WhatsApp has unveiled new monetisation features aimed at businesses and content creators, offering new opportunities to earn income directly through the platform’s “Updates” tab.
According to a recent blog post, the changes are part of Meta’s strategy to diversify revenue across its messaging services. These tools will be limited to the “Updates” section, which includes Channels and Status, and will not interfere with private messaging.
The company stated, “We’re introducing new features for our Updates tab, home to both Channels and Status. These will not affect personal chats and will remain separate from private conversations.”
Among the newly introduced tools is Channel Subscriptions, allowing users to support their favorite creators through recurring monthly payments in exchange for exclusive content.
Additionally, the platform has introduced Promoted Channels, a feature designed to help creators and businesses increase visibility by featuring their channels in users’ recommendations, thus improving discoverability.
Another major update is the integration of ads in the Status section—marking WhatsApp’s first step into direct in-app advertising. Businesses will be able to display ads within the stories-style Status feature, offering users direct messaging options for engagement and purchases.
Addressing concerns about user data, WhatsApp said that ad targeting will use limited data signals such as language, location, and interactions within the Updates tab. For users who link their WhatsApp with Meta’s broader ecosystem through the Accounts Center, insights from Facebook and Instagram may also influence the ads they see.
Despite the introduction of ads, WhatsApp emphasized its continued commitment to privacy:
“All features are designed with user privacy in mind,” the company said, assuring users that private chats, group messages, and calls remain protected with end-to-end encryption. Phone numbers and private messages will not be shared with advertisers.
