Chinese search engine Baidu.com has started to offer its version
of brand advertising to attract bigger advertisers and gain market
share.
The new service, which allows advertisers to appear at the top
of search results with more than one link in a separate section of
the page, is Baidu's latest move to consolidate its leading
position in the market and fend off competition from rivals like
Google and newcomer Alibaba.com Corp.
Shen Haoyu, vice president of commercial operations, said
yesterday there had already been inquiries from "a number of
advertisers who showed great interest."
"The significance of setting up the branding section is that
search engines are not only a product promotion platform but can
also serve as an important way for companies to build up their
branding image," he said.
The new service has attracted companies like Gome Electrical
Appliance Holdings Ltd, China's largest electronics retailer.
Their company logos can also be displayed in the search results,
as well as a brief introduction and links to corporate news and
promotions.
(Shanghai Daily November 28, 2007)
