WhatsApp explores ad placement in Status and channels, says CEO
As of now, Meta hasn’t revealed specific plans for introducing these ads, which could potentially involve channel subscriptions, paid member exclusivity, or channel owner promotions.
WhatsApp’s CEO, Will Cathcart, has revealed in an interview that while the platform won’t be showing ads in users’ primary inboxes, it is considering the possibility of ad placement in the Status – the app’s Stories-like feature – and channels. Cathcart clarified that these ads could be tied to channel subscriptions, exclusivity for paid members, or promotional efforts by channel owners.
Meta, the parent company, hasn’t provided specifics about when or if ads will be introduced in Status or channels. Thus far, WhatsApp’s current revenue stream relies on business messaging and click-to-WhatsApp ads on platforms like Facebook, serving its extensive user base of over 2 billion people worldwide.
Why does it matter?
For a while, experts have been speculating that Meta would introduce advertisements on WhatsApp, aiming to generate revenue from the messaging service. WhatsApp has considered showing ads in features like WhatsApp Status over the last decade but consistently abandoned such plans, as reported by The Wall Street Journal in 2020. Although there is no official statement from Meta on the matter, the CEO’s comments do not rule out the possibility of a future change in the company’s policy.
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