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The Strategic Framework

This framework is the bridge between your business objectives and your campaign execution on Walmart Connect. It is designed to help you think like a strategic planner, building multi-faceted campaigns that guide the customer from discovery to loyalty.

The Walmart Marketing Funnel

The path to purchase is a journey. By understanding the distinct role of each WMC ad format within this journey, you can allocate your budget and efforts more effectively.

Awareness (Top of Funnel): Introducing your brand to new audiences.

  • Goal: Maximize reach and build brand/product recognition.
  • Primary Tactics:
    • Onsite Display (Skyline, Marquee): For unparalleled visibility on high-traffic pages. Essential for new launches.
    • Sponsored Videos: The premier tool for storytelling and educating shoppers who are early in their journey.
  • Supporting Tactics:
    • Sponsored Brands: Build brand presence at the top of search results for broad, category-level keywords.
    • Onsite Display (Run-of-Site & Persona Targeting): Use ROS for maximum reach. Use Persona targeting (e.g., "New Parents") to introduce your brand to new, highly relevant lifestyle segments.
  • Strategic Note on Keywords: Focus on broad, non-branded category terms (e.g., "laptops," "organic snacks") to capture initial interest.
  • Key Metrics: Impressions, Video Views, Clicks, Click-Through Rate (CTR).

Consideration (Mid-Funnel): Engaging shoppers as they compare options.

  • Goal: Intercept shoppers, showcase your value proposition, and defend against competitors.
  • Primary Tactics:
    • Sponsored Products (Carousels & Buy Box): Appear directly on competitor and complementary item pages to "conquest" and cross-sell.
    • Sponsored Brands: Defend your brand space and lead shoppers to a curated Brand Shop/Shelf to showcase your full assortment.
    • Onsite Display (Behavioral Targeting): Retarget shoppers who viewed your products but didn't purchase, keeping your brand top-of-mind.
  • Strategic Note on Keywords: Focus on more specific, long-tail keywords (e.g., "lightweight 15-inch laptop," "gluten-free oatmeal snacks") and your own branded terms.
  • Key Metrics: ROAS (Return on Ad Spend), Clicks, Add to Carts, Brand Shop/Shelf Visits.

Conversion (Bottom of Funnel): Closing the sale.

  • Goal: Win the click from high-intent shoppers and drive the final purchase.
  • Primary Tactics:
    • Sponsored Products (Search In-Grid): The most critical placement for conversion. This is your prime opportunity to win the sale when a customer's search query signals immediate purchase intent.
    • Brand Shop / Shelf (as a landing page): A well-designed page simplifies the purchase of multiple items, increasing basket size and conversion rate.
  • Supporting Tactics:
    • Onsite Display (Propensity & Lapsed Buyer Targeting): Use "Propensity" audiences to reach shoppers Walmart's AI predicts are ready to buy in your category. Use "Lapsed/Recent Buyer" targeting to drive repurchases.
  • Strategic Note on Keywords: Double down on high-performing, exact-match keywords identified from your automatic campaigns. Bid aggressively on your most profitable terms.
  • Key Metrics: Sales, ROAS, Conversion Rate, Units Sold.

Loyalty (Post-Funnel): Encouraging repeat business.

  • Goal: Increase customer lifetime value and build brand affinity.
  • Primary Tactics:
    • Sponsored Products (My Items In-grid): A powerful, low-effort tool to remind customers to reorder their past purchases, making it frictionless.
    • Onsite Display (Brand Audience Targeting): Target "Recent buyers" to upsell or introduce new product lines. Target "Lapsed buyers" with specific "We miss you" offers to win them back.
  • Strategic Note on Targeting: This stage is less about keywords and more about audience segmentation. Leverage your first-party data of past purchasers.
  • Key Metrics: Repeat Purchase Rate, Customer Retention, Halo Sales.