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Understanding Walmart Sponsored Search Ads

Oftentimes, social media ads can be optimized for users to click but that does not always mean a direct correlation to sales. Optimizing for purchases directly is something that can be tracked more closely when ad placements live within the actual retail websites where products and brands can be purchased. At Gupta Media, we have been expanding our testing of these ad types to Walmart Sponsored Search Ads, which appear across the Walmart website. 

Walmart Sponsored Search Ads allow brands and products to get in front of consumers as they are actively searching or browsing Walmart’s website or app. With that, targeting for these ads is based on keywords that users type into the website’s search bar so it’s important that keyword lists be specific to drive campaign success. 

There are two types of ads currently available: Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands. The ultimate difference between the two is their placement within the user experience.

Sponsored Products ads appear among relevant search results. Whether the consumer searches for the exact product or a similar product, these ads blend in across the results page. These ads can also appear on item pages, serving as a recommended product similar to the product the consumer is currently viewing. When a customer clicks Sponsored Products ads, they are brought to the product page directly, increasing their likelihood of purchasing the sponsored product. 

Sponsored Brands ads are more premium. They take over the top of relevant search results with a full bar of content that includes the brand’s logo and the promoted products. This placement is available to Marketplace brand owners registered with the Walmart Brand Portal.

Across both ad types, it’s important to remember that targeting is a little different compared to other platforms. Walmart Sponsored Search Ads cannot overlay any demographic targeting. Therefore, brands must rely on niche keywords. If the consumer is already on the website, they are likely entering the user experience with the intent to purchase. Having a carefully crafted keyword list can help reach qualified audiences which then allows for real purchase results to identify the success of the campaign and lead to real-time optimization changes.  

Our initial tests have shown positive results - attributing the sponsored search ad clicks directly to product sales. As we continue testing Walmart Sponsored Search Ads we will update this post with trends across our findings. 

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