paid to the Baidu mainland office, with the rest of the amount being topped up into your Baidu advertising account balance. Usually, Baidu will offer a RMB 2,300 coupon to your Baidu ads account as an incentive, but this may vary from time to time.

Please note that Baidu will need to verify your Baidu ads account's company verification annually and will charge RMB 600 for each verification. You will not need to re-submit the documents again during this review process.

You need to make the payment via your business bank account and the Baidu HK office needs to confirm your business bank account is aligned with the company on the business registration before they can authorise payment. They currently don’t accept any other payment methods.

Why Hiring a Baidu PPC Agency is Cost-Effective

Running a Baidu PPC campaign can be complex and time-consuming. Partnering with a Baidu PPC agency offers a more cost-effective solution. Here's why:

• Expert Knowledge: A Baidu PPC agency understands the intricacies of the Baidu Ads Campaigns Restrictions and can quickly set up and manage your Baidu PPC account, ensuring optimal performance from the start.
• Faster Setup: Agencies are familiar with Baidu’s compliance requirements, helping you navigate the registration process without delays, saving both time and money.
• Optimized Campaigns: A Baidu PPC agency uses data-driven strategies to continually optimize your campaigns, reducing Baidu advertising costs and improving ROI.
• Access to Tools: Agencies have access to advanced tools for keyword research, competitor analysis, and ad tracking, which may be costly for businesses to implement on their own.
• Risk Reduction: An experienced Baidu PPC agency ensures compliance with local regulations, avoiding penalties or account suspensions, which could be costly for your business.

By outsourcing Baidu PPC management to experts, businesses can save time, reduce costs, and improve the effectiveness of their Baidu ads.

Need help setting up and running your Baidu campaign? Contact us today to speak with a Baidu PPC expert and start driving quality leads with Baidu PPC advertising!