WhatsApp Introduces Ads and Subscription Features for Channels

MENLO PARK, Calif. — WhatsApp is launching new advertising features and subscription options for users, marking its most significant monetization effort to date. Starting Monday, Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, will begin rolling out ads in the Updates tab, a separate section of the app, while ensuring that private chats remain free of advertisements.

WhatsApp currently boasts around 1.5 billion users worldwide. The new ad features will utilize user information such as country, city, and language to display relevant ads, but personal chat data will remain confidential, as the messages are encrypted.

Meta has also introduced the ability for Channel owners to charge users a subscription fee for exclusive content. This initiative allows businesses to promote their channels within WhatsApp while generating revenue through user subscriptions. WhatsApp will take a 10% cut from this fee, with additional app store charges possibly applied.

According to Nikila Srinivasan, Meta’s head of product for business messaging, this shift represents a natural evolution for messaging platforms. ‘We’ve been thinking about how we can give people a space to discover things that they’re interested in,’ she said.

Social media expert Matt Navarra emphasized that this move aligns WhatsApp more closely with Meta’s other platforms but comes with risks, especially in markets like the UK and Europe, where users prefer a straightforward messaging tool without distractions from ads. ‘Any perception that the app is becoming noisy will spark backlash,’ he said.

WhatsApp has had previous challenges maintaining user trust, especially after changes to its privacy policies caused concerns in 2021. However, Srinivasan reiterated that these ads will not disrupt the user experience in private messaging.

As WhatsApp looks to generate more revenue, it’s clear that the introduction of ads and subscription services are a pivotal step toward evolving into a broader platform while keeping user privacy at the forefront.