WhatsApp to Introduce Ads on Status as Meta Expands App’s Revenue Model

After years of keeping its platform free from advertisements, WhatsApp is preparing to display ads within its app. The popular messaging service, owned by Meta, confirmed that advertisements will soon appear on the Status tab — its version of Instagram’s Stories feature. Similar to how users encounter ads between Instagram Stories, WhatsApp users will start seeing promotional content after viewing a few Status updates from their contacts.

According to the company, these ads will be tailored based on general signals such as a user’s country, city, preferred language, the channels they follow, and their interaction with previous ads. Importantly, Meta emphasized that it will not access or use private information such as phone numbers, personal messages, calls, or group data for ad targeting purposes. However, users who have linked their WhatsApp to Meta’s Account Center will have their ad preferences factored into the ads they see.

Alongside this, WhatsApp plans to boost its Channels feature, a one-way broadcast tool for creators and businesses, by letting them promote their Channels within a new discovery section. Select creators and companies will also be permitted to monetize their updates by offering subscriptions, unlocking exclusive content for paying followers. These subscription payments will be handled through standard app store systems.

Over 1.5 billion people use WhatsApp Status and Channels on a daily basis, according to Meta. Until now, the platform primarily generated income through its WhatsApp Business services and click-to-WhatsApp advertising, both of which have been highlighted by Meta as significant and fast-growing revenue sources in recent financial reports.

WhatsApp’s VP of Product, Alice Newton-Rex, remarked that introducing ads and promotional tools felt like a natural progression, considering the scale of its business features and growing demand from companies looking to reach consumers directly on the platform. These updates, including Status ads and Channel promotions, are expected to be rolled out worldwide in the coming months.