A pivotal factor in a brand’s success selling on any online marketplace is how its products are positioned in the search results. We’ve previously shared tips and suggestions for brands to rank well on Amazon. However, not all marketplaces are treated equally, and this holds true for Walmart.com. While we’ll never know the exact formula of a marketplace, we can share our learnings and what has proven to be effective. Continue reading to learn more about how your brand can improve its ranking on Walmart.com.
Before sharing tangible recommendations, it’s vital brands have an appropriate perspective. On any marketplace, it’s necessary to consider its algorithm and how it could affect strategy. Walmart’s algorithm operates similarly to most marketplaces.
Aside from relevance, Walmart’s algorithm also considers factors such as price and product reviews. But brands can leverage areas where they have more control by optimizing product detail pages. This can be done through strong titles, eye-catching images, or clean content.
To grab a shopper's attention, product titles need to follow a specific formula. First, a strong title on Walmart.com should be anywhere between 50 and 75 characters and use a combination of keywords and generic terms.
Walmart suggests the following:
Brand + Style Name (if applicable) + Descriptive Feature (if applicable), Material, Clothing Size + Pack Count
Whatever a brand decides to include in its product titles, they must be clear and concise.
On Walmart, there are several components of a product detail page that contribute to the quality of a listing and how well it ranks.
When creating content for products on Walmart, keep the following formula in mind to keep these straight.
Key Features (bullet points) + Short Description = Long Description
Descriptions can be extremely influential for shoppers and Walmart's algorithm. They're a great way to educate, attract, and communicate with shoppers. In general, shoppers are more likely to consider a listing with a thoughtfully crafted description. From an algorithm standpoint, keywords, phrases, and optimizing for SEO are crucial.
A Shelf Description acts similarly to a meta description on Google. It displays within the search results, and with our clients, the sweet spot seems to be between three or four bullets. They must be succinct and provide shoppers enough additional detail that would make them want to click and explore the detail page.
A product's attributes are entered in the back end of Walmart's Seller and Supplier Center and help to organize products throughout the channel. They play a large role in the site's navigation and how visible a product is when shoppers perform a search.
Our biggest recommendation is to complete all attributes to ensure products are seen in the search results and left-hand filters. As seen below, attributes tie directly to a shopper’s ability to find a brand’s product based on color, size, or another characteristic.
Doing so will also guarantee a product’s detail page has complete information and it’s appropriately assigned to the correct subcategory.
When shopping on Amazon, 63% of consumers state images are more important than product descriptions. Brands selling on Walmart should consider this statistic and lean into the influence a strong image library could have on sales.
To appeal to shoppers, a product's image library should include at least four images. They should be high-resolution and follow the channel's Trust and Safety guidelines.
Our clients have seen the best results when they include a Cambridge style image. They're eye-catching, informative, and can increase clicks and conversions.
In light of the pandemic and its effect on consumer behavior, a product or brand’s shipping options are more important than ever. And, according to Walmart, brands see up to 40% increase in sales when they offer faster shipping methods.
On most marketplaces, Walmart and Amazon, for example, shoppers can filter search results by delivery options as seen below.
Being able to fall within those filtering options can be game-changing to a brand’s success. Those that sell on Walmart can enroll in the TwoDayDelivery program and enable two-day shipping. In addition to filtration, applicable products feature free or expedited delivery tags that help them stand out to shoppers.
Offering a competitive price on products is key to success on any online marketplace. For Walmart, in particular, this is key to the customer experience and a product's ranking.
Brands can enable Reduced Price or Clearance tags to stand out against competing products. This can be accessed via the Pricing Opportunities dashboard in Seller Center. Other insights can be gathered from this dashboard to identify areas of improvement.
It’s no secret, the better a brand’s products rank in the search results, the more likely they are to drive sales. In addition to advertising, brands can ensure their products rank organically through optimizations. Consider these tips and what your brand learns along the way as marketplaces and their algorithms are always changing.
If you could use the support of a strategic partner, schedule a free consultation. And, as always, we’re here to answer any questions about ranking on Walmart and your brand's strategy.