Baidu launched “image network” in early December 2014. Baidu image network is a platform for sites, agencies, applications and other image related third parties, other than an advertisement network.

Once verified by this platform, websites can get easier indexing by Baidu; and, users can get direct access to those photos and images on Baidu Images. Additional benefits include:

1. A convenient data exchange platform will be provided. High quality images of third parties will be included by Baidu easily which can help bring in more traffic
2. Brand exposure opportunities from Baidu
3. Baidu Image could cooperate with image-related sites, agencies, applications to explore new business models
4. Further, Baidu Image will supply technology interface, large image resources, image storage services

Here are the standards for verification:

1. The third party platforms should be image-related sites, agencies or applications with high quality image resources.
2. The third party platform should be a recognized brand
3. The third party platforms should recognize Baidu Image’s value and are willing to devote themselves to establishing image ecosystem with Baidu.

Whether your website is indexed by Baidu Image or does not affect your application. The sites, agencies or applications which meet the standards may or may not pass the verification.

Also read: Baidu Offers Easier Way for China Internet Users to Access Google

Johnny Depp came to China for the first time to promote his new movie Transcendence on March 31, 2014. On the press release, Johnny Depp used Baidu’ light app “Qing Pai” to purchase the very first movie ticket of Transcendence, represented the beginning of the ticket snap. The purchase experience stunned the audience by simply taking a picture of poster.

Transcendence entered mainland China film market with the help of Baidu light app “Qing Pai”, supported by Baidu’s new technology “image recognition mobile payment”, another breakthrough after QR-code payment. Johnny Depp’s first purchase with “Qing Pai” was a symbol of transitioning from traditional movie marketing to mobile terminal, as well as the completion of Baidu’s O2O ticket business.

Take a picture of the poster to purchase Transcendence movie ticket for 4.18 yuan

Baidu light app “Qing Pai” cooperated with Transcendence to launch a movie ticket snap campaign beginning from March 31. The campaign will last for three days, tickets are to come out at 12 am every day. There are 418 tickets in total, each ticket only costs 4.18 yuan (USD 0.68) if paid with Baifu Bao (an Alipay like Baidu payment).

First, users open mobile Baidu app and find light app “Qing Pai”, which will look like this:

Second, click on the red button and take a picture of Transcendence poster.

Third, “Qing Pai” might need you to user your finger to circle a main region for the image recognition. Then, you could click the blue button on the lower right of your screen to continue.

Fourth, the image search results are displayed like the picture above. Click the first search result, which means purchasing online movie ticket.

Fifth, the on going movie ticket selling is Transcendence, as it shows that the ticket price only costs 4.18 yuan. Then you could go on purchase the ticket and pay with Baifu Bao.

Baidu Image Recognition Mobile Payment Technology

Baidu first showed its image recognition mobile payment on Transcendence marketing campaign. “Qing Pai” uses a new generation wireless payment based on image recognition technology. Image, as the major input of “Qing Pai”, combined with LBS information could display accurate search result. The search result could be accurate and personalized, which is guaranteed by Baidu big data pool and optimized through technology.

Image recognition mobile payment will be integrated in Baifu Bao, to be a new mobile payment after QR-code. An analyst regarded “Qing Pai” as the entrance to image recognition mobile payment O2O platform, which provides the shortcut from consumers to enterprises.

Baidu O2O

The cooperation between Baidu and Transcendence is a win-win for consumers and enterprises. Chinese consumers have the chance of watching Johny Depp leading Hollywood blockbuster with the lowest price 4.18 yuan, and for enterprises, Baidu light app offers a brand new online marketing platform. Image recognition mobile payment also improves mobile payment efficiency greatly.

Baidu’s new technology may lead us into a new era, an era of “shoot and shop”. Imagine you see some very trendy clothes on a magazine, you could simply take a picture and search, even pay with your smartphone.

Baidu realizes its O2O with light app plus Baifu Bao model, and creates a new marketing approach.

According to iResearch, the number of total China mobile search users reached 390 million in Q2 2013. China mobile search market is not mature yet. Mobile search technology needs improvement to offer better user experience.

The total mobile search revenue in Q2 reached 1.19 billion yuan (USD 194 million), with a 15.7% QoQ increase.

In China mobile search usage rate in Q2 2013 was 76.5%.

In terms of popular mobile search content categories, web page, news and fictions were the top three, with 58.8%, 54.1% and 51.5% rate respectively. Compared to PC, mobile search content were more likely to contain entertainment and local services.

In Q2 2013, 77.6% users average daily mobile search were more than two times. And 38% users searched 2-5 times a day.

37.8% Chinese used voice search in Q2 2013, and only 19.4% used image search. Although voice search and image search were launched for quite some time, they were not widely used. Especially for image search, it was most used in clothing and book search.

Besides, 66.4% users said they noticed mobile search ads, but only 3.1% clicked on the ads in Q2 2013.