In a significant shift for the platform, WhatsApp has announced that it will start displaying advertisements for the first time since its launch in 2009. The company stated that ads are “rolling out gradually”.
Currently, ads will exclusively appear in the Updates tab, where users can share statuses, follow channels, or join groups based on specific interests. Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, emphasized that this placement ensures that advertisements will not “interrupt personal chats.”
With 1.5 billion users engaging with the Updates tab daily, Meta pointed out that those who primarily use WhatsApp for direct messaging or personal group interactions can avoid encountering ads entirely. “Now the Updates tab is going to be able to help Channel admins, organizations, and businesses build and grow,” the announcement from Meta noted.
Users will encounter three types of ads within WhatsApp. Firstly, ads can appear in the Status section, where users usually share ephemeral content like photos, videos, and text. When scrolling through friends’ status updates, users will notice advertisements and can easily message the company regarding the promoted offerings.
Secondly, Promoted Channels will be introduced, providing admins a new avenue to enhance their Channel’s visibility, according to Meta.
Lastly, advertisers will have the option to charge users a monthly subscription for “exclusive updates.” For instance, individuals might subscribe to a cooking channel to receive alerts about new recipes.
To determine which advertisements users will see, Meta indicated that WhatsApp will use various pieces of user data, including country code, age, device language settings, and a general location like city or country.