Walmart Connect launches negative keywords for sponsored-product ads
Negative keywords let advertisers block sponsored-product ads from matching a shopper's search query against terms they choose, such as 'dog food' or 'running shoes.' Walmart Connect flipped the feature on in late July, making it available in its Ad Center and through partner platforms Pacvue, Skai, Quartile, Teikametrics and DataCaciques. The capability arrived years after Amazon, which has offered negative keywords since 2019 according to PPC Hero, and after Sam's Club Connect, which has had it for at least several years per its LinkedIn account. Walmart said in a blog post that negative keywords "can help improve budget efficiency, reduce less relevant traffic and support campaign optimization across Sponsored Products campaigns."
Cost-per-click on contested category terms should climb as brands stop parking budget on their own branded search and start competing for placements they actually want, said Sheldon, who expects account-level return on ad spend to fall along with it after years of branded-term traffic inflating the number. Ray Easley of Flywheel said the change lets brands avoid paying for confusing matches, such as an eyeglasses brand's ad appearing next to wine glasses, and Pacvue's Alicia Marshia said clients have long asked how to stop spending on their own brand terms while still keeping some budget there to defend market position. Freeing up sponsored-search budget could also let brands test upper-funnel formats such as connected TV, a growing focus area for Walmart Connect, according to Marshia.