Walmart Connect has become an important retail media platform for brands looking to reach shoppers throughout the digital and omnichannel buying journey. While Sponsored Products remain a valuable way to capture high-intent searches, relying exclusively on sponsored search can limit a brand’s ability to build awareness, influence consideration and reconnect with potential customers.

A stronger Walmart advertising strategy combines search, display, video, audience targeting and measurement to create a connected retail media funnel. Walmart Connect itself promotes a full-funnel approach that can combine Sponsored Search, Onsite Display, Offsite Display and connected TV to reach shoppers at different stages of discovery and purchase.

Why Brands Need More Than Sponsored Products

Sponsored Products are effective when shoppers are already searching for products. However, retail media can influence customers before they reach that final search.

A shopper may discover a new brand while browsing a category, watching content, comparing products or exploring recommendations. Advanced Walmart Connect advertising strategies allow brands to participate in these earlier stages rather than waiting for customers to search for a specific product.

This makes retail media more than a conversion tool. It becomes a way to build product awareness, increase consideration and support long-term Walmart marketplace growth.

Build a Full-Funnel Walmart Advertising Strategy

A full-funnel strategy connects awareness, consideration and conversion rather than treating every campaign independently.

At the awareness stage, brands can use broader audiences, display advertising and video to introduce products to potential customers. During consideration, Onsite Display and Sponsored Videos can communicate product benefits while shoppers browse and compare. At the conversion stage, Sponsored Search and lower-funnel display targeting can focus on shoppers who demonstrate stronger purchase intent.

This structure allows advertising budgets to work together instead of competing for the same high-intent searches.

Use Walmart Onsite Display to Expand Product Discovery

Walmart Onsite Display can help brands reach shoppers while they are browsing Walmart’s website and app. Instead of appearing only when someone searches for a particular keyword, display advertising can support discovery across different parts of the shopping experience.

Brands can use contextual, category and audience-based targeting to reach relevant shoppers. Creative should clearly communicate the product’s primary benefit and give customers a reason to explore further.

For brands with multiple products, this approach can also help introduce complementary products and increase overall catalog visibility.

Add Video to the Retail Media Mix

Video can communicate product benefits in ways that static product advertising cannot. Sponsored Videos can help demonstrate product functionality, explain key features and create stronger visual engagement during the shopping journey.

For products that require education or differentiation, video can be particularly valuable. Demonstrating how a product works or showing it in a relevant lifestyle context can help customers understand its value before making a purchasing decision.

Walmart Connect has also highlighted premium CTV as an upper-funnel tactic that can complement onsite and offsite advertising.

Use Audience Targeting More Strategically

Advanced retail media marketing depends heavily on reaching the right audience. Instead of targeting only keywords, brands can consider audiences based on category interest, purchase behaviour, brand affinity and in-market signals.

Retargeting can also help reconnect with shoppers who previously searched, browsed or interacted with relevant products. Walmart Connect describes retargeting as a way to continue the purchase journey based on customer search and browsing behaviour.

This can make advertising more relevant and reduce the dependence on continually finding completely new shoppers.

Strengthen Retail Readiness Before Increasing Ad Spend

Advertising cannot compensate for a weak product listing. Before expanding a Walmart Connect campaign, brands should make sure their Walmart Marketplace listings are ready to convert.

Product titles, descriptions, keywords, images, rich media, pricing, ratings and reviews all contribute to the customer experience. Walmart Connect recommends strong listing quality and highlights the importance of relevant product content, high-quality images and competitive pricing.

For this reason, Walmart marketplace optimization should be treated as part of the advertising strategy rather than a separate task.

Measure More Than ROAS

Return on ad spend is important, but advanced retail media management should look beyond one metric.

Brands should examine impressions, click-through rate, conversion rate, sales, new customers, repeat purchasing behaviour and performance by product or audience. Comparing campaign performance across the funnel can reveal whether an awareness campaign is contributing to stronger lower-funnel results.

Walmart Connect also highlights metrics such as sales lift, ROAS and new-buyer performance as useful inputs for campaign optimisation.

Create an Integrated Walmart Marketplace Growth Strategy

The strongest Walmart advertising campaigns connect product listing optimization, sponsored search, display, video, audience targeting and performance analysis.

Rather than increasing bids whenever sales slow down, brands can identify where customers are leaving the purchase journey. If awareness is weak, upper-funnel advertising may need attention. If shoppers are discovering products but not purchasing, listings, pricing, reviews or creative may need improvement.

This creates a more sustainable approach to Walmart marketplace growth.

How AMZ Northland Helps Brands Grow on Walmart

AMZ Northland provides eCommerce and marketplace management services designed to help brands improve their presence across major online marketplaces. For businesses selling on Walmart, its approach can include marketplace strategy, product listing optimization, catalog management, advertising support and ongoing performance analysis.

With a focus on data-driven eCommerce growth, AMZ Northland helps businesses move beyond simply running individual advertisements and develop a more connected marketplace strategy. This can help brands improve product visibility, strengthen listings and make better use of Walmart Connect’s advertising opportunities.