Chinese AI Search: Optimizing for Baidu AI, DeepSeek & Kimi
Key Takeaways
- • China has its own AI search ecosystem — Baidu AI, DeepSeek, Kimi dominate; Google/ChatGPT are blocked
- • Hosting matters critically — China-accessible servers are essential for performance
- • Content must be natively Chinese — Simplified Chinese, culturally adapted, locally relevant
- • DeepSeek is the rising star — Growing rapidly as China's preferred AI search assistant
- • Compliance is non-negotiable — ICP license, content regulations, data privacy
Optimizing for Chinese AI search requires a completely separate strategy from Western markets. China's AI search ecosystem — led by Baidu AI, DeepSeek, and Kimi — operates behind the Great Firewall with different technical requirements, content standards, and ranking factors. Success requires native Chinese content, China-accessible hosting, proper licensing, and optimization specific to each platform.
Methodology Note
This guide is informed by market data from China Internet Watch, CNNIC's semi-annual internet reports, and hands-on experience optimizing for Chinese AI platforms. Market share estimates reflect Q4 2025 data and are evolving rapidly. Regulatory requirements should be verified with legal counsel for your specific use case.
This guide is part of our International GEO series. China represents the world's second-largest AI search market with unique characteristics that Western optimization techniques alone cannot address.
The Chinese AI Search Landscape #
| Platform | Type | Market Position | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baidu AI (ERNIE Bot) | Integrated search + AI | Dominant traditional search + AI | Deep integration with Baidu ecosystem |
| DeepSeek | AI-native search | Fastest growing | Strong reasoning, code generation |
| Kimi (Moonshot AI) | AI assistant + search | Popular for long documents | 200K token context window |
| Doubao (ByteDance) | AI assistant | Growing via TikTok ecosystem | Multimedia understanding |
| Tongyi Qianwen (Alibaba) | AI assistant | E-commerce focused | Shopping and business integration |
Technical Requirements #
- ICP license — Required for hosting on mainland China servers
- China-accessible hosting — Mainland server or Hong Kong CDN with China PoPs
- Fast loading (<3s) — Baidu penalizes slow sites more aggressively than Google
- Mobile-first — 95%+ of Chinese internet users are mobile
- HTTPS required — All platforms favor secure connections
- No blocked resources — Avoid Google Fonts, YouTube embeds, blocked CDNs
Chinese Content Strategy #
- Write in simplified Chinese — Traditional Chinese is for Taiwan/Hong Kong only
- Use local references — Chinese statistics, case studies, and examples
- Match local search intent — Chinese users search differently than English speakers
- Keyword research in Chinese — Use Baidu keyword planner, 5118.com, or SEMrush China
- Respect content regulations — Avoid sensitive topics as defined by Chinese regulations
Baidu AI Optimization #
- 1Submit to Baidu Webmaster Tools — Register and verify your site
- 2Optimize for ERNIE Bot — Clear, structured answers that Baidu's AI can extract
- 3Build Baidu Baike presence — China's equivalent of Wikipedia for entity recognition
- 4Use Baidu ecosystem — Baidu Tieba, Baidu Zhidao for authority signals
- 5Meta tags in Chinese — Title and description tags must be in simplified Chinese
DeepSeek Optimization #
DeepSeek has rapidly grown to become one of China's most popular AI assistants. Optimizing for DeepSeek shares similarities with ChatGPT optimization but with Chinese-specific nuances:
- Authoritative Chinese content — DeepSeek prioritizes well-sourced Chinese-language content
- Structured information — Clear definitions, step-by-step processes, and data tables
- Technical accuracy — DeepSeek excels at technical topics; ensure high accuracy
- Entity recognition — Consistent brand presence across Chinese platforms
Compliance Requirements #
- ICP Filing (ICP Bei An) — Required for all websites hosted in mainland China
- Content regulations — Follow Chinese content guidelines
- Data privacy (PIPL) — China's Personal Information Protection Law compliance
- E-commerce regulations — Additional requirements for online sales
Challenges and Limitations #
- ICP license complexity — Obtaining an ICP license requires a Chinese business entity or local partner. The process takes 2-4 weeks minimum and involves regulatory review.
- Content moderation risk — Content that violates Chinese regulations can result in site blocking. Legal review is essential for any content strategy targeting China.
- Great Firewall unpredictability — Even sites hosted in Hong Kong may experience intermittent access issues. Mainland hosting is strongly preferred for reliability.
- Rapid platform shifts — The Chinese AI search landscape is evolving faster than any other market. DeepSeek rose from niche to dominant within months. Strategies need quarterly review.
- Monitoring difficulty — Tracking visibility in Chinese AI platforms from outside China is challenging due to access restrictions and platform-specific APIs.
Conclusion #
Optimizing for Chinese AI search is a separate discipline from Western SEO. The combination of unique platforms (Baidu AI, DeepSeek, Kimi), strict technical requirements (ICP license, China hosting), and regulatory compliance creates high barriers to entry — but also high rewards for brands that invest properly. Start with a China-accessible hosting solution, create native simplified Chinese content with local relevance, and build platform-specific strategies for Baidu AI and DeepSeek. For the broader international approach, see our International GEO complete guide.
Frequently Asked Questions #
How is Chinese SEO different from Western SEO?
Chinese SEO differs fundamentally: Baidu dominates (not Google), content must be hosted on China-accessible servers, an ICP license is required for .cn domains, simplified Chinese is standard, and Baidu's algorithm prioritizes different ranking factors. Additionally, Chinese AI search engines like DeepSeek and Kimi have their own content evaluation criteria distinct from ChatGPT or Perplexity.
Do I need to host my website in China for Baidu SEO?
For optimal Baidu performance, hosting on Chinese servers (or using a CDN with Chinese PoPs) is strongly recommended. Baidu penalizes sites with slow loading times from China, and the Great Firewall can make foreign-hosted sites unreliable. An ICP license is required to host on mainland Chinese servers, though Hong Kong hosting can be a compromise.
Related Articles #
- International GEO: Complete Guide
- Multilingual SEO: Complete Guide
- Regional AI Search Engines
- AI Search Engines Guide
Product Manager at Seenos.ai. Pioneer in AEO research since 2024, exploring the convergence of SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Led multiple AI-powered content optimization projects that achieved 300%+ citation increases in ChatGPT and Perplexity.