WhatsApp is globally rolling out three new advertising features.
Meta assures users that ads won’t appear within private chats, and message content (being encrypted) won’t influence ad targeting.
Instead, ad personalization will leverage user location (country and city), language, ad interaction history, and followed channels.
However, users linking their WhatsApp accounts to Facebook or Instagram will experience more personalized ads.
These ads will reside in a dedicated “Updates” tab, separate from the main chat interface.
With 1.5 billion global users, WhatsApp aims to monetize its vast audience.
Businesses with channels can promote themselves within the Updates section, potentially charging subscriptions for premium content.
WhatsApp will receive a 10% commission on these subscriptions, with potential additional app store fees depending on business size.
Businesses can also advertise via status updates, similar to Instagram Stories, linking directly to chat initiation.
Social media expert Matt Navarra suggests Meta is “laying the foundation” for large-scale WhatsApp monetization.
However, he cautions that this “peripheral monetization” strategy, while preserving chat privacy, carries risks, particularly in markets like the UK and Europe, where users prioritize messaging over content feeds.
He notes potential user backlash if the app feels overly commercialized or “Facebook-ified”.
The new features align WhatsApp more closely with Meta’s existing platforms, Facebook and Instagram.
WhatsApp’s Will Cathcart highlights the feature overlap, citing stories and business promotion across platforms as a positive development.
He views this as a natural extension of messaging services, comparable to features in rival apps like Snapchat and Telegram.
Navarra sees this as reflecting broader social media trends: declining public sharing, increased focus on private messaging and Stories.
He cautions Meta against a hasty rollout, warning that an overly aggressive monetization approach could lead to user disengagement or distrust.
Recent user frustration with the non-removable Meta AI tool integration is relevant here. Cathcart emphasizes that ads and channels are optional, with no impact on the core messaging experience.
He clarifies that the “Updates” section, while less popular in the UK, is more widely utilized globally, and the company will review user feedback on the AI integration, noting that other app features are also permanent.
“You can’t delete the channels button, you can’t delete the Updates button, you can’t delete the calls button,” he stated, highlighting the need to balance functionality with user experience.
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