Walmart Connect Advertising: Complete  Guide for Brand Growth in 2025

As the retail landscape evolves, Walmart Connect has emerged as a powerful advertising platform that brands can no longer afford to ignore. With Walmart’s massive customer base & growing e-commerce presence, understanding how to leverage Walmart Connect effectively is crucial for brands seeking to diversify their marketplace strategy beyond Amazon.

In 2025, Walmart Connect continues to expand its capabilities, offering sophisticated targeting options & advertising formats that rival any major retail media network. For brands looking to capture market share & drive meaningful growth, mastering this platform is essential.

This comprehensive guide explores everything you need to know about Walmart Connect advertising, from understanding its core features to implementing winning strategies that deliver measurable results.

What is Walmart Connect?

Walmart Connect is Walmart’s retail media advertising platform, enabling brands & sellers to promote their products directly on Walmart.com & the Walmart mobile app. Think of it as Walmart’s answer to Amazon Advertising a self-service platform where brands can create, manage, & optimise advertising campaigns to reach millions of shoppers.

Key Platform Features:

• Search advertising: Display ads in prominent positions within Walmart search results
• Display advertising: Banner placements across Walmart’s digital properties
• Onsite & offsite campaigns: Reach customers both on & off Walmart platforms
• Advanced targeting: Leverage Walmart’s first-party shopper data
• Performance analytics: Comprehensive reporting & attribution tools

With over 230 million customers visiting Walmart stores & websites weekly, the platform offers unparalleled reach for brands across all categories.

Why Walmart Connect Matters in 2025

The retail advertising landscape has shifted dramatically, & Walmart Connect stands at the forefront of this transformation. Here’s why brands are increasingly prioritising this platform:

Growing Market Share Walmart’s eCommerce sales continue to grow year-over-year, with the platform now representing a significant portion of online retail sales. Missing out on Walmart means missing a substantial customer base.

Less Competition Than Amazon Whilst Amazon’s advertising space is saturated with competitors, Walmart Connect offers comparatively lower competition, resulting in better ad placement opportunities & often lower costs per click.

High-Intent Shoppers Walmart attracts customers who are ready to purchase. The platform’s conversion rates remain strong, as shoppers typically visit with clear purchase intent rather than just browsing.Omnichannel Opportunities Walmart Connect uniquely bridges online & offline retail, allowing brands to drive both eCommerce sales & in-store traffic through integrated campaigns.

Types of Walmart Connect Advertising  

Understanding the various ad formats available helps brands choose the right approach for their goals & budget.

1. Sponsored Products 

The most popular ad format on Walmart Connect, Sponsored Products appear within search results & on product detail pages.

Best for:

• Increasing product visibility
• Driving direct sales
• Competing for high-value keywords
• Launching new products

These cost-per-click (CPC) ads blend seamlessly with organic search results, appearing with a small “Sponsored” label. They’re ideal for brands wanting immediate visibility & sales impact.

2. Sponsored Brands (Display Banners)

Display banner ads that appear at the top of search results or category pages, featuring your brand logo, custom messaging, & multiple products.

Advantages:

• Enhanced brand awareness
• Showcasing product portfolios
• Higher click-through rates on competitive keywords
• Custom creative control

These ads work exceptionally well for established brands looking to dominate category pages & build brand recognition.

3. Onsite Display Advertising

Banner advertisements placed strategically across Walmart.com, including homepage placements, category pages, & the checkout experience.

Strategic uses:

• Broad reach campaigns
• Seasonal promotions
• Brand awareness initiatives
• Retargeting previous visitors

These placements offer massive exposure but require careful creative execution to stand out & drive meaningful engagement.

4. Offsite Advertising

Walmart Connect’s offsite capabilities allow brands to reach potential customers beyond Walmart properties through programmatic advertising on premium publisher sites.

Benefits:

• Extended reach beyond Walmart’s platform
• Upper-funnel awareness building
• Competitive conquest strategies
• Full-funnel marketing approach

This format is particularly valuable for brands seeking to attract new customers who may not currently shop on Walmart.

Setting Up Your Walmart Connect Campaign

Success on Walmart Connect begins with proper campaign structure & strategic planning. Follow these steps for optimal setup:

Step 1: Create Your Walmart Connect Account

Register through the Walmart Seller Centre or Walmart Marketplace. You’ll need an active seller account or to work with a registered agency partner to access advertising features.

Step 2: Define Campaign Objectives  

Clearly identify what you want to achieve:

• Increasing product sales
• Building brand awareness
• Launching new items
• Competing against specific competitors
• Seasonal promotions

Your objectives will determine which ad formats & targeting strategies to employ.

Step 3: Conduct Keyword Research

Like any search advertising platform, keyword selection is critical. Focus on:

• High-intent purchase keywords
• Product-specific terms
• Category keywords
• Competitor brand terms (where appropriate)
• Long-tail keywords with strong conversion potential

Use Walmart’s keyword tools alongside third-party research platforms to identify opportunities.

Step 4: Set Budgets & Bids  

Walmart Connect operates on a CPC bidding model. Consider:

• Daily budget allocations
• Keyword-level bid strategies
• Campaign priority levels
• Seasonal budget adjustments
• Testing budgets for new campaigns

Start conservatively, then scale successful campaigns based on performance data.

Step 5: Create Compelling Ad Content  

For Sponsored Products, ensure your product listings are optimised with:

• High-quality images
• Clear, benefit-driven titles
• Detailed descriptions
• Competitive pricing
• Strong customer reviews

For Sponsored Brands & Display ads, create eye-catching creative that communicates your unique value proposition quickly.

Optimisation Strategies for Maximum ROI

Launching campaigns is just the beginning. Continuous optimisation separates successful advertisers from those who waste budget on underperforming ads.

Keyword Optimisation

Regular review & refinement:

• Add negative keywords to eliminate wasteful spend
• Increase bids on high-converting keywords
• Pause keywords with poor performance after sufficient data
• Test new keyword variations regularly

Monitor your search term reports weekly to identify opportunities & eliminate inefficiencies.

Bid Management

Effective bid management balances visibility with profitability:

• Use automated bidding cautiously manual control often delivers better results
• Adjust bids based on time of day & day of week performance
• Increase bids during peak shopping periods
• Lower bids on keywords approaching unprofitable ACoS levels

Product Selection & Portfolio Management  

Not all products perform equally in paid advertising:

• Prioritise products with strong margins
• Feature items with excellent reviews & ratings
• Promote products with competitive pricing
• Test seasonal items during relevant periods
• Rotate promotional focus to maintain freshness

Creative Testing  

For display & brand campaigns, systematic creative testing improves performance:

• Test different headlines & value propositions
• Vary imagery & product presentations
• Experiment with different calls-to-action
• Try various colour schemes & layouts
• Measure engagement metrics to identify winners

Seasonal Campaign Adjustments  

Walmart shoppers exhibit distinct seasonal shopping patterns:

• Increase budgets during peak retail periods
• Create holiday-specific campaigns & creative
• Adjust keyword strategies for seasonal searches
• Plan promotions around key shopping dates
• Prepare campaigns well in advance of seasonal peaks

Measuring Success: Key Performance Metrics

Understanding which metrics matter enables data-driven decision-making & continuous improvement.

Essential KPIs to Track:

Click-Through Rate (CTR) Indicates ad relevance & appeal. Aim for 0.5% or higher, though this varies by category.

Conversion Rate Percentage of clicks resulting in purchases. Strong campaigns typically achieve 10-15% or better.

Advertising Cost of Sales (ACoS) Ad spend divided by attributed sales. Target ACoS depends on your margins & objectives.

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) Revenue generated per pound spent on advertising. Minimum target should be 3:1, with top performers achieving 5:1 or higher.

Impression Share Percentage of available impressions your ads captured. Low impression share suggests budget or bid constraints.

Total Attributed Sales Total revenue driven by your advertising efforts, including both direct & indirect attribution.

Review these metrics weekly & make incremental adjustments rather than dramatic changes based on short-term fluctuations.

Common Walmart Connect Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced advertisers make errors that undermine campaign performance. Steer clear of these pitfalls:

Poor Product Listing Quality Advertising drives traffic, but poor product content kills conversions. Ensure listings are fully optimised before spending on ads.

Ignoring Negative Keywords Failing to add negative keywords wastes budget on irrelevant searches that will never convert.

Setting & Forgetting Walmart Connect requires active management. Neglected campaigns quickly become inefficient as competition & market conditions change.

Insufficient Testing Budget Allocating inadequate budget prevents gathering meaningful data for optimisation decisions. Give campaigns sufficient time & spend to demonstrate true performance.

Overlooking Mobile Optimisation Over 60% of Walmart’s traffic comes from mobile devices. Ensure all content displays perfectly on smaller screens.Spreading Budget Too Thin Attempting to advertise too many products or keywords simultaneously dilutes impact. Focus on your strongest opportunities first.

How RootAMZ Can Drive Your Walmart Connect Success  

Navigating Walmart Connect’s complexities requires specialised expertise & dedicated management. This is where RootAMZ delivers exceptional value for brands seeking marketplace growth.

Strategic Campaign Planning  

RootAMZ begins every client engagement with comprehensive strategic planning:

• In-depth competitive analysis within your category
• Identification of high-opportunity keywords & ad placements
• Custom campaign architecture based on your goals & budget
• Integrated approach across all Walmart Connect ad formats

Our team brings years of retail media expertise to ensure your campaigns are built for success from day one.

Professional Campaign Management  

RootAMZ provides hands-on campaign management that drives results:

• Daily monitoring & bid optimisation
• Weekly performance reviews & strategic adjustments
• Continuous keyword refinement & negative keyword management
• Budget allocation optimisation across campaigns
• Seasonal planning & execution

Our dedicated account managers treat your advertising budget as our own, maximising every pound spent.

Advanced Analytics & Reporting  

RootAMZ delivers transparency & insights through comprehensive reporting:

• Custom dashboards tracking all critical metrics
• Weekly performance reports with actionable recommendations
• Attribution analysis showing full campaign impact
• Competitive benchmarking against category standards
• Regular strategy review sessions

Understanding your return on investment is essential, & RootAMZ ensures complete visibility into campaign performance.

Product Listing Optimisation  

Advertising effectiveness depends on strong product listings. RootAMZ offers:

• Product title optimisation for search & conversion
• Enhanced product description copywriting
• Image quality improvement & testing
• Pricing strategy recommendations
• Review generation strategies

We ensure your product pages convert the traffic your ads generate.

Integrated Marketplace Strategy  

Walmart Connect works best as part of a holistic marketplace approach. RootAMZ coordinates:

• Walmart advertising with Amazon campaigns
• Cross-platform budget allocation
• Consistent brand messaging across marketplaces
• Unified reporting & analytics
• Strategic planning across all channels

Our integrated approach ensures your marketplace efforts work synergistically rather than competing for budget & attention.

Proven Track Record  

RootAMZ clients consistently achieve outstanding results on Walmart Connect:

• 35-50% improvements in conversion rates
• 25-40% reductions in ACoS through optimisation
• 60-100% increases in attributed sales
• Sustained month-over-month growth

We combine platform expertise with analytical rigour to deliver measurable business results that exceed client expectations.

The Future of Walmart Connect  

Walmart continues investing heavily in its advertising platform, with exciting developments on the horizon:

Enhanced Automation Machine learning & AI-driven optimisation tools will provide more sophisticated campaign management capabilities.

Expanded Creative Formats New advertising formats including video ads & interactive experiences will offer additional ways to engage shoppers.

Improved Attribution Better tracking & attribution models will demonstrate the full impact of advertising across online & offline channels.

Greater Integration Deeper integration between Walmart Connect & other Walmart services will create more seamless omnichannel experiences.

Brands that establish strong positions on Walmart Connect now will be best positioned to capitalise on these future enhancements.

Conclusion: 

Walmart Connect represents a tremendous opportunity for brands seeking to diversify their marketplace presence & capture market share. With less saturation than Amazon, strong conversion rates, & access to millions of high-intent shoppers, the platform delivers impressive returns for advertisers who approach it strategically.

Success requires understanding the platform’s unique features, implementing best practices, & continuously optimising based on performance data. For brands lacking internal expertise or resources, partnering with specialists who understand both the technical platform requirements & strategic marketplace dynamics makes the difference between mediocre results & exceptional growth.

RootAMZ brings deep Walmart Connect expertise to every client engagement, combining strategic planning, hands-on management, & analytical rigour to deliver measurable results. Whether you’re new to Walmart advertising or looking to improve existing campaign performance, our team is ready to help you achieve your marketplace goals.

Contact RootAMZ today to discover how our comprehensive Walmart advertising services can drive meaningful growth & maximum ROI.

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