Leader Baidu left searching after Google wins test
Baidu, the mainland's dominant internet search engine, fails to match closest rival Google when customer satisfaction is put to a blind test, according to a recent survey.
Respondents preferred Google in 48.2 per cent of compared searches when they were unaware which of the two search engines was being used, according to Beijing-based market researcher China IntelliConsulting, which carried out the test. Baidu was the favourite in 39.8 per cent of compared searches, and no difference was found in 12.1 per cent of cases.
'It shows Google has better search-engine technology,' said Peter Lu, managing partner of China IntelliConsulting.
A total of 2,720 people took part in the test from April 9 to 20. Each person was asked to compare the results from the two search engines, with logos and styles removed. A total of 11,864 comparisons were made, or 4.28 per person.
Baidu beat Google in only one of eight categories of search - entertainment. Other categories included news, technology and finance.
Baidu had 65 per cent market share compared with Google's 25 per cent, according to an IntelliConsulting survey in September last year that asked respondents to name their favourite search engines.
That is in line with other recent surveys. Baidu, which was established in 2000 - five years before Google started its China operations - had 57 per cent of the market in the first quarter of this year, followed by Google at 18.7 per cent, according to Beijing researcher Analysys.
Improvements to Google's Chinese search capability since previous studies could be one reason those involved in the blind test preferred the results produced by the United States-based company, said Mr Lu.
However, Baidu's enduring popularity could be related to services such as its post bar and MP3 search, he said. Post bar is a social forum for users. Baidu's MP3 search lets people download songs for free, many of which are without copyright licences. Google had no such services, said Mr Lu.
Baidu's marketing efforts may also be central to its market lead.
'The company with the best technology is not necessarily the winner in the China market,' Mr Lu said. 'The dynamic is different from the United States. Marketing efforts to draw awareness and adoption are more crucial than the underling technology in winning market share - and Baidu has done this better.
'Baidu is good at manipulating the media, which is why there are few negative reports here about Baidu.'
Even so, attempts to influence the press were a feature of all mainland internet companies 'one way or another', an analyst said. Google had 'just hired a very capable PR director and it has a better government relationship now', he said
Even those who claimed to be frequent users of Baidu questioned its quality, chiefly in the way it mixes advertisements with natural search results, while results also often lacked relevance, IntelliConsulting found.
'Baidu manually adjusts its search engine results to maximize their commercial interest,' Mr Lu said. A Baidu spokesman said: 'As the leader in Chinese-language search, we pride ourselves on developing the best search technology and innovative products. We are very pleased to see more and more Chinese internet users are making Baidu their search engine of choice.'
Respondents also complained that Baidu does not show enough results from Chinese websites in other countries, while Google drew criticism that its services were unstable. 'Google is blocked whenever sensitive terms are searched,' Mr Lu said.
Baidu was cleared by a mainland court in November last year after EMI, Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group claimed the company's MP3 search services infringed copyright of their songs.
