Select Language:
Meta has officially begun introducing ads in the “Status” section of WhatsApp. These in-app advertisements resemble Instagram Stories, marking a significant change for the well-loved messaging platform.
Ads Appear, But Only in One Area
When you check the Updates tab on WhatsApp, you’ll notice promotional posts appearing in between your friends’ statuses. The ads are likely to show up only after you’ve scrolled through several of your friends’ updates.
Meta has decided to test ads in the Status screen while keeping private messages unaltered for now. This initiative is part of a larger effort to monetize WhatsApp’s vast user base.
In essence, the company is aiming to generate revenue without compromising user privacy.
According to Meta, these advertisements won’t depend on the content of your personal messages or your phone number. They will be targeted based on general information such as your location, device language, channels you follow, and past interactions with ads. Your account preferences stored by Meta will also help tailor the ads you see.
WhatsApp elaborated on its intentions in a blog post:
“We’ve worked for the past two years to make this tab a place where you can discover new content on WhatsApp, which is now accessed by 1.5 billion people daily. We’re encouraged by the positive response and want to support admins, organizations, and businesses in their growth on WhatsApp.”
In addition to ads, Meta is also introducing paid features for businesses and content creators, including:
- Promoted Channels for increased visibility
- Subscription Channels allowing creators to charge followers for premium content
Notably, Meta won’t take a percentage from these subscriptions for the first year, potentially to lure in initial users. Together, these changes indicate that WhatsApp is evolving beyond a simple messaging app; Meta aims to transform it into a comprehensive business platform, similar to WeChat in China.
Ads Without Intrusion (For Now)
With over 3 billion users, WhatsApp is one of the last major Meta properties that hasn’t been generating significant advertising revenue. The Updates section alone garners 1.5 billion views daily—an incredible opportunity for advertising.
However, Meta understands that WhatsApp users highly value their privacy. By confining ads to the Status updates, the company is proceeding cautiously. If you don’t use the Status feature to share content, you might not even notice this change.
WhatsApp is evolving, and an app cannot remain free forever. For years, it avoided ads while its sister applications, Facebook and Instagram, reaped the benefits of monetization. Now, it’s on a similar path but with careful steps. Yes, ads are here, but only in a space that already feels public. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing ads on the Status screen as long as Meta keeps our chats private and our privacy intact.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
