As businesses expand into global markets, understanding how major advertising platforms work across regions is critical. Google Ads dominates the Western world, while Baidu Ads plays a central role in China. At first glance, their advertising logic may appear similar—but once you dive deeper, their differences in platform design, tracking, and optimization are significant. Here’s a practical breakdown based on years of hands-on experience with both platforms:
1. Setup Experience: Guided vs. Granular
Both Google and Baidu offer simplified setup processes to help new advertisers get started quickly. Google’s Smart Campaigns and Baidu’s Quick Creation Mode are designed for ease of use. However, for advertisers aiming for fine-tuned control, these simplified workflows can be limiting. Manual campaign setups are often preferred for more advanced targeting, bidding, and conversion tracking logic.
2. Conversion Tracking and Lead Management
This is where the two platforms diverge sharply.
Baidu offers an integrated ecosystem. It includes its own landing page builder (Jimu Fish / 基木鱼), lead form system, and native CRM. You can track form fills, phone calls, and even feedback signals—all within Baidu’s ecosystem. This all-in-one model suits both SMEs and large enterprises that want minimal technical overhead.
Google Ads, by contrast, is more flexible but relies heavily on external tools. You need to implement conversion tracking via code (JavaScript), Google Tag Manager, or Google Analytics 4. Lead feedback and optimization often require API connections or manual CSV uploads. For small businesses without technical support, this can be a barrier.
3. Role of the Advertiser: Technical Expectations
Running Google Ads effectively requires broader skills:
A working knowledge of front-end tags, GTM, GA4 configuration, and event-based conversions is essential.
In contrast, Baidu Ads streamlines this through its Jimu Fish platform, especially for industries restricted from using their own landing pages. While Baidu Tongji (its web analytics tool) still supports custom sites, much of the data flow has shifted into the internal ecosystem.
This means Google Ads favors technically fluent marketers, whereas Baidu provides more “out-of-the-box” support for non-technical teams.
4. Data Transparency: IP-Level Tracking
Baidu Ads gives you granular click data, including the user’s IP address, location, and detailed click timestamps. This helps advertisers trace low-quality leads or click fraud more precisely.
Google, prioritizing user privacy, does not reveal IP addresses or personal click details. Advertisers need to rely more on conversion data and modeled insights rather than direct user traces.
Conclusion
Both platforms are powerful in their own regions but require different mindsets. Google Ads emphasizes flexibility and integration, but demands technical setup. Baidu Ads is more centralized and beginner-friendly but operates in a more closed ecosystem.
For companies aiming to succeed in both China and global markets, adapting your campaign structure, tracking system, and team capabilities to match each platform’s strengths is the key to maximizing ROI.