Unlocking the Power of Walmart Connect: A Guide to Media Types and Best Practices
By Shaun Brown
Walmart Connect has rapidly evolved into one of the most influential retail media networks, offering brands unparalleled opportunities to reach and engage shoppers at every stage of the purchase journey. With a vast in-store and digital footprint, Walmart Connect provides an array of advertising solutions designed to drive brand awareness, conversions, and customer loyalty. In this guide, we’ll explore all of Walmart Connect’s media types and best practices for activation to maximize success.
Walmart Connect’s Scale & Influence:
Walmart Connect generated over $3 billion in ad revenue in 2023, reflecting rapid expansion.
It holds a significant portion of the $45 billion U.S. retail media market, trailing Amazon but outpacing competitors like Target’s Roundel and Kroger’s 84.51°.
As of 2025, Walmart Connect's advertising business has grown to $4.4 billion, marking a 27% year-over-year increase.
Walmart’s omnichannel reach, with 240+ million weekly in-store and online customers, gives brands unmatched exposure.
Walmart Connect leverages first-party data from in-store and online transactions, making it a powerful tool for precise targeting.
With its growing influence and advanced targeting capabilities, Walmart Connect is an essential platform for brands looking to maximize retail media investments. In this guide, we’ll explore all of Walmart Connect’s media types and best practices for activation to ensure campaign success.
Walmart Connect’s Media Types
1. Sponsored Search Ads (Sponsored Products & Sponsored Brands)
Overview: Sponsored Search Ads appear within Walmart’s search results and product detail pages, helping brands boost visibility for relevant searches.
Over 70% of online shopping journeys start with search. Products appearing on the first page of search results receive the vast majority of clicks.
Value: Critical for capturing shoppers with high purchase intent. When customers actively search for specific products, sponsored search ads ensure your products appear prominently, increasing visibility and driving sales.
Best Practices:
Keyword Targeting: Use a mix of automatic and manual targeting to capture high-intent shoppers.
Bid Optimization: Regularly analyze and adjust bids to maximize return on ad spend (ROAS).
A/B Testing: Experiment with different product selections and ad copy to identify top-performing combinations.
Utilize Negative Keywords: Minimize wasted ad spend by excluding irrelevant search terms.
2. Onsite Display Ads
Overview: Display ads appear across Walmart.com, including homepage placements, category pages, and product pages, allowing brands to build awareness and drive conversions.
Display ads have been shown to increase brand recall by up to 80%. Targeted display ads can lead to a 2x increase in conversion rates.
Value: Excellent for building brand awareness and driving consideration. Onsite display ads reach shoppers as they browse, influencing their purchasing decisions and introducing them to new products.
Best Practices:
Custom Audiences: Leverage first-party Walmart shopper data to target high-value customers.
Retargeting: Re-engage shoppers who have viewed or interacted with your products but haven’t converted.
Creative Optimization: Use high-quality images and clear messaging to capture attention.
Seasonal Campaigns: Align your display ads with key shopping events (e.g., Black Friday, Back-to-School, Holiday Season).
3. Offsite Display & Programmatic Ads
Overview: Walmart Connect enables brands to reach shoppers beyond Walmart.com through programmatic advertising across external sites, apps, and social media platforms using Walmart’s first-party data.
Programmatic advertising accounts for over 80% of digital display ad spending. Retargeted ads can increase conversion rates by up to 150%.
Value: Expands reach and retargeting capabilities. By leveraging Walmart's first-party data, brands can engage shoppers across the web, ensuring consistent messaging and personalized experiences.
Best Practices:
Lookalike Audiences: Expand your reach by targeting new shoppers similar to existing customers.
Cross-Channel Consistency: Maintain uniform branding and messaging across all platforms.
Frequency Capping: Avoid ad fatigue by controlling how often the same user sees your ads.
Measure Performance: Use Walmart’s reporting tools to track engagement and refine strategies.
4. Walmart CTV (Connected TV) Ads
Overview: Walmart Connect’s CTV ads allow brands to reach consumers through streaming television platforms, leveraging Walmart’s first-party data for precise targeting.
CTV ad spending is projected to surpass $20 billion by 2025. 70% of U.S. households have at least one connected TV device.
Value: Reaches a captive audience in a high-engagement environment. CTV ads combine the impact of television with the precision of digital targeting, making them ideal for brand storytelling and awareness.
Best Practices:
Audience Targeting: Use Walmart’s shopper insights to serve ads to relevant households based on purchase behavior.
Compelling Storytelling: Create engaging video content that resonates with viewers and drives brand recall.
Multi-Screen Integration: Complement CTV ads with digital and in-store activations for a holistic campaign approach.
Performance Measurement: Utilize Walmart’s analytics to track brand lift, engagement, and conversions from CTV campaigns.
5. In-Store Digital Screens & TV Walls
Overview: Walmart offers brands premium in-store advertising options, including digital displays at checkout, end caps, and TV walls in high-traffic areas.
In-store advertising can increase sales by up to 24%. Digital signage can capture 400% more views than static signage.
Value: Drives impulse purchases and reinforces brand messaging at the point of sale. In-store digital screens capture shopper attention when they are ready to buy, influencing final decisions.
Best Practices:
Localized Campaigns: Tailor messaging based on regional trends and demographics.
Call-to-Action (CTA): Encourage immediate action, such as in-store purchases or app engagement.
Visual Impact: Use bold, concise messaging to capture shopper attention quickly.
6. Sponsored Video Ads
Overview: Video ads on Walmart.com provide a dynamic way to showcase products, educate shoppers, and drive brand awareness.
Video ads can increase purchase intent by 97%. Shoppers are 1.81x more likely to purchase after watching a video.
Value: Highly engaging format for demonstrating product features and benefits. Video ads capture attention and deliver information effectively, improving product understanding and purchase intent.
Best Practices:
Short & Engaging: Keep videos under 30 seconds with a strong opening to hook viewers.
Product Demonstration: Highlight key features and benefits in an engaging format.
Closed Captioning: Ensure accessibility and better comprehension without sound.
Mobile-Friendly Format: Optimize for mobile viewing, where most shoppers engage with video content.
7. Social Commerce & Influencer Partnerships
Overview: Walmart Connect partners with social media platforms and influencers to drive awareness and sales through Walmart’s ecosystem.
49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations. Social commerce sales are expected to reach $1.2 trillion globally by 2025.
Value: Leverages social proof and influencer credibility to drive awareness and sales. Influencer partnerships build trust and authenticity, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.
Best Practices:
Authenticity Matters: Work with influencers whose audience aligns with your brand values.
Shoppable Content: Use direct product links and shoppable video to streamline conversions.
User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage customers to share experiences with your products.
Track Performance: Use Walmart’s insights to measure campaign impact and optimize future efforts.
8. Store Events & Experiential Marketing
Overview: Walmart offers in-store brand activation opportunities, such as product demonstrations, pop-up displays, and sampling programs.
80% of consumers say live events and experiences improve their brand perception. Experiential marketing can lead to a 65% increase in brand awareness.
Value: Provides direct interaction with shoppers, creating memorable experiences. Store events and experiential marketing allow brands to engage customers face-to-face, fostering brand loyalty and driving immediate sales.
Best Practices:
Engaging Experiences: Make activations interactive and memorable.
Clear Value Proposition: Communicate the benefits of your product effectively.
Follow-Up Engagement: Use digital tactics like QR codes or exclusive online offers to extend engagement beyond the event.
Best Practices for Activating Walmart Connect Media
1. Align Campaigns with Business Goals
Define clear objectives—whether brand awareness, conversion, or loyalty—to determine the best Walmart Connect media mix for your needs.
2. Leverage Walmart’s Data & Insights
Utilize Walmart’s first-party shopper data to refine audience targeting and optimize campaigns based on real-time shopping behavior.
3. Integrate Omnichannel Strategies
Seamlessly combine digital and in-store advertising to ensure a consistent brand experience across touchpoints.
4. Test & Iterate
Continuously analyze campaign performance and adjust targeting, creatives, and bidding strategies to maximize effectiveness.
5. Optimize for Mobile
Since a significant portion of Walmart shoppers browse via mobile devices, ensure all creative assets and landing pages are optimized for a seamless mobile experience.
6. Maximize Seasonal Opportunities
Take advantage of Walmart’s high-traffic shopping seasons by tailoring campaigns around key retail moments such as Prime Day, back-to-school, and the holiday season.
7. Utilize Full-Funnel Strategies
Combine upper-funnel tactics (video, display) with lower-funnel strategies (search, retargeting) to engage customers at multiple touchpoints and drive conversions.
8. Measure & Attribute Success
Use Walmart Connect’s reporting and analytics tools to assess the impact of each media type and make data-driven decisions for future campaigns.
Final Thoughts
Walmart Connect provides a robust suite of media solutions that allow brands to reach shoppers at multiple touchpoints throughout their buying journey. By leveraging the right mix of search, display, video, CTV, in-store, and social commerce advertising, brands can drive measurable impact and growth. Following best practices in targeting, optimization, and omnichannel integration will help maximize the effectiveness of Walmart Connect campaigns, ensuring long-term success in the ever-evolving retail media landscape.