Why Walmart Advertising and Why Now?

Largest US Retailer

Walmart continues to accelerate its expansion into the digital space, challenging Amazon and establishing itself as a dominant force in the Walmart Marketplace Advertising. With a strong emphasis on Walmart Marketplace Advertising, including support for Walmart Performance Ads and the introduction of self-service Display ads, Walmart is a serious contender in the advertising arena.  

To shed light on this topic, we spoke with Peter Kearns, VP of Marketplaces, and Melissa Ardavany, Director of Marketplace Services, who shared valuable insights into why your brand should consider Walmart Marketplace Advertising.

Largest US Retailer

According to Walmart's first-party research, they hold the position of the largest retailer in the United States, serving 150 million consumers each week through their in-store and online channels. Moreover, with 35% of in-store shoppers visiting walmart.com shortly before their in-person shopping trips, the potential to capture consumers both online and in stores is unparalleled, surpassing that of any other major ecommerce platform. The pandemic has further amplified the opportunity to tap into additional search volume on Walmart.com, leading to an influx of 70,000 sellers joining the Walmart marketplace in 2020, as reported by Reuters.com.

"As 70,000 additional sellers aim to take advantage of Walmart's tremendous ecommerce growth over the past year, it is crucial for brands to seize this marketplace gold rush," says Kearns. "If you aren't leveraging Walmart Marketplace Advertising, your competitors most certainly are!"

Placements Across Walmart.com

Walmart Performance Ads provide brands with the opportunity to maximize visibility and reach a wider consumer base than ever before by securing placements in search results, on product detail pages, and in buy boxes. Notably, one in four purchases on Walmart.com begins with a search, and the platform experiences a staggering 185 searches per second. Utilizing advertising to secure prominent placement for your brand is key to achieving success on Walmart.

"As with any major ecommerce platform, your participation and performance in Walmart Ads will directly impact your organic positions on search results pages. It is imperative to establish relevance for your products before competitors have the chance to dominate the space. The best way to achieve this is by capitalizing on Walmart's comprehensive suite of advertising offerings," advises Ardavany.

One of the primary advantages of Walmart Advertising is the ability to gain a comprehensive understanding of how your products perform across Walmart's online, mobile, and in-store channels.

Walmart states, "Only Walmart can accurately measure the impact of your digital campaigns not just on our site and mobile apps, but also in our physical stores." If your products are sold on Walmart's online marketplace as well as in stores, you can easily assess the results of your advertising campaigns from a full-funnel perspective.

As marketing increasingly focuses on the complete ecommerce experience, marketplaces that offer this level of visibility, such as Walmart, become highly valuable.

Given that a significant portion of the American population resides within 10 miles of a Walmart store, customers have the convenience of purchasing or returning items in person. In contrast, Amazon currently lacks the capability to offer comparable in-person returns, and many Americans in large cities have limited access to Amazon's in-person shopping experience. Walmart, on the other hand, serves as the primary shopping destination for much of rural America.

Get In Early

Industry leaders stay ahead of trends by capitalizing on uncrowded spaces and formulating marketplace strategies before the competition catches up. Walmart's first-price auction structure means that achieving full optimization may require a longer path, making it increasingly challenging for brands that lag behind to catch up.

With relatively low competition currently on the platform, the opportunity for success with Walmart Marketplace Advertising is higher now than ever before. Don't wait and allow your competitors to gain the upper hand. Contact your Blue Wheel Media representative today to learn more about how we can help launch your business with Walmart Marketplace Advertising.

Looking to Boost Your Walmart Advertising Game? Reach out to Blue Wheel Media, a full-service marketplace agency, to elevate your Walmart efforts and drive greater results with Walmart Marketplace Advertising.