We are very excited to see Walmart.com reintroduce enhanced content to product detail pages, a move that will help brands drive stronger shopper engagement and conversion on the site.
According to the retailer, rich media in all formats will fully return to the omnichannel platform by the end of September. In the past year, brands and suppliers have anxiously awaited the return as Walmart proposed different rollout dates for the new website experience.
Enhanced content has been unavailable on PDPs since September 2021, when Walmart merged the previously separate platforms for general merchandise and OPD (Online Pickup & Delivery) grocery items into one digital shelf experience. Before the merger, the OPD platform didn’t support enhanced content.
What’s changing?
All PDPs can now include rich media content. In the above-the-fold spaces, brands can include images, videos, and even interactive videos (which let shoppers click to choose the content to be played). Here is one example.
In the below-the-fold spaces, brands can feature additional content that will appear when shoppers click to open an “About the brand” tab. Here is an example.
For now, only static images will be accepted in below-the-fold spaces, and we’ll have to see what rich media content options will return at a later date — for example, if brands will be able to feature comparison charts as they did previously. One thing is certain: Items that were OPD-only before the merger are now able to add rich media to their PDPs.
When will it happen? Walmart has told suppliers that previously published enhanced content will return automatically to PDPs once the functionality is redeployed. That, however, could lead to outdated legacy content being published, so brands should be on the lookout.
Why is this important?We have always recommended including enhanced content on Walmart.com PDPs because it improves the shopping experience while also limiting the amount of space that can otherwise be taken by ads and competitor listings. A robust, up-to-date and engaging PDP is a critical foundation of success for all your Walmart programming, both on the site and in the physical store.
Another key upgrade is the introduction of product reviews to all PDPs, a critical tool for improving search performance and driving conversion.
Actions to Take
Now is the time to optimize your digital shelf to better convert shoppers, especially if your products were previously only sold through OPD and can now capitalize on the enhanced content opportunities. (Here’s a tip to remember: SEO optimization is always part of the ecommerce game, so make sure to insert alt text whenever uploading new images so they will be indexed.)
As a first step, audit your PDPs right away to make sure that the enhanced content reappearing on your PDP matches your current packaging and marketing content. We strongly recommend getting a list of SKUs that have had package refreshes since March 2020, and then locating corresponding enhanced content assets to be uploaded.It will also be important to restart the tracking of content goals and KPIs to ensure that you’re optimizing all of the opportunities that have become available again.
Mars United Commerce regularly conducts PDP audits for our clients to verify content accuracy and identify enhancement opportunities that will optimize their digital shelf presence. We also uncover additional strategic opportunities by taking deep dives into product categories and competitive activity. To learn how we can help, contact Kristin Wall at [email protected].
The next critical step is to incorporate your digital shelf optimization into all Walmart briefings to ensure you’re giving shoppers the seamless commerce experiences they now require. To learn how this strategy can drive growth across the entire Walmart ecosystem, contact Victoria Van Dusen at [email protected].
