Whatsapp Is Officially Rolling Out Advertisements

WhatsApp is officially rolling out ads, a move Meta has been considering for years despite initial opposition from WhatsApp’s founders. These ads will appear through WhatsApp’s Stories-like status feature, which is found within the “Updates” tab.

Details about the new advertising approach include:

Ad Placement: Ads will be shown in the “Updates” tab, alongside disappearing text, photo, voice, or video messages shared by friends or family. Meta believes the “Updates” tab is the appropriate place for these new features, aiming not to interrupt personal chats.

Ad Targeting: Meta states it will tailor ads to user interests using “limited” information. This includes your country or city, language, the channels you follow, and how you interact with ads on the platform. Users have the option to change their ad preferences via Meta’s Accounts Center if they have opted into the hub.

Privacy Assurances: Meta has stated it will never sell or share phone numbers to advertisers. Furthermore, the company asserts that it will not use users’ messages, calls, or groups to inform its ads.

Historical Context: Although Meta reversed plans for in-app ads in 2020, WhatsApp head Will Cathcart confirmed in 2023 that the company was still working on an implementation. Meta generated over $160 billion in ad revenue last year.

Additional Changes: Beyond status ads, Meta is also introducing other features to WhatsApp. These include showing promoted channels when users click on the “Explore” button to find new channels, and the ability for users to subscribe to channels to receive exclusive updates.