Walmart Connect (WMC) has rapidly evolved into one of the most powerful platforms for retail media, and onsite display is emerging as a standout channel for brands ready to scale their presence online. 

But while the tools are there, the path to optimal performance can feel overwhelming, especially as display campaigns are increasingly designed to be self-serve and continually growing in complexity.

In a recent webinar hosted by CommerceIQ and Walmart Connect, Evan Walsh (Senior Director of Customer Success, CommerceIQ) and Juwita Chavez (Senior Partnerships Manager, Walmart Connect) shared a hands-on framework for building high-impact display campaigns on WMC—from targeting and bidding to creative best practices. Here’s what every Walmart media strategist needs to know:

Walmart’s digital end cap: Drive discovery while shoppers browse

Unlike search ads that catch shoppers when they’re actively looking for something, onsite display ads are more like a friendly nudge while they’re browsing. Think of them as the digital version of an end cap in a Walmart store, grabbing your attention while you’re walking the aisles. These ads show up all over the Walmart site, from search results to product pages to order history. They’re bold, visual and built to get your brand noticed—even when shoppers aren’t specifically searching for you.

And the numbers back it up: shoppers who see both sponsored search and display are up to 3x more likely to buy new brand items and spend 40% more (source: Walmart Connect). In fact, in categories like Food & Beverage, onsite display alone can drive up to 60% higher return on sales.

Don’t just target shoppers, target outcomes

With more than 10 targeting tactics available through Walmart Connect, brands have a wealth of audience options. But as Evan Walsh put it, the key is to stop thinking in terms of just “who” and start thinking in terms of “why.”

Ask yourself: What is the goal of this campaign?

• If it’s awareness, go broad with persona or demographic-based targeting
• If it’s conversion, consider keyword and contextual audiences—these target shoppers in the moment, based on live site behavior
• If it’s retention, retarget past purchasers or site visitors with strong, product-focused creatives

The most scalable results tend to come from the consideration layer—active category shoppers who haven’t yet discovered your brand. These audiences are large, relevant and measurable.

Creative matters—don’t treat it as an afterthought

You’ve got the right audience and the right bid, but what will shoppers actually see? Walmart Onsite Display is your chance to stand out with custom messaging, seasonal tie-ins or even multi-brand creatives.

Walmart’s creative tools let you:

• Introduce new SKUs with bold hero units
• Highlight several brands from your portfolio using the same creative
• Match visuals to seasonal or promotional themes

Be thoughtful about how you use onsite display ads. If you’re trying to close the sale, focus on specific products. If you’re looking to build awareness, go bigger with brand stories and messaging that gets attention.

Common pitfalls: Don’t skip the setup details

Even with a solid game plan, little setup slip-ups can throw your whole campaign off. A few pitfalls to watch out for:

• No frequency cap: You might end up showing the same ad to the same shopper way too many times
• Bids that are too high or too low: Go too high and you’ll blow your budget fast, too low and your ads might not show at all
• Missing exclusions: You could end up retargeting people who already bought, which isn’t a great use of your spend

Walmart’s campaign settings give you plenty of ways to dial things in, so take advantage. And don’t forget—contextual and keyword targeting usually perform best because they reach shoppers right when they’re actively looking.

Plan for Walmart Deals & tentpole moments

Seasonal events like Walmart Deals (July 8–13) offer a huge opportunity to boost reach and conversion. Juwita Chavez recommends launching campaigns at least four weeks ahead of this event, and making sure your creative emphasizes value and savings.

Evan Walsh added that brands who sit out these events risk ceding share to competitors. Even if you're running evergreen campaigns, aligning creative and messaging to Walmart’s retail calendar can help drive performance across the funnel.

Don't just launch. Plan to perform with Walmart Onsite Display.

To build a display strategy that performs, don’t just pick audiences and push go. Great outcomes come from combining:

• Clear goals: Awareness, conversion or retention
• Balanced targeting: A healthy mix of keyword, contextual & retargeting
• Intentional creative: Built for where your ads appear
• Optimized setup: Frequency, bids, exclusions & measurement

As Evan Walsh put it, “You don’t run a TV ad and expect sales in a week. Display works when you align your strategy to what you actually want it to achieve.”

Ready to get started?

CommerceIQ helps brands navigate and optimize onsite display with Walmart Connect every day. From media planning to execution to performance insights, our team is here to help you get the most from every campaign.

Watch the full webinar on demand now for strategies to unlock full-funnel retail media performance on Walmart Connect, and request a CommerceIQ demo to get started.

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