WhatsApp has officially confirmed that it will begin showing ads from businesses within its app. The move comes after years of internal conversations and public clues, which date back to at least 2018. The ads will be served in the Updates tab, in the Status section, and will use information such as country, language, followed channels, and user behaviour to be more personalised.
Table of Contents
WhatsApp Adds Ads in Status, Paid Channel Subscriptions, and Promotion Tools for Businesses
In a blog post, WhatsApp has explained a few changes that are coming to the Updates tab. Channel subscriptions, Promoted Channels, and ads in Status are launching and are focused on providing support for channel admins, organizations, and businesses to help them grow and get closer to their users. With Channel subscriptions, users can support their favourite WhatsApp Channels by paying a monthly fee. This will give them access to exclusive updates.
The new subscription model also enhances channel discovery, as WhatsApp now allows admins to increase their Channel’s visibility through promotion within the app’s directory. The most significant change, however, is the inclusion of ads. These advertisements will only appear under the Updates tab in Status and will not interfere with personal chats. WhatsApp says these ads are meant to help users discover new businesses and interact directly with them about products or services being promoted. This marks a notable shift in WhatsApp’s business model.
Back in 2018, then-Vice President Chris Daniels referred to ads as the app’s “primary monetisation mode.” Later, Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp, reiterated that ad integration was still in development. With this announcement, those long-standing plans are finally becoming a reality.
WhatsApp has stated that the ads will use limited, non-sensitive information such as location, language, Channels followed, and user preferences from linked Meta accounts through the Accounts Centre. Importantly, the company emphasises that it will never sell or share users’ phone numbers with advertisers, and that private chats, calls, or group messages will remain off-limits for ad targeting.
FAQs
Will WhatsApp show ads in personal chats?
No, ads will only appear in the Updates tab.
Can I support WhatsApp Channels?
Yes, through paid monthly subscriptions.
