The holiday season is one of the biggest moments for brands to connect with Walmart customers. It’s also one of the most critical moments of the year to stand out on Walmart.com. There’s still time to get holiday-ready.

Walmart’s multi category holiday growth signals opportunity for advertisers

In addition, the holiday season also drove digital engagement on Walmart.com. Online search impressions saw a 38% uptick compared to the rest of FY25, while online visits saw a 42% uptick¹. To help capture the most demand, you'll need to start accessing your advertising list and checking it twice.
 

Your holiday checklist

This isn't just a list of to-dos; it's your roadmap designed to help you meet your goals this holiday season, from now through the new year.

Retail readiness (Before advertising)

Before launching your holiday campaigns, do a quick retail readiness check to help maximize your ad effectiveness when it matters most. Here's what you'll want to nail down:

October (Build visibility)

In October, you're planting the seeds for your holiday success. The holiday shopping journey begins now, as customers start their online research. By running ads early, you give the algorithm time to learn and optimize, which helps your ads rank higher in search results and helps you stay visible when shoppers are ready to buy.

November (Optimize your campaigns)

November is your biggest opportunity to convert. This is when high-intent shoppers flood Walmart.com, many with full carts and a strong intent to buy.

December (Keep the momentum)

Customers are still buying. Stay visible and finish the season strong by targeting last-minute shoppers.

January (Grow and retain)

Promote complementary items and use cross-sell strategies to engage new and existing customers.

Don't let your holiday wins fade. Build on your holiday momentum into new-year growth and retention with an always-on strategy. Always-on campaigns help you capture interest at every stage — before, during, and after key shopping moments.

Case Study: Cate & Chloe

Let’s take a look at how one brand brought this always-on strategy to life.

Building on a strong 2023 holiday season, Cate & Chloe, a jewelry brand on Walmart Marketplace, aimed to drive more conversions and increase sales in 2024. To achieve this, they ran both automatic and manual "always-on" campaigns year-round, continuously fine-tuning keyword targeting and optimizing bids to stay agile throughout the season.

Results:

• 68% of sales came from new-to-brand customers²
• A strong 14% conversion rate²
• 41% year-over-year sales growth³
• And over 858 million impressions, building massive awareness ahead of peak²

This shows how a consistent advertising strategy can pay off, not just in visibility, but in sustainable business growth. The success of an extended, multi-month strand refinement. It's not enough to set up campaigns and walk away. We recommend tracking campaign performance weekly to help ensure every ad dollar is working its hardest.

Our self-serve Walmart Connect Ad Center makes this simple. The Sponsored Search and Display dashboards give you easy, real-time access to your campaign metrics, allowing you to evaluate results at a glance and optimize performance at every stage, from building visibility in October through growth and retention in January.

By pairing this data-driven optimization with a comprehensive advertising strategy, you're not just ready for the holidays—you're ready for sustained success all year long.
 

Ready to spark your holiday success story?

Watch the replay of our Holiday Webinar and get our Holiday Retail Insights to help prep for a successful holiday season and beyond. For more seller resources visit the Marketplace Holiday Hub.

Source: ¹Walmart First Party Data, March 2025 Reflecting Nov. 2, 2024 – Dec. 26, 2024 vs. Feb. 3, 2024 – Jan. 31, 2025 (Less Nov. 2, 2024 – Dec. 26, 2024.  ²Walmart first-party data, Jan. 2024–Jan. 2025. ³Walmart first-party data, Jan. 2024–Jan. 2025 vs. Jan 2023–Jan. 2024.