With the steady rise of mobile devices and online ordering systems, it isn’t surprising that Walmart began offering a platform for rich media content. E-commerce sales have become crucial to the success of small and large businesses, and Walmart’s Rich Media API tool offers users a way to build on preexisting content. The Rich Media API is available for content providers, drop-ship vendors, and warehouse suppliers. Using a media-rich solution allows sellers to include the following content on their page.
- Videos
- 360-degree views of products
- PDFs
- Interactive tours
- Brand story layouts
Mobile responsive rich media pages are a must, as most purchases online are now made via smartphone or tablet.
Why Build a Walmart Rich Media Page?
While some sellers may not feel a rich media page is essential, there are tangible reasons why they are becoming the norm in e-commerce. Online sales have been shown to increase with the use of rich media on seller pages by 10% or more. Using videos, PDFs, and 360-degree views of products enhances content value and draws customers, which in turn accelerates sales growth, especially since roughly 84% of communications are visual.
It’s in the Numbers
A person is 85% more likely to buy products that have visual influencers like product videos. Rich media pages enrich the customer’s transaction and contribute to a more authentic human experience. SEO-driven marketing content is crucial to obtaining a top spot in search engine results. Staying on top of search engine results is crucial to drawing in customers, and SEO content marketing solutions like those at eZdia create the right content to ensure success. Professional writers develop unique content descriptions, using effective keywords that optimize online sales. We work tirelessly to understand our clients, their KPIs, and their target customers, then come up with a bespoke, client-centered SEO, and content strategy, then use our hand-picked teams to execute. On top of that, we can help you migrate rich media pages between platforms like Amazon and Walmart.
Combined with strong SEO content and marketing, a Walmart Rich Media page is a solid benefit for any seller. Providing enrichment to pre-existing SEO marketing content in the form of visual data draws customer attention. According to a recent article on Business Insider, an estimated engagement rate increase of 5.7% occurs across vertices when visual influencers are used. A Walmart Rich Media page truly makes the difference in forming a personal relationship with your customers.
How to Create a Walmart Rich Media Page
As previously discussed, Walmart offers Rich Media API tools for content providers. Sellers that want to create the page themselves would need to have a working knowledge of computer coding and content development. Alternatively, you’d need to use a compatible template and a specialist eCommerce content agency with an omnichannel experience like eZdia.
1. Get Image Specs Right
Walmart has strict guidelines for photos, and all product images need to meet the following specifications:
- 1500×2000 pixels for zoom capability
- 600×800 pixels for standard
- 1 MB file size
- RGB color value
- 4:3 aspect ratio
- Acceptable file formats: JPEG, JPG, BMP or PNG
2. Making Customer-Centered Videos and Virtual Tours
There are four key things to keep in mind when creating rich-media videos and virtual tours for e-commerce sites: engagement, education, quality, and call to action. Engagement requires using visual queues that keep the customers’ attention and hold their interest throughout. Use images that show personal belief in the quality of your product. If you build the items by hand, take the viewer through the process, or highlight the company’s quality standards and testimonials. Be careful of being too long-winded during this process, as the average person only has an eight-second attention span, so grab focus early in the video. Education encompasses product benefits, features, and uses, as well as the materials and the creation process. Keep the following questions in mind when determining how to educate a customer on the product:
- Why should they choose your product?
- What can you offer that other products don’t?
- How can the product benefit them?
Quality videos don’t have to destroy a budget. High-resolution videos can be created using tools found pre-installed on most laptops. Virtual tours of product lines, the creation process, environmental practices, or how you live your mission statement work well to create a more personal relationship with the consumer, getting them to buy into you, not just your product. Finally, end with a call to action. Avoid flowery language like “you simply have to have this amazing product” or “be the envy of Kalamazoo, with the hottest product on the market”. It comes off as salesy and artificial. Active words like use, create, make, or enjoy are less pushy.
3. Using Templates and Tools
Generally, only skilled developers should use the Rich Media API tool, and a media-rich page will always include more complex coding than a standard product page. You can, however, use templates that may have one or all of the following beneficial features.
- Rich media
- Content tool that works across retailers
- Item set up
- Content health reports
- Above-the-fold content
- Tracking for miscellaneous items like pricing or availability (Webcollage Inc., 2018)(Salsify, 2018)
Above-the-fold content is the first content a user sees without having to scroll on the page or jump to another page. It is important that this content grabs the customer’s attention and makes them want to browse through the rest of the page. Content health reports will help the seller gain valuable insight into changes that can be made to increase traffic and sales.
Mistakes to Avoid When Developing Rich Media
Creating Walmart Rich Media pages is time-consuming, and there are lots of elements to perfect. In their rush to get their pages published without utilizing the proper resources and expertise like those offered by eZdia. Here are the most common mistakes we see – and ones that can easily be avoided.
- Using non-unique copy. While it can be tempting, you should never just paste an identical copy, as Google does not like plagiarism – even if you’ve only plagiarized yourself.
- Creating unique but painfully fluffy descriptions that don’t tell the reader how your product benefits them and why they should buy it.
- Not conducting the right keyword research. Neglecting niche, relevant keywords, particularly long tails, in favor of only using head terms, or choosing keywords that aren’t relevant to the product is disastrous because you won’t be ranking for the right terms in search, so buyers can’t find you organically.
- Not including enough images. Because your customers can’t touch, pick up, or get close to your actual product, you need to include as many images as possible to show your product from all angles, to give the customer a sense of how the product will look, feel, or perform. 360-degree product tours are incredibly useful for this.
- Adding rich media modules before adding product information. This results in absorption failure. Get your product information in and successfully absorbed before you add rich media modules.
How to Get the Most Out of Walmart Rich Media Pages?
To get the best possible Walmart Rich Media page, utilize the information pages available on the Walmart Developer page to find out what can and cannot be included. Find a template option that you can trust to develop content that will attract and keep customers. Make sure products are displayed prominently, and descriptions are honest and informative. Content should be fresh, and imagery should be clear and include product branding when applicable.
eZdia’s CrewMachine Platform helps brands, sellers, and suppliers to update their product pages on Walmart.com with Rich Media within 24 hours.
Let’s get started!
- Just give us your rich media source URL and Walmart.com. URL where you want to publish the content.
- We prepare a proof of how your Walmart.com page(s) will look with the Rich Media. You can approve or request changes to be made.
- Your page(s) will go live on Walmart.com within hours of approving the proof. This all takes less than 24 hours.
