Search engines, such as Google and Baidu, are constantly updating their search algorithms to provide better and more relevant search results for their users. These updates can have a significant impact on website rankings and traffic, making it crucial for businesses and website owners to stay up-to-date with the latest algorithm changes. In this article, we will discuss reported Baidu algorithm updates and their targets, providing valuable insights for SEO professionals and website owners in China.
For those familiar with Google algorithm updates, you may find that Baidu SEO Search Algorithm Updates have similarities, but also some notable differences. Like Google, Baidu updates its algorithm frequently but tends to be more transparent in communicating the targets of its bigger updates (Update 2023: we didn’t see any official report on Baidu Search Engine Algorithm Updates since 2021).
While Google focuses on identifying spam, low-quality content, and manipulative backlinks, Baidu places emphasis on identifying fake download buttons, malicious code, and websites that make it difficult for users to consume content.
Therefore, when learning about Baidu SEO (for example on our Baidu SEO Guide) it’s important to understand the differences between Google and Baidu algorithm updates to effectively optimize your website’s performance in both search engines.
| Date | Update_Name | What_was_it_about? |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 June | Unnamed Update | Punishing low quality / artificially generated content |
| 2013 February 19 | Money Plant 1.0 | Punishing the practice of buying and selling links |
| 2013 May 17 | Pomegranate 1.0 | Punishing websites that feature spammy ads and low-quality pop-up ads |
| 2013 July 15 | Money Plant 2.0 | Pay closer attention to external links in advertorials and websites with advertorials in general |
| 2014 Agust 30 | Ice Bucket 1.0 | Punish low-quality websites that provided a poor mobile experience |
| 2014 November 28 | Ice Bucket 2.0 | Punish websites that display large ads on mobile view |
| 2016 July 15 | Ice Bucket 3.0 | Punish mobile websites that try to redirect their users to using their Mobile App instead of the website |
| 2016 August 10 | Skynet | Punish websites that contain malicious code to steal QQ and mobile numbers |
| 2016 September 19 | Ice Bucket 4.0 | Punish websites with excessive or oversized ads, especially above the fold |
| 2016 October 26 | Ice Bucket 4.5 | Punish websites that employ clickbaiting and display illegal ads |
| 2016 November 21 | Blue Sky 1.0 | Targeting high-traffic publishers with advertorials and catalogs that manipulate the traffic they receive |
| 2017 February 23 | Beacon Fire 1.0 | Penalize websites that hijacked users and directed them towards fake Baidu search results pages |
| 2017 May | Pomegranate 2.0 | Devalue websites that charge people for posting articles for marketing purposes |
| 2017 July 04 | Hurricane 1.0 | Punish websites with copied and plagiarized content |
| 2017 August 30 | Baiduspider Https Fetch Upgrade | The Baidu crawler now fetches data from websites using HTTPS |
| 2017 September 30 | Breeze 1.0 | Punish websites with clickbait titles without actually offering the advertised services on those pages |
| 2017 October 10 | Lightning | An update about the loading speed of mobile sites |
| 2017 November 31 | Thunder 1.0 | Aiming at not benefiting black hat tactics and click cheating |
| 2018 April 26 | Breeze 2.0 | Punish websites that offer fake download links |
| 2018 May | Thunder 2.0 | Punish fast-ranking techniques such as click cheating in the SERPs |
| 2018 May 18 | Beacon Fire 2.0 | Punish websites that steal private user information or use click fraud techniques |
| 2018 May 33 | Aurora | The landing page publishing date and time displayed on the website (and in structured data) would play a role from now on |
| 2018 July 15 | Drizzle 1.0 | Punish B2B websites that do Title Cheating or Content Cheating |
| 2018 September 17 | Hurricane 2.0 | Crackdown on low-quality content and bad content collection behavior |
| 2018 October 25 | Breeze 3.0 | Punish websites that show fake download buttons or advertisements that pretend to be download buttons |
| 2018 November 12 | Ice Bucket 5.0 | Improving landing page adverts, apps, and full-text functions within the Baidu app |
| 2019 March 21 | Beacon Fire 3.0 | Punish websites that redirect users after they access the site or trying to click the “back” button |
| 2019 April | Content Viewing | Websites should make it easy for users to access content without unnecessary barriers |
| 2019 May 09 | Trade Wind | Punish websites that mis-use the “next page” button / links |
| 2019 August 01 | Hurricane 3.0 | Devalue websites that lack a clear topical focus |
| 2019 November | Drizzle 2.0 | Punish low-quality content in B2B industries |
| 2020 February 27 | Forceful Wind | Devalue websites with low-quality content, malicious aggregation, and pages with scattered content |
| 2020 April | Illegal Content Enforcement | Punishes websites with gambling and bet-style gaming content (which is illegal in Mainland China) |
| 2020 June | Ice Bucket 6.0 | Benefit landing pages of high quality that are relevant to the search queries they rank for |
| 2021 January 12 | Thunder 3.0 | Punish websites that use artificial traffic generators, click bots, and falsifying engagement signals |
| 2021 May 24 | Updated Landing Page Standard | Contents of a mobile landing page should no longer be (fully) collapsed |
| 2021 July 27 | Blue Sky 2.0 | Punish websites selling advertorials or selling directories or sub-domains to monetize your website’s traffic |
| 2021 August 19 | Beacon Fire 4.0 | Further improvements to handle the problem of the history-back-key-hijacking |
| 2021 September 02 | Breeze 4.0 | Punishes websites that have inaccurate webpage titles, unsolicited downloads, and misinformation on download pages |
Unnamed Baidu Algorithm Updates (2012)
Unnamed June 2012 Baidu Algorithm Update
The unnamed Baidu Algorithm Update from June 2012 targeted low-quality websites that relied heavily on machine-generated or copied content with little to no original content. Baidu’s goal with this update was to improve the search experience for its users and to promote the development of a healthy online ecosystem. There was an announcement on Baidu’s webmaster forums by a user named Lee.
Money Plant Algorithm Updates (2013)
Money Plant (Scindapsus Aureus) Update 1.0
The Baidu Money Plant Algorithm Update 1.0 was released on February 09, 2013.
The algorithm targets the practice of buying and selling links, which has long been a popular tactic for boosting website search engine rankings. Many businesses pay to have their links inserted into third-party websites to drive traffic back to their sites. However, such activities can easily be abused, leading to the creation of link farms that exist only to manipulate search engine rankings.
The update expands the scope and severity of linkspam filters, and imposes steeper penalties on both the buyer and seller of such links. The goal is to filter the linkspam out of search results and enforce appropriate penalties for target URLs.
The name “Money Plant” comes from Scindapsus Aureus, a plant found in offices in Asia that symbolizes prosperity and wealth. The name is fitting, as Baidu’s goal with the Money Plant 1.0 Algorithm is to eliminate linkspamming and promote fair competition among websites.
Money Plant (Scindapsus Aureus) Update 2.0
The Baidu Money Plant Algorithm Update 2.0 was released on July 15, 2013.
In addition to punishing link buyers and sellers, Baidu’s Money Plant 2.0 Algorithm also penalizes sites hosting promotional articles (advertorials). Such articles are often used to gain backlinks to a website, but Baidu now considers them to be linkspam. Sites that host such articles may face penalties and be removed from Baidu News results, which could have a significant impact on their visibility.
Baidu Pomegranate Algorithm Update (2013 – 2017)
Baidu Pomegranate Algorithm Update 1.0
The Baidu Money Plant Algorithm Update 1.0 was released on May 17, 2013.
The main objective of the Baidu Pomegranate update was to purify the overall environment of the internet and improve the browsing experience for Baidu’s users. Similar to Google’s Panda algorithm, the Pomegranate algorithm mainly focuses on user experience rather than just content quality.
The update targets low-quality web pages with excessive pop-up advertisements, ads pretending to be page content, and other types of spammy or malicious ads.
Baidu encourages webmasters to review their site advertisements and clean up any offending content.
Baidu Pomegranate Algorithm Update 2.0
The Baidu Money Plant Algorithm Update 2.0 was released in July 15, 2013.
The Pomegranate Algorithm Update 2.0 was aimed at paid article directories, trading platforms, press release websites, and other platforms that charge people for posting articles for marketing purposes. The primary goal of the update was to weed out low-quality content and promote quality content in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Some websites even went as far as offering paid links and using anchor text to manipulate their rankings in the SERPs. The Pomegranate Update 2.0 put an end to such practices, resulting in significant penalties for violating the new guidelines. Possible consequences ranged from a decrease in rankings to total de-indexation of the site, which could harm the site’s online visibility and ranking capabilities.
The update also prompted website owners to focus on creating high-quality and relevant content that is not only informative but also shareable. Content that is written in a way that engages users and encourages them to share it on social media platforms, forums, and blogs not only helps promote the website but also helps improve its visibility in the search engine rankings.
Baidu Pomegranate Algorithm Update 3.0
The Baidu Money Plant Algorithm Update 2.0 was released in May 2017.
Pomegranate Algorithm Update 3.0 specifically targets websites that use intrusive advertising practices and display advertisements that are disguised as page content.
Ice Bucket Algorithm Updates (2014 – 2020)
The Baidu Ice Bucket algorithm updates aimed to improve the mobile user experience by devaluing websites that employ practices such as compulsive app downloads, large or obstructive ads, forcing user login or app downloads, and displaying illegal content or clickbaiting.
Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 1.0
The Baidu Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 1.0 was released on August 30, 2014.
Ice Bucket Algorithm 1.0 targeted websites that affected the user experience on mobile devices. This includes pages with compulsive pop-up app downloads, user login, and large ads, especially those sites that cannot be used normally without downloading its app. This update aimed to discourage websites from pushing their mobile visitors to download their app instead of using the mobile website.
Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 2.0
The Baidu Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 2.0 was released on November 28, 2014.
The Baidu Ice Bucket 2.0 focused on devaluing websites that display large ads on their mobile platforms, especially those that appear above the fold. This move was intended to boost user experience for mobile users and discourage the sort of annoying practices that turn visitors away from websites.
It focused on three specific mobile website practices that are known to damage user experience:
- Large ads that obstruct the majority of the main content on a small screen
- Full-screen download layers / pop-ups
- Websites that force users to sign up before accessing specific parts of the site
Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 3.0
The Baidu Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 3.0 was released on July 15, 2016.
The aim of this update was to devalue the websites that force their users to leave mobile websites and switch to their mobile apps.
This update targeted websites that were not mobile-friendly and were trying to direct their users to download their mobile apps instead of using their mobile website. These types of websites created a poor user experience, which is why Baidu wanted to put an end to this practice.
Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 4.0
The Baidu Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 4.0 was released on September 19, 2016.
Baidu Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 4.0 targeted websites with excessive or oversized ads, especially above the fold.
Examples for hit websites were a Chinese news website that was penalized for having too many banner ads at the top of the page and a Chinese forum that was penalized for having too many ads in the middle of the page, which made it difficult for users to read the content.
Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 4.5
The Baidu Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 4.5 was released on October 26, 2016.
Baidu Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 4.5 purpose was mainly to devalue websites that employ clickbaiting and display illegal ads. These ads include those with sexual content, gambling-related content, and fake graphics designed to appear as legitimate website buttons.
This encourages to avoid any and all content that could be deemed illegal or inappropriate, such as pornographic material or advertisements for gambling websites.
Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 5.0
The Baidu Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 5.0 was released on November 29, 2018.
This update was released with the aim to optimize the search experience of mobile app users for Baidu.
The Ice Bucket Algorithm 5.0 update focused on improving landing page adverts, apps, and full-text functions within the Baidu app.
Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 6.0
The Baidu Ice Bucket Algorithm Update 6.0 was released in June 2020.
Baidu’s primary aim was to ensure that the search results and landing pages presented to users are of high quality, are relevant to their search queries, and improve the overall user experience. Although Baidu didn’t specify any specific ranking factors, they did release a whitepaper that provides general optimization practices that all SEOs should follow.
Baidu Skynet Algorithm Update (2016)
The Baidu Skynet Algorithm Update was released on August 10, 2016.
The update aimed to target websites that invade visitors’ privacy by embedding malicious code to steal QQ and mobile numbers, punishing them accordingly.
Baidu Blue Sky Algorithm Update (2016 – 2021)
Baidu Blue Sky Algorithm Update 1.0
The Baidu Blue Sky Algorithm Update 1.0 was released on November 21, 2016.
Blue Sky 1.0 update is primarily aimed at high-traffic news publisher websites who publish advertorials or manipulate the traffic they receive. News sources that break the rules of the Blue Sky Algorithm will be removed from the list of news sources, and their evaluation level in Baidu’s search system would be lowered.
Baidu Blue Sky Algorithm Update 2.0
The Baidu Blue Sky Algorithm Update 2.0 was released on July 27, 2021.
Avoid selling advertorials or selling directories or sub-domains to monetize your website’s traffic.
Baidu Beacon-fire Program Updates (2017 – 2021)
The Baidu Beacon Fire updates aimed to improve the security and reliability of mobile searches by targeting websites that engaged in malicious or spammy practices, such as hijacking or click fraud. Website owners should prioritize website security and user trust by avoiding these practices.
Baidu Beacon-fire Program Update 1.0
The Baidu Beacon-fire Program Update 1.0 was released on February 23, 2017.
The goal of the Baidu Beacon-Fire Algorithm Update was to improve the security and reliability of mobile searches, ensuring that users received a trustworthy and user-friendly search experience. Baidu’s primary concern was for its users’ safety as a search engine’s credibility and trustworthiness hinges on its ability to deliver trusted results.
The primary focus of this update was to penalize websites that hijacked users and directed them towards fake Baidu search results pages. Websites that tried to hijack users and lead them to fake search result pages are no longer tolerated under the Baidu Beacon-Fire program. Why? These malicious sites often pose a security risk to users while engaging in such practices.
Todos:
- Avoid building malicious websites.
- Never scam or spam your visitors
- Always prioritize valuable and informative content instead of resorting to dishonest tactics.
- Prioritize website security and avoid suspicious practices
- Optimize your website security to avoid being penalized.
- Always aim to deliver informative and engaging content.
This update impacted automated ad-driven websites that were either spammy or malicious (or hacked). Websites that previously engaged in spamming, scamming, and tricking their visitors are in hot waters with this new update, and the penalty for non-compliance can be severe.
Baidu Beacon-fire Program Update 2.0
The Baidu Beacon-fire Program Update 2.0 was released on May 18, 2018.
This update aims to further increase efforts to devalue websites that steal private user information or use click fraud techniques. It has been designed to target websites that try to steal private user information such as mobile phone numbers or use click fraud techniques. Websites that are caught doing this will be devalued and punished by Baidu.
Website owners should ensure that the amount of information they request from users through forms is kept to an absolute minimum. Additionally, they should take steps to improve website security through HTTPS transformation. This not only reduces the risk of website hijacking but also promotes third-party websites to transform to HTTPS to improve security.
They should also ensure that their websites do not engage in any active or passive hijacking. This includes avoiding any black-out vulnerabilities, advertisement hijacking, JS hijacking, or LAN hijacking.
Another important area to focus on is high-risk JS codes on the site. Sites should check for these codes and remove them or communicate with the JS provider.
Todos:
- Minimize the amount of information requested through forms.
- Do not use malicious techniques to gather information.
- Use HTTPS transformation to improve website security.
- Avoid any hijacking, including JS hijacking, advertisement hijacking, and LAN hijacking.
- Remove or communicate high-risk JS codes on the website.
- Promote third-party sites to transform to HTTPS and avoid malicious hijacking.
Baidu Beacon-Fire Algorithm Update 2.0 aims to devalue websites that use malicious techniques to gather private user information or engage in click fraud techniques, and webmasters should improve website security, avoid hijacking.
Baidu Beacon-fire Program Update 3
The Baidu Beacon-fire Program Update 3 was released on March 21, 2019.
Baidu Beacon Fire Update 3 aims to uphold user experience and security by penalizing deceptive websites that manipulate users.
Those websites that redirect users after they access the site from Baidu search results or while trying to click the “back” button of the browser will be penalized.
Baidu claims that such procedures are harmful, and may spread viruses and malware to the users’ devices. The update comes as a response to widespread complaints from users who have experienced such tactics repeatedly from some websites.
Baidu Beacon-fire Program Update 4
The Baidu Beacon-fire Program Update 4 was released on August 19, 2021.
The Beacon algorithm is further improved to handle the problem of the history-back-key-hijacking. Further reading on Baidu.com.
Baidu Hurricane Algorithm Updates 1-3 (2017 – 2019)
The Hurricane updates were designed to reward websites that offer original, high-quality content while penalizing those that engage in bad behavior, such as duplicating content from other sites.
Baidu Hurricane Algorithm Update 1.0
The Baidu Hurricane Algorithm 1.0 update was released on July 4, 2017.
This update was designed to devalue websites with copied and plagiarized content, placing a greater emphasis on high-quality, original content.
For website publishers and SEOs alike, it’s critical to understand the potential impact of this update on their website’s search engine rankings. Luckily, there are actions that can be taken to increase the likelihood of favorable ranking results.
First and foremost, it’s important to ensure that all content on your website is original and not curated or copied from other websites. This is a critical component of avoiding being penalized by Baidu’s algorithm change. As with Google’s algorithmic changes, there will be winners and losers with the Baidu Hurricane Algorithm Update. By ensuring that your content is 100% original, you’re likely to come out on top.
It’s also important to push original content to Baidu over their API. By doing so, you can help ensure that Baidu considers your website as the owner of the content it found it on. This can help to increase your website’s ranking potential and provide a buffer against potential penalties.
It’s important to keep a close eye on any changes to your website’s overall ranking position. If you notice a sharp decrease in index amount or overall ranking position, it may be an indication that your website has fallen out of favor with the Baidu Hurricane Algorithm. In such cases, it’s critical to review your website’s content and backlink profile to identify any areas that may be negatively impacting your search engine ranking results.
Todos:
- Ensure all content on your website is original, not curated or copied from other websites
- Push original content to Baidu over their API to increase the likelihood of favorable ranking results
- Monitor your website’s ranking position and be vigilant for sharp drops
- Take advantage of Baidu’s Feedback Center if you observe a sharp decrease in index amount
- Utilize copyright tags for original images and graphics in Baidu Image Search results to encourage original content creation
By focusing on high-quality, original content and utilizing Baidu’s API to push content updates, website publishers and SEOs can help ensure that their websites remain at the top of the rankings.
Baidu Hurricane Algorithm Update 2.0
The Baidu Hurricane Algorithm 2.0 update was released on September 17, 2018.
The Baidu Hurricane Algorithm version 2.0 update emphasizes a crackdown on low-quality content and bad collection behavior.
The primary purpose of this update is to eliminate maliciously acquired content from its search results and to stop low-quality content from ranking high in search results.
That includes copied content from other websites or WeChat accounts, as well as only curating websites that collect news content from various other sources, including rewriting original content from other sources.
So, what does this mean for SEO experts? It means that if you want your website to rank high on Baidu’s search engine results page (SERP), you need to take steps to ensure that your website is providing original, useful and high-quality content and not duplicating other websites’ content.
One way to avoid being affected is by creating original content. Avoid duplicating content from other websites as much as possible. It’s essential to research and develop an original piece of content to add value to your website. If you are curating content, make sure that the original content on every page is more than 60%.
Another way to avoid being affected is by ensuring that your website has a good structure with relevant and useful content.
Todos:
- Create unique and original content
- Conduct a content audit to identify and remove copied or low-quality content
- Monitor website performance and traffic regularly
- Improve website structure and loading times
- Use relevant and specific keywords
- Make sure your website is mobile-friendly
- Promote your content through social media platforms
You should avoid creating pages with low-quality content, irrelevant content, or pages with poor logic. Webmasters should fix their sites to avoid being penalized.
Baidu Hurricane Algorithm Update 3.0
The Baidu Hurricane Algorithm Update 3.0 was released on August 1, 2019.
This algorithm update was designed to devalue websites that lack a clear topical focus. According to Baidu, websites that are high in quality will cover one topical niche and not publish articles of unrelated topics. This algorithm update was specifically targeted at article directories that aim to build questionable links to other websites.
While this update may seem like a cause for concern for some websites, there are several ways to avoid being negatively affected.
Todos:
- Build clear topical and functional silos: Avoid mixing too many silos on one domain and separate them by publishing them on different sub-domains. For example, place e-commerce on shop.mydomain.com.cn, the support forum on board.mydomain.com.cn, and the magazine on blog.mydomain.com.cn.
- Focus on user readability and problem-solving content: Create content that is easy to read and highlights the potential solutions to the searcher’s problems.
- Consistency in content topics across domains and site titles: Ensure that the content topics consistently align with your chosen focus across all your domains and site titles.
- Use unique page designs for pages with different purposes: Use different page designs based on different purposes, such as e-commerce pages versus informational pages.
- Avoid cross-domain acquisition and focus on industry relevance: Stay within your industry and avoid acquiring domains that are irrelevant to your industry.
- Avoid group site issues by creating high-quality, unique content and avoiding template reuse: Focus on creating content that is unique, high-quality, and doesn’t reuse templates across multiple sites.
To avoid being negatively affected, SEO professionals must focus on building clear topical and functional silos (too distant topics or user intents should be divided for example using sub-domains), creating content that is user-friendly and problem-solving, ensuring consistency in their content topics and titles, using unique page design based on different purposes, staying within the industry relevance, and creating high-quality, unique content while avoiding template reuse.
Baiduspider Https Fetch Upgrade (2017)
The Baidu Aurora Algorithm Update was released on August 30, 2017.
The Upgrade enhances the way the crawler fetches data from websites using HTTPS. This upgrade allows Baiduspider to seize HTTPS data faster and more efficiently, which improves the accuracy and speed of the indexing process.
Baidu has been actively promoting the use of HTTPS in recent years, and this upgrade is another step in that direction. Baidu gives higher evaluations and more impressions to HTTPS pages, which means that websites that use HTTPS are more likely to rank higher in Baidu’s search results.
Baidu Breeze Algorithm Updates (2017 – 2021)
The Baidu Breeze Algorithm Updates are all designed to ensure trust and transparency in downloadable resources, specifically targeting websites with clickbait titles, fake download links, and misinformation.
Breeze Algorithm Update 1.0
The Baidu Breeze Algorithm Update 1.0 was released on September 30, 2017.
The Baidu Breeze 1.0 update was designed to tackle clickbait titles on websites that were offering services not available on those pages. Websites that provided downloads or live streaming, without actually having those features, were penalized. This update was a massive step towards maintaining transparency and authenticity in the online world, and ensuring that users get what they expect from the title of the web page.
Breeze Algorithm Update 2.0
The Baidu Breeze Algorithm Update 2.0 was released on April 26, 2018.
The focus of Baidu’s Breeze Algorithm 2.0 update is to penalize websites that offer fake download links that lead to “no resource found”, or linking to other websites instead of providing the promised download. In other words, if your website misleads users by falsely announcing a download of a specific item, but ultimately links people to another website to download something else, Baidu would reduce your site ranking.
Breeze Algorithm Update 3.0
The Baidu Breeze Algorithm Update 3.0 was released on October 25, 2018.
The update is Baidu’s ongoing mission at ensuring that users can trust the download links they click on and feel confident that they are not downloading any malware or virus onto their system.
The biggest targets of this update are websites that have fake download buttons or advertisements that pretend to be download buttons. These are usually ads that are placed close to the actual download button, making visitors think that they have to click on that ad to download the content they want. However, when visitors click on these fake download buttons, they are often redirected to another website, which may download malware onto their system. This practice is considered deceptive and manipulative.
Breeze Algorithm Update 4.0
The Baidu Breeze Algorithm Update 4.0 was released on September 2, 2021.
Baidu’s Breeze 4.0 algorithm update is all about trust and transparency when it comes to downloadable resources.
The Breeze algorithm specifically targets websites that have inaccurate webpage titles, unsolicited downloads, and misinformation on download pages. Clickbait titles are a big no-go when it comes to Breeze 4.0, as they can mislead users about the contents of the file being downloaded.
Unsolicited downloads are also a major issue that can lead to penalties. To avoid these types of issues, it’s important to keep your website’s content and titles accurate and transparent.
To avoid unsolicited downloads, it’s essential to clearly delineate each download method and provide a direct download function. This ensures that users can easily find the correct download link, without the risk of unwittingly downloading unwanted software. If there are any additional software bundles or add-ons that a user may want to download along with the main file, it’s important to make this clearly known, and for users to have the option to decline these additional downloads if they wish.
Baidu Lightning Algorithm Update (2017)
The Baidu Lightning Algorithm Update was released on October 10, 2017.
The primary focus of the Lightning update is the loading speed of mobile sites. Baidu aims to provide its (mobile) users with the best possible experience, and fast-loading sites play a vital role in achieving this goal.
Lightning has made loading speed a vital ranking signal. Sites that take less than two seconds to load have a better chance of being displayed to Baidu users. On the other hand, sites with a loading time exceeding three seconds will be considered a bad experience. This means that the rankings of sites with slow loading times will be affected, leading to a drop in traffic and potential customers.
Baidu Thunder Algorithm Updates (2017 – 2021)
Baidu Thunder Algorithm Update 1.0
The Baidu Thunder Algorithm Update 1.0 was released on November 31, 2017.
Black hat tactics and click cheating were the primary targets of the update, and Baidu made it clear that intentional repeated clicks were the opponents of the update. The Thunder Algorithm would produce punishment data regularly, and severe actions could cause long-term removal from search results.
One of the most significant changes brought by the Baidu thunder Update was the consideration of multiple features of websites, including their quality, records, etc. instead of only checking click data.
Baidu Thunder Algorithm Update 2.0
The Baidu Thunder Algorithm Update 2.0 was released on May 23, 2018.
Baidu has recorded cheating behaviors and warns that serious cases can lead to permanent removal from search results. This is a clear indication that Baidu is taking a strong stance against illegal SEO techniques and is committed to building a healthy search ecosystem.
SEOs have been warned to avoid fast-ranking techniques and focus on quality content for healthy traffic growth. This means that SEOs should not rely on shortcuts such as fake CTR in the Baidu SERPs, keyword stuffing, cloaking, and link schemes.
Baidu Thunder Algorithm Update 3.0
The Baidu Thunder Algorithm Update 3.0 was released on January 12, 2021.
This update targets websites that manipulate search rankings through artificial traffic generators, click bots, and falsifying engagement signals.
It is also important for businesses to steer clear of traffic generators and other fraudulent methods that can hurt SEO and result in penalties. These methods may provide short-term gains, but they are not sustainable and can lead to long-term damage to a business’s reputation and SEO rankings.
Baidu Drizzle Updates
Baidu Drizzle Update 1.0 (2018)
The Baidu Drizzle Algorithm Update was released on Mid July, 2018
The algorithm aims to promote the healthy development of B2B and industry directories by targeting two tactics that contribute to low-quality content: Title Cheating and Content Cheating.
Title Cheating involves pretending to be the official site of a popular brand and keyword stuffing in titles, while Content Cheating includes frequently including excessive and unnecessary contact information in the content of web pages.
Additionally, it is crucial to ensure that the content is well-organized and free from any illegal or low-quality content.
Baidu Drizzle Update 2.0 (2019)
The Baidu Drizzle Algorithm Update was released on November 2019
This new update is aimed at tackling the issue of low-quality content in the B2B industry, specifically targeting yellow pages, franchise agents, production outsourcing, and wholesale trading websites.
With Drizzle 2.0, Baidu will cover PC sites, H5 sites, and intelligent mini-programs under Baidu search, and will limit search results based on the severity of violations. The update will address two categories of issues: severe violations and low-quality content.
Severe violations include poor content collection, soft article information, blank pages, inaccurate product information, and non-functional features. These issues will result in a more significant penalty, meaning that websites with these violations will be pushed down the search results or even removed entirely.
On the other hand, low-quality content includes low-quality images and page content, such as incomplete or insufficient information. Websites with these issues will also face a penalty, but it will be less severe than those with severe violations.
Baidu Aurora Algorithm Update (2018)
The Baidu Aurora Algorithm Update was released on May 30, 2018.
The landing page publishing date and time play an essential role in Baidu’s ranking algorithm. Websites with more accurate and specific landing pages get priority in search results.
Pages that adhere to the requirements of landing page publishing date and time are more likely to get better visibility on Baidu’s search engine results pages (SERPs).
Content Guidelines Published (2019)
The published Content Guidelines (see below our interpretation of them) were released in April 2019
Baidu released content rights guidelines which have significant implications for professional SEOs working in China, which is why we decided to implement the release in our Baidu Update list, although it is not (officially) an algorithm update. But we can assume that there were also taken measures to ensure the guidelines are followed.
The guidelines state that users have the right to access information, and websites should make it easy for them to do so without unnecessary barriers.
Website owners should review their websites and remove any unnecessary barriers to accessing content. This may include removing login requirements or making it easier to access content without downloading an app.
Baidu Trade Wind Algorithm Update (2019)
The Baidu Trade Wind Algorithm Update was released on May 09, 2019.
The Trade Wind algorithm specifically targets websites that automatically jump to other channel pages, such as directory pages or off-site advertising pages, when users click the page-turning or “next-page” button. In other words: the algorithm targets websites that insert links behind pagination text to direct or mislead users to other parts of the website or other sites instead of the next page in the series.
To avoid being falsely penalized by the algorithm, SEOs should avoid using pagination unnecessarily and only use it when it makes sense for the user. Focus on providing relevant high-quality content to users and avoid deliberately splitting short articles into multiple pages.
Forceful Wind Algorithm Update (2020)
The Baidu Forceful Wind Algorithm Update was released on February 27, 2020.
This update specifically targets link aggregation pages with low-quality content and malicious aggregation, and pages with scatter content will not be favored by the algorithm.
- As a result of the forceful wind update, all content must be well-organized and provide clarity for users.
- Page titles must summarize the content and be simple enough for users to understand. This is important not only for SEO purposes but also for user experience, as clear and concise titles can help users quickly and easily find the information they’re looking for.
- Pages must work well and reflect user search queries. This means that SEO professionals need to ensure that their static pages are optimized for the keywords and phrases that users are searching for.
- Overview pages must show valid information and provide what users expect. These pages need to be carefully curating the content they feature, ensuring that it’s high-quality, trustworthy, and relevant to users’ needs.
Illegal Content Update (2020)
The Baidu Illegal Content Algorithm Update was announced on April 23, 2020 and rolled out a week after.
The update specifically targets gambling and bet-style gaming content. This means that websites that promote or support these activities will likely see a significant drop in their search rankings.
It is important to note that this update isn’t just about Baidu’s policies. Chinese law prohibits gambling or bet/wager-style gaming, and websites that violate these laws will be penalized. Chinese law prohibits gambling or bet/wager-style gaming: It’s important to note that this update isn’t just about Baidu’s policies. Chinese law prohibits gambling or bet/wager-style gaming, and websites that violate these laws will be penalized.
Updated Landing Page Standard Update (2021)
The Baidu Updated Landing Page Standard Algorithm Update was announced on May 24, 2021
The update specifies that the main contents of a mobile landing page should no longer be collapsed. This means that all essential content should be visible without requiring users to click on any expand buttons. However, expand full text buttons can still be used for supplemental content, but they should be limited to one instance below the fold.
Furthermore, the expand full text button must be clearly marked with text and fully functional and, it should be positioned logically to avoid impeding user navigation and experience on the page.
The standards page also defines key terms such as “main content,” “first screen,” and “advertising.”
References
- 2012 Unnamed algorithm update: http://bbs.zhanzhang.baidu.com/thread-6533-1-1.html
- 2013 Pomegranate algorithm update: https://ziyuan.baidu.com/wiki/174
- 2018 Baidu mobile search landing page experience white paper 4.0: https://ziyuan.baidu.com/college/documentinfo?id=2492
- 2018 Baidu Drizzle Update 1.0: https://ziyuan.baidu.com/wiki/2359
- 2019 Baidu Drizzle Udapte 2.0: https://ziyuan.baidu.com/wiki/2883
- 2020 Illegal Content Update: https://ziyuan.baidu.com/wiki/2969
- 2021 Baidu Thunder algorithm update: https://ziyuan.baidu.com/college/articleinfo?id=3347
- https://www.jademond.com/magazine/baidu-seo-dos-n-donts/
More Information on SEO for China in our book:
Where can you buy this SEO book?
Here are the links to the different Amazon websites, where you can buy the book. If your country is not listed, go to your Amazon website and simply search for “SEO for China” and it will show up 😉
- USA: https://www.amazon.com/SEO-China-Chinese-Search-Optimization/dp/B0B5MK9SBV
- UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/SEO-China-Chinese-Search-Optimization/dp/B0B5MK9SBV
- France: https://www.amazon.fr/SEO-China-Chinese-Search-Optimization/dp/B0B5MK9SBV
- Spain: https://www.amazon.es/SEO-China-Chinese-Search-Optimization/dp/B0B5MK9SBV
- Germany: https://www.amazon.de/SEO-China-Chinese-Search-Optimization/dp/B0B5MK9SBV
Some information on the book:
Authors: Kun Tang, Marcus Pentzek
ASIN: B0B5MK9SBV
Publisher: Independently published (July 10, 2022)
Language: English
Paperback: 282 pages
ISBN-13: 979-8840196434