According to local reports, Liu has laid out three goals for Google China, including his plan to double Google’s sales force within six months to gain leverage on Baidu, China’s dominant search engine with 61.6 per cent of search revenue share.
Yet, reports note that, even when doubling its sales team, Google China’s sales force will be tiny in comparison to Baidu, which claims thousands on its sales team.
Google has three sales divisions: direct sales, online sales and a unit focusing on sales associated with external affiliates.
With its plan to strengthen Google China’s sales team, Liu also proposed to launch a Win@Google corporate seminar, reportedly to be held in 25 cities next month, aimed at encouraging SMEs to launch search marketing campaigns through Google.
Reports state that the price tag to launch the forum will amount to US$7.3 million.
Liu additionally announced plans to bring in a sales executive from Google Europe to streamline Chinese operations.
Liu is set to co-lead Google China with director of Google Shanghai’s engineering office Boon-Lock Yeo after the departure of president Kai-Fu Lee (pictured) this month.
Lee exits Google China after nearly five years with the company to head up Innovation Works, a US$115 million incubation firm that will finance technology start-up companies.
