WhatsApp introduces ads, paid channel subscriptions

WASHINGTON:  Meta has officially announced the rollout of ads on WhatsApp, marking a significant shift in the platform’s strategy. These ads will be displayed in the Updates tab, which houses both Channels and Status updates.

According to Meta reports obtained by GSM Arena, the Updates tab is utilised by 1.5 billion people daily worldwide.

-Ads in Status: Businesses can promote their products or services in the Status section, enabling users to discover new businesses and initiate conversations directly.

– Promoted Channels: Channels will have the option to boost their visibility in the directory, helping users discover new content and increasing reach for channel admins.

– Channel Subscriptions: Users can pay a monthly fee to receive exclusive updates from their favourite channels, providing creators with a new revenue stream.

– Targeting: WhatsApp will use limited information, such as city or country, language, followed Channels, and ad interactions, to display relevant ads.

– Privacy: Personal messages, calls, and statuses will remain end-to-end encrypted, and phone numbers won’t be shared with advertisers.

– Ad Preferences: Users who have linked their WhatsApp account to the Meta Accounts Center may see ads based on their preferences and information from other Meta accounts.

Meta emphasises that the Updates tab will keep ads separate from personal chats, ensuring no change to the user experience for those who primarily use WhatsApp for personal conversations.

The rollout of these features is expected to occur gradually over several months. (ANI)