As the second largest online retailer in the US. In the US, Walmart has positioned itself as an emerging player in digital advertising, especially for brands looking to expand beyond Amazon.
Walmart’s media management arm, Walmart Media Group, recently changed its name to Walmart Connect to reflect Walmart’s investment in becoming one of the world’s leading omnichannel advertising companies.
With this rebranding comes a series of changes focused on growing Walmart’s holistic digital offerings and providing more tools and opportunities for sellers at all levels to “accelerate their connection with customers in a cycle-cycle omnichannel environment.” closed”.
In this article, we’ll cover what sellers and advertisers need to know about Walmart Connect.
how is walmart connect expanding?
walmart connect is focused on three priorities, all with the goal of becoming “one of the top ten advertising platforms in the us”:
- growing deals at walmart digital properties
- presentation of an innovative in-store experience
- expand external media opportunities at scale
Here’s what you can expect from each of these changes.
1. growing deals at walmart’s digital properties
walmart plans to combine its digital offerings on walmart.com, online pickup and delivery, and the walmart app to create a more holistic digital shopping experience. according to the experts at tinuiti, this is just one example of how walmart is expanding its offering(s) and we look forward to additional updates as well.
Historically, the advertising in these offers has been independent. On March 1st, Walmart Connect will combine these offerings to produce more inventory and optimization levers for sellers. this change means advertisers can show their messages to shoppers right as they make buying decisions.
2. introducing innovative in-store experiences
walmart is working to link its strong physical presence with its growing digital offering by introducing media activations on store television walls and self-checkout screens. With nearly 170,000 screens in 4,700 stores, advertisers can offer these activations with date, time, and geographic specificity.
This move to integrate ooh digital advertising with the in-store experience will accompany a variety of other changes to support the post-pandemic landscape.
3. expand external media opportunities at scale
Like amazon, walmart connect has robust shopper data of its own. To harness that data, Walmart will partner with leading ad tech company The Trade Desk to launch its own demand-side platform (DSP) and increase its programmatic offerings this year.
the walmart connect dsp “will combine the best-in-class technology and performance of the trading desk platform with the robust scale of walmart shopping data, ultimately enabling advertisers to drive greater effectiveness with your overall media spend.”
tinuiti will work closely with the walmart connect team to help our customers get the most out of walmart’s new dsp, which will be available in time for the 2021 holiday shopping and advertising seasons.
source: walmart
why sell and advertise in the walmart marketplace?
Even before the expansion of walmart connect, walmart.com had come a long way in terms of market capabilities, including targeting types, ad types, reporting, and the overall sophistication of the platform.
“walmart has always connected customers and the great brands they love, and now we have the ability to offer an easy-to-use platform to enhance those connections at scale. we’ve built a substantial business that can serve customers in a way no one else can: as a closed-loop omnichannel media company. By expanding our offerings, we are creating measurable value for our partners and customers alike in our ecosystem and beyond.”
– janey whiteside, director of customer service, walmart now more than ever, walmart presents a viable and promising opportunity for brands to expand beyond amazon. For more information, check out our recent post, “The Ultimate Guide to the Walmart Marketplace.”
