Walmart Connect has emerged as a powerful force in retail advertising, enabling brands to reach millions of consumers across both digital and in-store touchpoints.
As retail media networks grow rapidly, Walmartโs advertising business has generated over $3.4 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024, marking a 22% year-over-year growth in the U.S. alone. This is largely driven by Walmartโs massive audience of 145 million weekly shoppers, coupled with an advanced data-driven advertising ecosystem.
This article outlines a detailed Walmart advertising strategy for 2025 to help brands maximize the power of Walmart Connect. From understanding the platform and preparing campaigns to targeting, launching, analyzing, and scaling ads, this guide offers actionable insights every marketer needs.
Understanding Walmart Connect
Walmart Connect is Walmartโs retail media division focused on delivering impactful advertising opportunities across Walmartโs digital and physical properties. It enables brands to place ads that reach shoppers across multiple touchpoints, including Walmart.com, the Walmart app, and thousands of stores nationwide.
The Reach and Audiences Available
Walmart Connect taps into Walmartโs massive shopper base through multiple channels:
- Online: Ads show up on Walmart.com, the Walmart app, and search pages, reaching over 600 million monthly site visits
- In-store: Digital displays, TV walls, checkout lanes, and audio messaging in more than 4,700 U.S. stores.
- Offsite: Walmartโs Demand-Side Platform (DSP) uses Walmartโs first-party data to reach shoppers across the wider internet.
This integrated omnichannel approach allows advertisers to reach a vast and highly engaged audience.
What Makes Walmart Connect Unique?
- Closed-Loop Measurement
Walmart Connect tracks the entire shopper journeyโfrom ad exposure to online or in-store purchaseโproviding precise insights into campaign effectiveness. - Rich First-Party Shopper Data
Leveraging Walmartโs purchase history and browsing data allows for highly granular targeting and segmentation. - Omnichannel Advertising
The platform bridges online and offline experiences, increasing the chances for brand discovery and conversion. - Scalable Solutions
Whether a small brand or a multinational, Walmart Connect offers scalable ad formats to fit all budgets and campaign sizes.
For brands aiming to compete in 2025, understanding Walmart Connectโs capabilities is essential to unlocking Walmartโs massive shopper network.
Preparing for Your Ad Campaign
Strategic preparation is critical for successful Walmart advertising.
Setting Clear Advertising Goals
Define your campaign objectives before launching:
- Brand Awareness: Promote new products or increase category presence.
- Traffic Generation: Drive shoppers to product pages on Walmart.com.
- Conversion Focus: Increase online and in-store sales.
- Category Leadership: Position your brand as a top contender in its segment.
Clear goals help determine the appropriate ad formats, targeting, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
Conducting Market Research
Use Walmartโs Search Insights and retail analytics tools, alongside third-party solutions like Helium 10 or Jungle Scout, to analyze:
- Customer buying patterns and intent
- Trending keywords on Walmart.com
- Competitor advertising tactics
- Seasonal demand peaks
This research helps craft messaging that resonates and targets shoppers when theyโre most likely to convert.
Budgeting and Campaign Timeline
A well-planned budget is key:
- Pilot Testing: Begin with $50โ$100 daily per campaign to gather performance data.
- Scaling: Allocate 10โ15% of your overall marketing budget for Walmart campaigns.
- Timeline: Run tests for 2โ3 weeks; full campaigns should last 6โ8 weeks minimum to gather meaningful insights.
Always reserve 20โ30% of your budget for optimization phases and contingency.
Setting Up Your Walmart Ad Account
Starting your journey on Walmart Connect requires a straightforward setup.
Creating Your Walmart Connect Account
- Visit the Walmart Connect site and click Get Started.
- Choose between:
- Self-Serve Ad Center for sponsored ads
- Managed Service for customized campaigns
- Complete your profile with business and payment details.
- Wait for account approval, which typically takes 1-2 business days.
Navigating the Walmart Dashboard
Once logged in, the dashboard features:
- Campaigns: Build, launch, and manage campaigns.
- Insights: Analyze key metrics like impressions, clicks, conversions, and ROAS.
- Audiences: Select targeting options based on demographics and shopper behavior.
- Billing: Manage budgets and payments.
Pro Tips
- Bookmark frequently used tabs like Campaign Performance.
- Set budget alerts to avoid overspending.
- Regularly check Walmartโs knowledge base for updates and best practices.
Bonus Read: A Step-by-Step Guide to Navigate Walmart Seller Central.
Designing Your Ad Campaign
Compelling creative design drives shopper engagement and conversions.
Available Ad Formats
- Sponsored Products: Appear in Walmart search results and category pages.
- Sponsored Brands: Display brand logos, headlines, and multiple products.
- Onsite Display Ads: Banner ads on Walmart.com and the app.
- In-Store Ads: Digital and audio promotions inside physical Walmart stores.
- Offsite Programmatic Ads (DSP): Target Walmart shoppers across third-party websites and apps.
Bonus Read: How to Advertise on Walmart Marketplace: A 2025 Guide
Creative Best Practices
- Use bright, high-resolution images (minimum 1500x1500 pixels).
- Keep headlines concise and benefit-oriented (under 50 characters).
- Match product titles and images to landing pages for consistency.
- Include strong calls to action like โShop Nowโ or โLimited Time Offerโ.
Compliance with Walmart Guidelines
Adhere to Walmartโs advertising policies, including:
- No misleading pricing or exaggerated claims.
- Avoid excessive punctuation or capitalization.
- Use clear, professional images.
Following these rules ensures faster approvals and a better shopper experience.
Targeting and Optimization
Effective targeting and continual optimization are key to campaign success.
Targeting Options on Walmart
- Demographics: Age, gender, location.
- Shopping Behavior: Past purchase and browsing history.
- Search Keywords: Match ads with shopper intent.
- Custom Audiences: Retarget past customers or upload CRM data.
Audience Segmentation
Leverage Walmartโs real-time data to build:
- Lookalike Audiences: Target users similar to your best customers.
- Retargeting Pools: Re-engage shoppers who viewed products but didnโt buy.
- Cross-Sell Audiences: Promote complementary products.
Optimization Tips
- Monitor key metrics such as CTR, CPC, and ROAS weekly.
- A/B test creatives and headlines.
- Increase bids on top-performing keywords.
- Use negative keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic.
Bonus Read: A Step-by-Step Guide to Optimizing Walmart Listings for Success
Launching Your Campaign
Final Pre-Launch Checks
- Confirm all creative assets meet guidelines.
- Verify targeting settings and budgets.
- Ensure conversion tracking is implemented.
- Optimize product listings for search.
Scheduling for Impact
- Time launches around seasonal events like Back-to-School and Black Friday.
- Use dayparting to target peak shopping hours (7โ10 PM local time).
- Monitor early campaign data closely for quick adjustments.
Approval Process
Walmart typically reviews ads within 24โ72 hours. Submit assets 3-5 days before your intended launch date to avoid delays.
Monitoring and Analyzing Performance
Tracking Tools
The Walmart Connect dashboard offers real-time visibility on:
- Impressions
- Clicks
- Conversions
- Add-to-Cart rate
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
Key Metrics to Focus On
Data-Driven Campaign Tweaks
- Pause or revise underperforming ads.
- Increase budgets on high-ROAS campaigns.
- Refresh creative elements regularly.
- Test new placements to expand reach.
Scaling and Enhancing Your Campaigns
Once you have established a successful Walmart advertising campaign, the next step is to scale your efforts strategically to maximize reach and return on investment. Scaling too quickly or without a plan can lead to wasted budget and diminishing returns, so itโs essential to follow proven tactics that build on your initial success.
Proven Scaling Techniques
- Gradually Increase Budgets by 10โ15% Weekly
Avoid sudden large budget increases that can disrupt ad performance or lead to inflated costs. Incremental budget increases allow Walmartโs algorithm to adjust and optimize your campaigns more effectively, maintaining performance stability while expanding reach. - Expand Keywords to Include Broader and Long-Tail Phrases
Once your core keywords demonstrate strong results, broaden your targeting to include related keywords, synonyms, and longer, more specific search terms. This helps capture additional shopper intent and uncovers less competitive keyword opportunities that can lower costs and increase conversions. - Build New Custom Audience Segments
Use Walmart Connectโs first-party data to create additional audience segments, such as lookalike audiences based on your best customers or retargeting pools for visitors who didnโt convert. Experimenting with fresh segments can reveal untapped shopper groups and improve campaign efficiency. - Replicate Successful Campaigns with New Creative
Repurpose your top-performing ads with refreshed messaging, visuals, and formats to avoid ad fatigue and keep your audience engaged. Test different creative variations while maintaining the core elements that drove success.
Additional Walmart Connect Solutions
To further enhance and diversify your campaigns, consider incorporating additional Walmart Connect advertising products and features:
- Use Walmartโs Demand-Side Platform (DSP) for Offsite Programmatic Ads
Extend your campaign reach beyond Walmart properties by leveraging Walmartโs DSP, which targets Walmart shoppers across third-party websites and mobile apps with precision based on their purchase behavior and preferences. This omnichannel approach reinforces brand messaging and drives incremental conversions. - Activate In-Store Digital Ads to Reinforce Digital Campaigns
Complement your online efforts by running ads on Walmartโs in-store digital screens, including TV walls, checkout lanes, and audio messaging systems in over 4,700 stores. This offline touchpoint boosts brand visibility and bridges the gap between online discovery and in-store purchase. - Leverage Holiday-Specific Ad Bundles During Peak Seasons
Walmart offers specialized advertising packages during key retail events such as Back-to-School, Black Friday, and the holiday season. These bundles provide optimized placements and creative support designed to capitalize on seasonal shopper intent and increased traffic.
Conclusion
In 2025, Walmart Connect remains an indispensable platform for brands aiming to capitalize on Walmartโs extensive shopper base and data-driven insights. By crafting well-researched campaigns, designing compelling creatives, targeting shoppers precisely, and continuously optimizing performance, brands can unlock significant growth opportunities.
The winning strategy combines clarity in objectives, smart budgeting, seamless execution, and ongoing analysis. As Walmart continues to expand its retail media capabilities, brands that adapt quickly will be poised to lead the market.
To navigate this evolving landscape effectively, the right partner can make all the difference. This is where SalesDuoโs Walmart Advertising services come in.
What sets SalesDuo apart? Our team is composed of seasoned eCommerce experts who understand the nuances of every major platformโWalmart, Amazon, eBay, and more. From performance-driven advertising strategies and advanced SEO to compliance management and chargeback prevention, we cover it all.
For brands seeking a results-focused Walmart advertising partner that brings together cutting-edge technology, deep domain expertise, and scalable solutions, SalesDuo stands out. Weโre here to help you growโwithout limits.
Book your 1:1 growth call with SalesDuo today!
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Author
Atharva Dhokte is a thoughtful problem-solver who enjoys making sense of complex data and driving meaningful outcomes. With a background in analytics and global supplier collaboration, he thrives on challenge and creativity. Outside of work, Atharva is a movie buff, podcast enthusiast, and avid traveler.
