Baidu, China's dominant search engine, yesterday launched "Baidu
TV", an online video advertising service, expecting it to be a new
profit driver to help widen the gap with its rivals, Chinese
versions of Google and Yahoo!.
Baidu TV is the result of a partnership between Baidu and Ads
it! Media Corporation, a Chinese online video advertising platform
provider.
Baidu will provide advertisers access to about 160,000 domestic
websites under the Baidu Union, where they can post online video
ads.
Ads it! mainly deals in advertising-related technical and
marketing issues.
"Baidu has been dedicated to developing its core business by
maximizing its customer resources ... Baidu TV is a logical step in
that direction," said Shen Haoyu, Baidu vice-president, business
operations.
Baidu's revenue mainly relies on text ads, but this is "far from
enough, and it should try to find more niche markets to fuel
growth", said Tian Xin, search engine analyst with iResearch
Consulting Group.
Baidu reported revenue of 401.3 million yuan for the second
quarter ended June 30, a 109.4 percent increase year-on-year, and
revenue per online marketing customer was 3,100 yuan during the
April-June period.
(China Daily September 14, 2007)