WhatsApp has announced the introduction of new features within its Updates tab, a space that includes Channels and Status. The company aims to build business opportunities on WhatsApp without disrupting personal conversations. The Updates tab is now utilized by 1.5 billion people globally each day.
The initiative focuses on three main areas: channel subscriptions, promoted channels, and ads in Status. Users can subscribe to their preferred channels for exclusive updates at a monthly fee. Promoted channels will help users discover new content as they browse through the directory, offering channel administrators a way to increase visibility. Ads in Status will allow users to find new businesses and engage with them regarding products or services being promoted.
These features are designed to be contained within the Updates tab, ensuring that personal chat experiences remain unchanged for those who use WhatsApp solely for communication with friends and family.
In line with WhatsApp's commitment to privacy, these features have been developed with privacy considerations at the forefront. Personal messages, calls, and statuses continue to be end-to-end encrypted, safeguarding user privacy from Meta or any other third parties.
To tailor ads in Status or Channels relevantly, limited information such as country or city location, language preferences, followed Channels, and ad interaction behavior may be used. For those who integrate WhatsApp into Accounts Center, additional ad preferences from across Meta accounts might also inform advertising content.
WhatsApp assures users that phone numbers will not be sold or shared with advertisers and that personal communications will not influence ad targeting. The rollout of these features will occur gradually over several months.