Recently updated on November 24th, 2025 at 07:36 pm
You might have tried searching your site on Baidu and wondered why it doesn’t show up at all. We hear this a lot at our translation agency.
Sometimes your site loads perfectly for you, but it might be blocked by China’s Great Fire Wall, and it’s not indexed in the Chinese internet ecosystem.
Submitting your site to Baidu Webmaster Tools is one of those basic steps you really don’t want to miss. It’s the easiest way to let Baidu know your website exists.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how to submit your site to Baidu and secure potential traffic from the world’s largest e-commerce market.
What’s Baidu?
People often refer to Baidu as the “Chinese Google.” Baidu (百度) is the main search engine in China and offers a whole range of online services. Robin Li and Eric Xu launched it in 2000, and it’s now based in Beijing.
What’s the Origin of the Name “Baidu”?
Baidu (百度), which means “hundred times,” reflects a constant search for the perfect answer.
The name comes from a poem by 辛弃疾 (Xing Qiji) in the South Song Dynasty, comparing chasing a fleeting beauty to pursuing your dreams through life’s obstacles.
Chinese:
众里寻她千百度，暮然回首，那人却在灯火阑珊处。
-南宋 辛弃疾《青玉案·元夕》
English:
Hundreds and thousands of times, for her I searched in chaos,
Suddenly, I turned by chance, to where the lights were waning, and there she stood.– South Song, Xin Qiji, Qing Yu An · Yuan Xi
What is Baidu Webmaster Tool?
Like Google Search Console, Baidu Webmaster Tool, called Baidu Ziyuan or Baidu Ziyuan in Chinese, is a portal that helps webmasters track and manage how their sites perform in Baidu’s search results.
The platform gives you metrics you can’t get anywhere else. You can submit your site to Baidu for indexing, test and analyze your site’s speed, see which keywords drive traffic, check backlinks, and more.
How to Use Baidu Webmaster Tool?
To use Baidu Webmaster Tool, first you need a verified Baidu account. There’re two types of Baidu accounts: standard Baidu account and Baidu PPC account.
#1 Standard Baidu Account (百度账号)
A regular Baidu account lets you use Baidu Webmaster Tool (Baidu Ziyuan) and Baidu Tongji. But honestly, setting one up can be a headache if you don’t speak Chinese or don’t have a Chinese phone number or ID for verification.
You might be wondering, can a non-Chinese citizen sign up, submit a site, and manage it like you do on Google or Bing?
The answer is… sort of.
Yes, you can create an account. But no, you won’t get the full features unless you verify it with Chinese info, like a local ID, phone number, and sometimes even face recognition.
This is my premium account, fully verified with Chinese ID, face recognition, and phone number, so I can use all Baidu Webmaster Tools features.
My security score is 90 since I haven’t enabled two-factor login yet.
You can sign up for a standard Baidu account with an international phone number, but features will be limited, and things like verification codes might not always work.
If you’re not in China, verifying your account for premium features is nearly impossible. It used to be optional, but now it’s required.
#2 Baidu PPC Account (百度营销账号)
Baidu’s pay-per-click account is really powerful. It gives you tools like the Jimuyu page builder and Baidu Yingxiao (similar to Google Ads). You can set keywords and budgets, pick your audience, and track the results.
What Do You Need to Register a Baidu PPC Account?
Baidu PPC accounts are only available to companies registered in China. You also need to provide company and website registration info, your keywords, a Chinese phone number, and more.
Why is it Important to Submit Your Website to Baidu?
Baidu is the most visited website in China, making it essential for any company wanting to enter or succeed in the market. It holds about 79% of the search engine market share.
To show up on Baidu’s search results, there are a few key steps, and the most important one is submitting your website to Baidu Webmaster Tools.
Submit Your Website to Baidu: 5 Incredibly Easy Steps
Let’s dive into Baidu Webmaster Tools and submit your site in 5 easy steps. Note: this feature is only available in verified account.
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Step 1: Log in to Baidu Webmaster Tools
Go to Baidu Ziyuan platform (百度资源平台), click “百度账号登录 (Baidu account login)”, and log in.
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Step 2: Add Your Website
Click “用户中心 User Center” menu, choose “站点管理 Website Management”, and click “添加网站 Add a Website”
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Step 3: Verify Your Website
Type the URL of your website, choose category, and choose one of the following verification methods:
* Download the verification file, and upload it to the root directory of your website
* Copy the HTML meta tag and paste it into the header of your website (possibly the easiest way) -
Step 4: Submit Your Sitemap
Go to the menu “资源提交 resource submission”, click “普通收录 standard index”, then “资源提交 resource submission”, and click “sitemap”.
Baidu recommends using sitemaps in the following formats:
* www.site.com/site.txt
* www.site.com/site.xmlNote: Now the sitemap submission feature is no longer available on Baidu for websites without ICP licenses.
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Step 5: Submit Links Manually
Go to the menu “资源提交 resource submission”, click “普通收录 standard index”, then “资源提交 resource submission”, and click 手动提交 (submit manually).
How to Check if Your Website is Indexed by Baidu or Not?
After submitting your sitemap and URLs, it’s time to check whether Baidu has indexed them. It might take a few days or even weeks for Baidu to index new websites and URLs. Simple enter the domain name “business-in-guangzhou.com” or “site:business-in-guangzhou.com” (replace business-in-guangzhou.com with your domain name) on Baidu and check whether your website appears in the SERPs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the meaning of Baidu in Chinese?
Baidu (百度), meaning “hundred times”, represents a persistent search for the ideal.
How to submit your website to Baidu?
Step 1: Log in to Baidu Webmaster Tools
Step 2: Verify Your Website
Step 3: Submit Your Sitemap
Step 4: Submit Individual URL
How long does it take for a website to be indexed by Baidu after submission?
The indexing process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on various factors such as the size and complexity of the website, the quality of the content, etc.
Do I need a Baidu account to submit my website?
Yes, you will need a Baidu account and verify ownership of your website in order to submit your website to Baidu.
Is it better to translate my website into Chinese before submitting to Baidu?
Yes, it’s suggested to have a zh Chinese language version of your website before submitting to Baidu. But it’s not mandatory as Baidu also indexes and ranks non-Chinese websites.
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Translation Manager
Eva has 6 years of experience working as a News Editor and 5 years as a freelance copywriter. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and a master’s degree in applied Linguistics from the University of Melbourne.