WhatsApp In-App Ads

Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, also owns WhatsApp, so it's not surprising to learn that they are still working on adding in-app ads to make a buck.


WhatsApp might still deploy ads "alongside the app's Instagram Stories-like Status feature, company head Will Cathcart.

Cathcart states that WhatsApp won't have ads in the inbox or the "messaging experience" but that subscribers and owners could promote ads for it within Channels.

WhatsApp has been searching for ways to put ads in the app, going all the way back to 2018, when the company considered ads in the Status feature. There seemed to be some concern, however, that ads could upset privacy-focused users. Rather than discontinue the idea of ads, the company put it on the back burner.

Previously, WhatsApp has depended on its business messaging service and click-to-WhatsApp ads on platforms like Facebook to generate cash. In 2022, it generated $906 million, almost all of which came from the WhatsApp for Business app.

One thing is certain: with all the testing and new features, Meta is looking for ways to generate better cash flow. Earlier in the year, WhatsApp introduced a broadcast-based messaging feature called Channels, which is designed to let entities rather than individuals broadcast information. The goal with Channels has always been to generate cash at some point in time.

With more than 2 billion users worldwide, many analysts say it's only a matter of time before Meta brings ads to WhatsApp, especially when the company's 'cheaper' acquisition, Instagram, has made great leaps with monetization since it was bought, with several reports stating that Instagram has generated $43.2 billion in ad revenue in 2022.

While there's no deadline for the move, many feel that WhatsApp may be unable to compete without the added revenue. Right now, we're all just waiting to see WhatsUp with WhatsApp.

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