WhatsApp's New Money-Making Plan: Ads on Status

WhatsApp is shaking things up by introducing ads on its Status feature. This change is big news because, until now, WhatsApp has been all about free, ad-free chatting. So, what's the deal? Users will start seeing ads after they've gone through a few Status updates. It's similar to how Instagram shows ads after a few stories. WhatsApp is using some clever tricks to figure out what ads to show. They look at things like where you live, what language you speak, and which channels you follow. But don't worry, they say they won't use personal stuff like your phone number or messages to target ads. If you've linked your WhatsApp to Meta's Account Center, they might use your account preferences to show ads. WhatsApp is also letting businesses and users promote their Channels. Channels are like broadcast features, and some creators and businesses will even be able to charge for exclusive updates. These payments will go through app stores. WhatsApp has a lot of users. Over 1. 5 billion people use Status and Channels every day. Until now, WhatsApp has made money through its Business platform and click-to-WhatsApp ads. These have been growing steadily. WhatsApp's VP of product thinks these new ads and features are a natural next step. They've been hearing from businesses that want to reach more people directly within WhatsApp. So, it seems like a smart move to keep the app free while making some money. This change is coming soon, rolling out globally in the coming months. It's a big shift, but it's clear that WhatsApp is looking to the future and finding new ways to keep the app running and growing. It's a good reminder that even free services need to find ways to make money. And for businesses, it's a new opportunity to reach a huge audience.