Platform Performance Analysis

Discover Which Platforms Drive Your Best Results

Not all platforms perform equally. Shoppers on mobile devices often behave differently than desktop users, and app users may have entirely different purchase patterns. Understanding these differences is crucial for optimizing your advertising budget.

WallyPilot's Channel Performance feature breaks down your advertising results by platform (Mobile, Desktop, and App), showing you exactly where your ad dollars are performing best.

This guide will teach you how to read, interpret, and act on your channel performance data to maximize your return on ad spend.

What is Channel Performance?

The Definition

Channel Performance (also called Platform Performance) is the analysis of your advertising results segmented by the device or platform where your ads were shown and clicked. This includes Mobile (smartphones), Desktop (computers), and App (Walmart mobile app).

Mobile

Ads shown on mobile web browsers (Safari, Chrome on phones)

Desktop

Ads shown on desktop and laptop computers

App

Ads shown in the native Walmart mobile application

Why Channel Performance Matters

Key Benefits of Channel Analysis

Allocate Budget Wisely

Shift ad spend to platforms that deliver the best ROAS

Optimize Creative Strategy

Tailor ad formats and messaging for each platform's users

Identify Growth Opportunities

Discover underperforming channels with potential for improvement

Understand Customer Behavior

Learn how shopping patterns differ across devices

How to Access Channel Performance in WallyPilot

Method 1: Dashboard Widget

The quickest way to view your channel performance is from the main dashboard.

1. Navigate to your WallyPilot dashboard
2. Scroll to the "Channel Performance" widget
3. View top 3 platforms with key metrics
4. See overall spend, sales, and ROAS summary

Method 2: Detailed Analytics View

For in-depth analysis, use the full channel performance page.

1. From dashboard, click "View Detailed Analytics" button
2. Or navigate directly to Platform Analytics
3. Access all platforms with complete metrics
4. Use date range filters for custom analysis

Understanding the Metrics

Key Performance Indicators by Channel

ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)

The most important metric. Shows how much revenue you earn for every dollar spent on ads for each platform.

Formula: Total Sales ÷ Total Spend

Example: Mobile shows 3.2x ROAS = You earn $3.20 for every $1 spent on mobile ads

Total Sales

The total revenue generated from conversions attributed to ads shown on each platform. This helps you understand which platforms drive the most absolute revenue.

Total Spend

The amount you've invested in advertising on each platform. Shows where your budget is currently allocated.

Impressions

Number of times your ads were displayed on each platform. Indicates reach and visibility.

Clicks

Number of times users clicked your ads on each platform. Higher clicks indicate better ad engagement.

Platform Percentage

The percentage of your total ad spend allocated to each platform. Shows your current budget distribution.

Reading the Channel Performance Bar Chart

Visual Guide

Mobile

3.20x

$12,450 sales$3,890 spend

How to Read This:

• Bar Length: Shows ROAS relative to other platforms (longer = better)
• Number Inside Bar: Exact ROAS value (3.20x in this example)
• Platform Icon: Identifies the channel (Mobile, Desktop, or App)
• Sales & Spend: Shows the raw numbers used to calculate ROAS
• Bar Color: Blue (Mobile), Purple (Desktop), Green (App)

Using Date Range Filters

Available Date Ranges

WallyPilot provides three preset date ranges for channel performance analysis:

3 Days

Recent performance snapshot

Best for: Quick checks, daily optimization, recent campaign changes

14 Days

Two-week trend analysis

Best for: Identifying patterns, weekly reviews, strategy adjustments

30 Days

Default

Monthly performance view

Best for: Strategic planning, budget allocation, comprehensive analysis

Interpreting Your Channel Performance Results

Strong Performance Indicators

• ROAS above 3.0x: Excellent return, consider increasing budget
• High sales with moderate spend: Efficient platform, scale up carefully
• Growing impressions & clicks: Increasing visibility and engagement
• Consistent performance across dates: Reliable platform for your products

Warning Signs

• ROAS below 2.0x: Platform may need optimization or budget reduction
• High spend, low sales: Poor targeting or creative, needs attention
• Many impressions, few clicks: Ad creative not engaging on this platform
• Declining trend over time: Platform performance deteriorating

Optimization Opportunities

• One platform significantly outperforms others: Shift more budget there
• App shows high ROAS but low volume: Opportunity to scale app advertising
• Desktop has high clicks but low conversions: Improve landing page for desktop users
• Mobile dominates but desktop underutilized: Test desktop-specific strategies

Action Steps Based on Your Results

Scenario 1: Mobile Outperforms Desktop & App

Example: Mobile ROAS = 4.2x, Desktop ROAS = 2.1x, App ROAS = 1.8x

Recommended Actions:

1. Increase budget allocation to mobile campaigns (shift 60-70% to mobile)
2. Optimize product images and titles for mobile viewing
3. Test mobile-specific ad copy and calls-to-action
4. Consider dayparting to target peak mobile shopping hours
5. Investigate why desktop/app underperform (creative? targeting?)

Scenario 2: All Platforms Perform Poorly

Example: All platforms show ROAS below 1.5x

Recommended Actions:

1. Review and optimize keyword targeting (may be too broad)
2. Analyze competitor pricing and product positioning
3. Improve product listings (title, images, bullet points)
4. Check if product reviews and ratings need improvement
5. Consider pausing campaigns and restructuring strategy

Scenario 3: Balanced Performance Across All Platforms

Example: Mobile = 3.5x, Desktop = 3.2x, App = 3.8x

Recommended Actions:

1. Maintain current budget distribution (it's working!)
2. Test slight budget increases on the top performer (App in this case)
3. Look for micro-optimizations within each platform
4. Focus on scaling overall ad spend while maintaining ROAS
5. Monitor for any platform-specific trends or changes

Best Practices for Channel Performance Analysis

Do's

Check weekly: Review channel performance at least once per week
Compare time periods: Look at 3-day vs 30-day to spot trends
Test platform-specific creatives: Different ad formats for different devices
Document changes: Note when you shift budgets to track impact
Combine with other data: Look at channel performance alongside campaign metrics

Don'ts

Don't react to 3-day data alone: Short-term fluctuations are normal
Don't abandon platforms too quickly: Give changes 2-4 weeks to show results
Don't ignore context: Seasonality affects platform performance differently
Don't forget mobile optimization: Most traffic comes from mobile
Don't put all eggs in one basket: Maintain presence across platforms

Advanced Channel Performance Strategies

Cross-Platform Optimization

Use insights from one platform to improve another:

• If mobile ads convert well, use similar images/copy on desktop
• Test winning keywords from desktop on mobile campaigns
• Use app engagement data to inform mobile web strategy

Platform-Specific Targeting

Tailor your approach based on platform behavior patterns:

Mobile Users:

Quick decisions, impulse buys, browse during commute or breaks

Desktop Users:

Research-heavy, compare products, higher-value purchases

App Users:

Loyal customers, repeat buyers, convenience-focused

Sequential Testing Strategy

Systematically optimize each platform:

Week 1-2: Establish baseline performance across all platforms
Week 3-4: Optimize top-performing platform (increase budget 20%)
Week 5-6: Fix underperforming platform (new creatives, adjust targeting)
Week 7-8: Balance and scale based on results

Troubleshooting Common Issues

No Data Showing

• Ensure your Walmart account is connected properly
• Check that you have active campaigns running
• Verify the selected date range has data (try 30 days)
• Wait 24-48 hours for data to sync from Walmart

Only One Platform Showing

• This is normal if your ads only show on one platform
• Check Walmart Ads Manager to verify platform distribution
• Some campaign types only run on specific platforms
• Consider enabling campaigns across all platforms for better insights

ROAS Seems Incorrect

• ROAS is calculated from Walmart's attribution data
• Check if you're looking at the right date range
• Verify sales and spend numbers in Walmart Ads Manager
• Data may take 24-48 hours to fully sync and update

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