Walmart is launching a demand-side platform (DSP) in partnership with The Trade Desk, which will link online and in-store transactions.
Walmart Connect, Walmart’s media management division, has announced the introduction of Walmart DSP (demand-side platform), developed in collaboration with adtech firm The Trade Desk.
The goal is to link other companies with Walmart’s 150 million weekly customers. Walmart’s DSP can provide highly granular targeting, reporting, and omnichannel insights by integrating and measuring online and in-store performance.
As first-party data becomes more valuable, Walmart is continuing to grow its advertising business. In the second quarter, they reported a 95 percent growth in advertising sales in the United States. According to an earnings call, their number of active advertisers increased by more than 175%, as more companies and brands paid to advertise their products on the company’s platform.
For the first time in April, eMarketer segmented Walmart’s search ad revenue. In 2020, the company increased its market share to 1.1 percent of total net search ad revenue.
Walmart’s standalone DSP blends the retailer’s first-party omnichannel data with The Trade Desk’s technology and performance.
Because inspiration and discovery can happen anywhere leading up to a purchase, the goal is to reach out to customers worldwide and bring them back to Walmart’s website.
Marketers and advertisers will have access to various industry-leading platform features driven by Walmart data when the Walmart DSP opens later this fall.
Walmart’s past purchase and predictive audience segments and brand-level buying activity data from throughout the Walmart ecosystem, including the website, app, and 4,700 physical shops, will be used by the DSP to help brands reach specific audiences.
Additionally, marketers will have access to the Trade Desk’s inventory, which includes display, streaming video, mobile, audio, and connected television (CTV), allowing them to manage multiple campaigns on the same platform and connect to offline sales by using Walmart’s purchase data. This will enable marketers to measure online and in-store transactions and link them to specific media strategies to optimize campaigns and inform future initiatives.
