Chinese SEO: How to Approach Simplified Chinese Keyword Research?

When approaching keyword research, apart from having keyword ideas, the most important thing you need is the tool. Many popular keyword research tools available in the market like Keyword Discovery or Word Tracker don’t support languages apart from English. Google Adword Keyword Tool? Maybe, but don’t forget Google only has 20% of the market share in China, how accurate the keyword suggestions are, is still a question.

So what are the exact tools we need when doing a simplified Chinese keyword research? The answers are Baidu Keyword Tools.

Baidu is the most popular search engine in China, accounts for around 75% of the search market. People in China say 百度一下(baidu it) instead of Google it when it comes to searching on the internet. The Chinese search engine provides many useful keyword tools not just for the users but marketers as well. The below are the tools you may want to give it a try when you have a simplified Chinese keywords research project at hand:

1. Baidu PPC Keyword Suggestion Tool

Very easy to use Chinese SEO keyword tool,  similar to Google Adword Keyword Tool. The only down side is you need to have a PPC account with Baidu then you will be able to use it. The search term I used here is 熊猫 (panda), and the top 10 results are (sorted by search volume):

熊猫人 (Panda Man)

熊猫围棋

熊猫

熊猫游戏

熊猫大侠

功夫熊猫

吉利熊猫

熊猫玩具车

熊猫卫士

熊猫看书

2. Baidu Search Box Keyword Suggestion Tool

If you don’t have a Baidu’s pay search account to access the above keyword tool, no need to be desperate. Baidu’s search box nowadays provide keyword suggestions as well. The below are the keywords Baidu suggested when I inputted the keyword 熊猫 (panda):

熊猫人 (Panda Man)

熊猫人电视剧

熊猫大侠

熊猫看书

熊猫人演员表

熊猫人插曲

熊猫人片尾曲

熊猫人主题曲

熊猫侠

熊猫看书官网

3. Baidu Index 百度指數

Very similar tool to Google Insights but provides very detailed analysis related to the keyword you search, from relevant keywords, rising keywords, searchers’ age range, gender, education background and location. By inputting 熊貓 (panda) here, apart from getting relevant search terms as below:

熊猫人 (Panda Man)

熊猫人电视剧

熊猫大侠

熊猫人演员表

熊猫看书

功夫熊猫

熊猫人全集

熊猫侠

熊猫看书官网

吉利熊猫

I also got the insights that most people who searched this term are students locate in Beijing and Shanghai, age range 10-29. Searchers tend to be more males then females.

Conclusion

If you are starting a Chinese SEO campaign, Baidu PPC keyword tool and Baidu index can give you a more marketing related insights. On the other hand, if you are just interested in knowing what are the popular terms related to the keyword you want to search, the keyword suggestion tool comes with the Baidu search box should be sufficient enough.

For a thorough Chinese SEO campaign consultancy, you may want to have a look at the Chinese SEM page of the agency I work for.

Also, you may all have realized, the most popular search in China related to Panda is Panda Man!