Baidu focuses on integrating search and entertainment

Baidu is focusing on integrating its mobile search and entertainment services and will provide more incentives for livestreaming and other content producers.

Livestreaming will be an important area and a key strategy for the search giant to build its mobile ecosystem this year, Executive Vice President Shen Dou said at the Baidu Mobile Ecosystem Group Conference.

It will offer 500 million yuan (US$70.4 million) in incentives for livestreaming along with other supportive measures for developers of mini programs as online viewers embrace new formats.  

Through key functions like livestreaming and artificial intelligence-aided distribution, it aims to strengthen its position in knowledge-sharing and news-searching as rival short-video platforms like Douyin (known overseas as TikTok) and Kuaishou are quickly catching up. 

Unlike other tech giants such as Alibaba and Tencent which are leveraging livestreaming for shopping or social networking, Baidu hopes to use livestreaming to strengthen connections between users and real-time information and services. 

“We have capabilities to organize very targeted livestreamings to attract users, and provide corresponding services that meet users' unique demands,” he noted.

Daily active users of Baidu’s core search application have reached 230 million, and its experience regarding viewer preferences could help provide tailor-made service for creators and developers. 

“At the same time, we want to equip creators and developers with effective platforms for showcasing their content and services to users,” he added.