At the beginning of 2024, Walmart Connect’s General Manager wrote in a news release that Walmart will provide more options for advertiser types, where brands can bid for competitor keywords through advanced “brand term targeting with Sponsered Search ads.”
This opens up new opportunities for competitive conquesting campaigns, in which brands and sellers can rank for competitor keywords.
What is Competitive Conquesting on Walmart?
Competitive conquesting, also known as brand term targeting, is the process of bidding and winning the keywords competitors use for their brands and products. It enables sellers to dominate their competitors’ market space and expand their customer base.
Conquesting on Walmart applies to Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Videos campaigns. However, there are certain specifics to brand conquesting on Walmart. It includes:
- Slots 1 and 2 are reserved for the targeted competitor brand.
- Conquesting brands can appear in the third and descending search result positions.
- Conquesting is only limited to exact keyword match
- The advertised product items must align with the competitors’ category
Examples of Brand Conquesting on Walmart
Let’s examine some examples of brand conquesting on Walmart, where a different product ranks for a competitor keyword.
In the image given below, the keyword used to search for a product was “Kerrygold cheddar cheese.” While the top 3 results were cheddar cheese from the brand Kerrygold, the 4th product belonged to the brand Old Croc. This is one instance of competitive conquesting on Walmart.
Another instance of brand term targeting on Walmart can be seen in the screenshot below. Here, a more detailed brand keyword was used to search for the product. However, apart from the first two positions, the rest of the products belonged to competitors that sold in the same category as the targeted brand.
In this instance, the brands Stouffers and Bertolli took the third and fourth positions, even though the search query was on Michelina’s.
Pros and Cons of Conquesting on Walmart
Competitive conquesting has both advantages and disadvantages depending on how brands execute the strategy.
Pros of Conquesting on Walmart
- Helps to reach new customers who might be unfamiliar with the brand
- Increases brand’s visibility among customers
- Gain more market share by attracting more customers
- Allows brand to position products as alternatives to competitor products
Cons of Walmart Conquesting
- Conquesting campaigns tend to be expensive, especially if bidding on popular keywords or targeting highly competitive segments.
- High risk of appearing aggressive or confrontational, which could negatively impact the brand’s reputation
Walmart vs. Amazon Conquesting: A Comparison
While Walmart officially announced brand term targeting in 2024, the concept of targeting competitor keywords through sponsored ads existed on Amazon. It was primarily known as keyword targeting.
Like Walmart, 3P sellers on Amazon can leverage keywords related to product categories, brands, gifts, and competitors. This includes both Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands ads, which appear prominently in search results and product detail pages. It enables sellers to rank in top positions when customers search for a product using the brand name.
READ MORE | Confused Which Marketplace to Select as a Seller? Check out Walmart vs. Amazon: Which Online Marketplace is Better For Sellers?
Strategies and Best Practices for Effective Conquesting on Walmart
Brands need to create an appropriate strategy before implementing a competitor conquesting strategy on Walmart. Below are some best practices for effective conquesting on Walmart:
Competitive Analysis
Before implementing a competitive conquesting strategy, brands must identify the key competitors within their product category at Walmart. Once identified, brands must analyze their product listing, offerings, ratings, and reviews. This will enable them to select the best competitors whose keywords will be targeted.
Keyword Strategy
After the competitors are selected for conquesting, brands can use Walmart’s brand term to bid on keywords related to their competitors’ brands and products. To attract more customers, brands must target both broad and specific product category keywords.
In addition, they must add long-tail keywords specific to the targeted brand with less competition than the product category keywords. This will help brand ads appear when customers search for competitors and improve conversion rates.
Optimized Product Listings
Apart from adding relevant competitor keywords, brands must optimize their product listings to improve search visibility and attract new customers. For this, they can
- Ensure relevant keywords on product titles and descriptions
- Offer detailed product descriptions and information
- Use high-resolution images that show the product from multiple angles and up close for a comprehensive view
This can help persuade customers to choose your product over competitors.
Performance Tracking
While implementing a competitor conquesting strategy, it is crucial to track the performance of the sponsored ads and analyze them regularly. Brands can use a Digital Shelf Analytics tool, which will offer insights into the share of search and monitor the brand’s reach through competitor conquesting.
READ MORE | Interested to Learn About Walmart Consumer Behavior? Check out Understanding the Consumer Behavior at Walmart: Expectations and Implementations
Maximize Your Brand’s Reach with Conquesting Strategies
Effective conquesting on Walmart requires a strategic approach that will help brands capture competitor traffic, improve brand visibility, and drive sales growth on Walmart. Leveraging a robust Digital Shelf Analytics tool allows brands to target competitor keywords while safeguarding their branded terms.
Contact us today to stay on top of your digital shelf.
