Now, WhatsApp To Show Ads

Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has introduced advertisements for the first time on its platform in a push to grow its revenue. 

In a blog post, the platform said that users will see ads in the ‘Updates’ tab while swiping through status updates of their contacts, thereby allowing them to reach out to businesses directly to enquire about a product or service. 

Besides, WhatsApp said that users can now subscribe to receive “exclusive updates” from channels for a monthly fee. The messaging platform will also provide an option to channel administrators to promote themselves, giving them a way to increase their channel’s visibility. 

These ads will appear in between stories as users swipe from one to another, like they do on Meta’s other platforms, Instagram and Facebook. WhatsApp said that ads will be restricted to the Updates tab only, hence, not infringe on users’ personal chats. 

“Over 1.5 Bn users visit the Updates tab every day to get Status updates or view Channels from people and organisations they care about. Make it easier for people to start a conversation with your business or find and follow your channel by advertising on WhatsApp, so you can build relationships and grow,” a statement by WhatsApp read. 

Besides, the company said that the ads displayed on the platform will come up based on the users’ country or city, language, “Channels” they are following. For linked accounts, Meta will utilise ad preferences and info from across the users’ Meta accounts.

The company will roll out ads slowly over the next several months globally. “For users on the Updates tab, we will be giving them a chance to read our new policy about this, and we’re not going to hurry people. We want to make sure they have a chance to read and accept it,” WhatsApp’s head of product Alice Newton-Rex reportedly said during a media roundtable.

The move will allow the company to add another revenue stream. 

Till now, WhatsApp’s business customers promoted their brands on Instagram, Meta’s then India VP Sandhya Devanathan said in February. “We have enabled the Click To WhatsApp feature for businesses promoting on Instagram so that the potential consumers directly reach out to these businesses through a single click and connect them on WhatsApp, thereby enabling completion of sales cycles for these businesses,” said Devanathan, who is now VP of India and Southeast Asia at Meta.

Notably, India is among the key markets for Meta because of the large number of users.

Earlier in the day, Meta appointed Arun Srinivas as its managing director and India head, days after its VP and head of public policy in the country, Shivnath Thukral, stepped down.

In his new role, Srinivas will help in Meta’s business, innovation and revenue growth, as per Meta’s statement. Srinivas will lead the India charter and strengthen the relationships with brands, advertisers, developers and partners in the country for market growth.