Walmart PPC Articles

If your goal is to boost product listings, reach new shoppers, and squeeze every ounce of ROI out of your Walmart selling strategy, strong search engine optimization (SEO) is a must.

But best practices are evolving. So, what’s the latest when it comes to SEO on Walmart Marketplace?  And how can you win more favor with Walmart’s ranking algorithm? Here’s everything you need to know.

What Is Walmart SEO?

Walmart search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing content for product listings on Walmart Marketplace. This can help you achieve top placements when customers search for products like yours.

What Is the Walmart Ranking Algorithm?

The Walmart ranking algorithm determines the position of your product listings in search results on Walmart Marketplace. It considers factors such as keyword relevance, product attributes, seller reputation, and product availability. 

Factors like customer search behavior, product descriptions, and seller performance also play a role in how the algorithm ranks your product listings.

11 Walmart SEO Strategies to Win More Sales

Not sure where to start when it comes to Walmart SEO? The first step is understanding how Walmart algorithms work. Your products’ performance on Walmart’s search engine, including your ability to win the Buy Box, depends on a few key areas:

• Quality of product content
• Item price
• Shipping price
• Inventory availability
• Delivery speed
• Seller performance metrics
• Customer ratings and reviews

We’ve compiled 11 of the best Walmart SEO strategies to keep in mind when optimizing your listings.

1. Optimize Product Titles and Product Descriptions

The details listed on product pages are among the most important information potential customers will see when they search for items. If customers don’t get the right kind of info from these pages, they’re a lot less likely to take a chance on buying.

Here are the latest best practices to optimize your product detail pages.

Product titles:

• Make your title clear, concise, and specific—without any keyword stuffing
• Don’t exceed 100 characters
• Don’t use repetitive keywords, multiple brands, or multiple product types
• Leave out promotional claims and other prohibited phrases
• Don’t use all caps or special characters
• Use natural language customers would be likely to search for
• Research and test your keywords
• Make your title unique to Walmart.com; don’t use the same title you use on other marketplaces

Product descriptions:

• Include relevant product information and keywords that consumers are most likely to search
• Describe products fully with a focus on clear and engaging writing, good grammar, and proper syntax
• Stick to Walmart’s guidelines on minimum and maximum word counts—these vary by product category but typically a minimum of 150 words is recommended
• Avoid prohibited content like promotional or authenticity claims, authenticity claims, and external URLs

Not sure if a keyword is working? Luckily, there’s an easy way to test. Simply search the keywords you’ve used via the search box on Walmart to see if your product shows up near the top. This can also help you see competing products and what keywords other brands are using.

2. Highlight Product Benefits and Features

If you want shoppers to convert, you need to show your products’ benefits and features in the best possible light. Walmart allows sellers to list key features as bullet points, which is one of the most effective ways to showcase the most popular aspects of your products. Aim to keep them clear yet specific, and incorporate high-performing keywords when possible.

Here are some of the top best practices for key features and bullet points:

• List 3-10 features and benefits, starting with the most important
• Use short phrases or keywords
• Don’t use more than 80 characters per key feature
• Don’t use any additional formatting, bullets, or numbered lists
• Don’t make any promotional claims

Not sure where to start? Common features that buyers want to know about include material, dimensions, and suggestions for ideal usage.

3. Choose the Right Product Category, Product Type Group, and Product Type

Walmart Marketplace has 24 different categories into which sellers can sort their products, and they can have a big impact on SEO.

Why? Customers have the ability to filter and sort search results by category. That means choosing the right Category, Type Group, and Type is an excellent way to stand out. 

Here’s what you need to know about each:

• Product Category: Grouping of similar items that contains diverse products with a common theme (example: baby)
• Product Type Group: Collection of products that have similar properties (example: baby furniture)
• Product Type: Specified item type (example: high chairs)

Product Category is the highest-level categorization, and the others drill down from there. Registered sellers can review Walmart’s content standards to help categorize products.

4. Add Product Attributes

Customers use attributes when filtering through products, so these can play a big part in boosting your SEO visibility on Walmart. Make sure there’s no incorrect or missing information that could lead shoppers to turn to your competitors.

Attributes vary by product but often include:

• Fulfillment speed
• Age
• Brand
• Color
• Size
• Material

According to Walmart, high-quality attributes improve your products’ discovery on both Walmart.com and other search engines.

5. Add High-resolution Photos

If you’ve ever been shopping for a product only to see a single grainy picture, you know how unlikely you are to make a purchase. No matter how great your products are or the value they offer customers, poor-quality photos can kill your conversion rates.

On the other hand, when they have a rich array of photos to click through, shoppers are more likely to buy. This is critical as the more purchases you get, the more likely Walmart’s algorithms are to prioritize your product, creating a “snowball effect.”

Here’s an overview of Walmart’s image guidelines explaining that images must:

• Correspond to the product name and type
• Be cropped close to the frame
• Be professionally lit and in focus
• Be on a white, seamless background (larger items can be featured in an “expected environment” instead)
• Not show accessories that aren’t included with the item
• Not make promotional claims

Keep in mind that different product categories have different image requirements. Always check the latest guidelines that apply to your products.

6. Use Rich Media

High-quality product images are a great start, but consider going above and beyond to showcase your products using rich media like videos and 360 images. 

On Walmart, rich media includes:

• 360-spin images: Customers can hold and drag your product to rotate it
• Videos: Demonstrate key info about your product
• Below the fold content: Images, videos and carousels at the bottom half of your product page (under “About this item/brand”)

Rich media can improve listing strength, especially if your competitors are using them. You can create rich media with product content management tools and other Walmart-approved providers. For an extra boost, be sure to add captions to your videos.

7. Use OneDay, TwoDay, or ThreeDay Delivery

Same-day and two-day shipping through Amazon Prime is now the benchmark for eCommerce. If there’s a choice between receiving a product in a week and getting a similar item in a day or two, customers will often choose the latter.

Walmart’s expedited delivery options can help you sell more and boost your SERP placements. Here’s a quick look at the benefits of each option:

	OneDay	TwoDay	ThreeDay
Buy Box prominence	x	x	x
Fast delivery promise	x	x	x
Fast delivery tag	x	x
Filter inclusion	x	x
Smart tags	x	x	x
Improved search rankings	x	x

Offering fast delivery boosts your Listing Quality Score on Walmart, but not all sellers qualify for OneDay and TwoDay shipping.

To meet its qualification requirements, you must have at least 90 days as a Walmart Marketplace seller, with at least 20 fulfilled orders meeting the following metrics:

• On-time shipping and delivery rate > 95%
• Valid tracking rate > 95%
• Cancelation rate < 1.5%
• Offer free returns

If you use Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), TwoDay is automatically available regardless of the above.

8. Offer Competitive Pricing

Your pricing strategy also has an impact on your success with SEO on Walmart. Create a strategy that helps you keep the pulse on competitor pricing, market trends, and inventory levels in real-time.

The good news is there’s a ton of data available to evaluate your pricing, including:

• Walmart Repricer tool
• Walmart Success Hub recommendations
• Buy Box Report in Seller Center
• Pricing insights dashboard in Seller Center

Always follow Walmart’s pricing rules, including:

• Nothing priced significantly higher than prices recently offered for the same item
• No price gouging
• No egregious shipping charges

Remember, seller fees can change according to price, so make sure you’re factoring that into your revenue calculations.

Manage Walmart pricing, advertising, and promotion all in one place. Pull your data into Trellis and start optimizing your listings in a fraction of the time.

9. Maintain Product Inventory

Inventory levels are part of Walmart’s listing quality optimization triangle. Keeping an eye on them can help you avoid running out of inventory, while your competitors truck along at full speed.

Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• If you use WFS, keep products in stock to ensure they show up in search results
• If you manage your own fulfillment, keep seller-fulfilled inventory up to date in order to keep your items available for purchase and not listed as “out of stock”
• For larger catalogs and teams, use the Walmart Marketplace API to keep inventory up to date

As with Amazon, strong search performance is developed over time through continued sales on Walmart.com. Walmart’s ranking algorithm will use your historical sales data when ranking your listings—so it pays to stay in-stock.

10. Have Great Customer Service

Sooner or later, your customers will need some help. They might have questions, feedback on product use, issues with things like shipping, or even complaints about experiences. Regardless, great customer service is non-negotiable.

Providing a five-start customer experience can boost your Walmart SEO because:

• It can drive positive customer reviews, which impact your product rankings.
• It builds customer trust, increasing retention and loyalty.

Order and fulfillment markers like canceled sales, refunds, and seller response rates all matter. Prioritizing customer service is a longer-term strategy, but it will pay off by positively impacting your rankings and long-term profitability on Walmart.

11. Monitor and Adjust Your Advertising Strategy

Walmart Marketplace SEO doesn’t work with a set-it-and-forget-it approach. As the market changes and competition grows, what you did last year might not work right now. Use your SEO data to optimize your listings and adjust your keyword bidding strategies to stay a step ahead.

Regardless of where you are in the SEO process, it’s important to monitor results and make changes as needed. 

Here are some questions to think about:

• Are your target keywords or phrases still relevant and effective?
• Is your pricing getting out-paced by the competition?
• Have your competitors mastered rich media while your listings still only have photos?

Level Up Your Walmart Listing Optimization with Trellis

Perfecting your Walmart SEO strategy is complex, but Trellis is here to help. Our software is designed to ensure Walmart Marketplace sellers outpace the competition, carving out a spot at the top of SERPs with a calculated and flexible approach.

Powerful Walmart automation meets real marketplace expertise. Get started with Trellis and watch your profits grow. 🪴 Schedule your demo today.

Walmart SEO: Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s a bit more detail on some common questions and challenges related to Walmart SEO strategies.

How Does Walmart’s Search Engine Algorithm Work?

While no search engine reveals the inner workings of its algorithm, Walmart’s approach takes several factors into account. One area that is public knowledge is the Walmart optimization triangle:

• Content: The strength of content across product listing pages, like keyword use, product descriptions, titles, image use, key features, and categorization.
• Offer: How competitive a seller’s offering is, including pricing, inventory levels, and shipping speeds.
• Performance: Customer satisfaction and seller adherence to policies, including Seller Order Defect Rate (SODR) and promptness of customer communications.

These aren’t the only metrics Walmart uses. It also looks at product sales history, customer satisfaction, and click-through rates. 

How Do I Find and Prioritize Walmart Keywords?

To find the right keywords for your Walmart product listings, start by understanding the specific ways customers search for your products.

Consider both general search terms and long-tail keywords:

• A general search term is a short keyword that applies to a wide range of products, e.g. “black suitcase”
• A long-tail keyword gets more specific and narrows down the results, e.g. “black hard-shell carry-on suitcase”

For meaningful SEO results, you need to know how to prioritize the most valuable words and phrases for your products. Here are a few best practices for prioritizing keywords:

• Focus on high-intent keywords. Prioritize terms that generate meaningful traffic at a low cost.
• Think like your customer. Use detailed, accurate, informative keywords that a customer would organically search for.
• Use keywords intentionally. Select one or two of the most relevant keywords to use as your primary keywords, and use them in your product title, description, and key features. Customers can spot keyword stuffing.
• Differentiate by platform. Try using keywords that are unique to Walmart.com.

Brands looking for a turnkey solution can explore AI-powered tools to perform keyword research and gap analysis, then automatically optimize product content.

How Do I Maximize Click-Through Rate?

A high click-through rate means a large percentage of people who see an ad or product link click on it, while a low click-through rate indicates that most people who see a particular product keep on scrolling. The best way to maximize CTR is to make a good first impression.

• Use clear and relevant titles. Keep titles under 100 characters, avoid keyword stuffing, and eliminate special characters.
• Create compelling visuals. Use high-quality images that effectively showcase the product.
• Generate positive reviews. Get more product reviews on Walmart by ensuring product quality and offering excellent customer support.
• Respond to negative customer feedback. Handle complaints professionally and resolve issues promptly.

How Do I Optimize Conversion Rate?

While click-through rate evaluates the rate at which ads or product pages are clicked on, conversion rate refers to how many of those clicks turn into sales. A good CTR doesn’t mean much if no one is buying the item.

• Offer competitive pricing. Ensure your prices are on par with competitors.
• Balance price and profit. Long-term profitability is about balancing profit and volume—strategically expand your customer base with competitive pricing rather than maximizing margins at all cost.
• Highlight unique selling points. Show off the unique features and benefits that differentiate your products from competitors’.
• Offer convenient shipping options. Fast and free shipping encourages purchases and improves customer satisfaction.

How Do I Track My Walmart SEO Performance?

There are a few different ways to track Walmart SEO performance. A good starting point is to set target metrics, like CTR, conversion rate, and inventory turnover. If you’re hitting these targets, your strategies are probably doing what you need them to do.

Walmart also offers several tools in Seller Center to review performance, identify trends, and evaluate the strength of product listings.