When Meta (then known as Facebook) acquired WhatsApp, the question on everyone's minds was whether the company would look to monetize this cross-platform messaging app that's used by billions of people across the globe. Ads are Meta's bread and butter. You can't spend more than a few seconds using its other properties like Facebook and Instagram without coming across an ad.
However, even though WhatsApp has continued to toy with the idea of ads, they've yet to be integrated into the platform. That could change, as the company now looks to bring ads to the app, but they won't likely be in the most obviously place where you'd expect them.
WhatsApp Status ads remain a possibility
WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart has said that the company could bring ads to its Stories-like Status feature. WhatsApp Channels may be another place where you could see ads. Cathcart did confirm that WhatsApp isn't planning to show ads in the main inbox.
This means that you won't have any ads disrupting your WhatsApp conversations or showing up in the inbox. It would come as a relief to many WhatsApp owners who would understandably fear that the most natural implementation of ads in this cross-platform messaging app would be in the inbox.
The company is open to other forms of monetization, though. Cathcart mentioned that channels may be allowed to charge people to subscribe and that channel owners could promote ads for it within channel. He didn't mention precisely when these paid promotion options may be available, but it's clear that we may ultimately start seeing ads in WhatsApp in one way or another. Speaking of channels, have you joined the official SamMobile WhatsApp channel yet?
