Through an official blog post, WhatsApp has announced several new features that are coming to the Updates tab. These updates mark a shift in how the platform handles monetization, creator tools, and content discovery.
Ads in Status
First, the company is preparing to show ads in the Status, similar to how they appear in the Instagram Stories. The introduction of ads may raise privacy concerns among WhatsApp’s massive user base, which reportedly exceeds 1.5 billion.
While announcing these changes, WhatsApp reassured users that none of the ads will appear in chats, groups, or any part of WhatsApp, other than the Updates tab. All private or group chats, calls, and status updates will continue to remain end-to-end encrypted.
The Meta-owned platform also stated that it will use limited data for ad targeting, such as users’ country or city, language, followed Channels, and how they interact with ads.
Channel Subscriptions
Alongside this, WhatsApp has also introduced Channel Subscriptions. This allows channel owners to offer exclusive content through paid subscriptions, giving them a new way to monetize their following. Channel owners have full control over how much they charge for subscriptions.
Once the subscription plan is enabled, a diamond icon will appear in the top bar to indicate the availability of exclusive content. Each subscription lasts for 30 days, and subscribers can view all exclusive content posted within the past 30 days.
Promoted Channels
For independent and business channels, Meta is also introducing a way to promote their channels within WhatsApp to increase visibility and attract more followers. This will be especially useful for those channels that are just starting out and want to build a larger audience. The promoted channels will appear in the channel directory with a tiny ‘Sponsored’ label.
WhatsApp didn’t specify when these updates will roll out, but they are expected to arrive in an upcoming Android or iOS update. We’ll update you with all the details once they go live.
