Now, Meta is following through with some major moves that will turn WhatsApp into an enterprise, and monetizable, platform at scale. This initiative comes as the company looks to leverage the messaging service’s vast user base, particularly in regions where it is predominantly utilized for personal communication. WhatsApp is a very popular, border-crossing messaging tool in the UK and indeed much of Europe. Users in these areas are reluctant to adopt discovery queues and sponsored posts.
The Update section of WhatsApp is a place for users to share their day-to-day experiences, similar to Instagram Stories. It hasn’t taken off very well at all in the UK. This feature is the norm on almost every other continent. Meta is introducing a new advertising tactic too. It will allow businesses to upload advertisements as company announcements! These ads will look like Instagram Stories and will connect users directly to relevant conversations if they swipe up on the ad.
Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp, made it clear that the rollout of these ads would not disrupt the messaging experience for users. He stated, “I want to stress this won’t affect your inbox.” He further clarified that users who primarily use WhatsApp for messaging might not notice these changes: “If you’re only using WhatsApp for messaging, you’re not going to see this.”
The move to add advertisements is in keeping with Meta’s grand plan, as the company continues to insist that WhatsApp can become a major money-maker. Matt Navarra, a social media expert, remarked that this step represents a “natural extension of messaging services.” All of these additions, he noted, are already commonplace on competitive apps. Broadly, this lack of control extends to communication applications, including highly popular platforms such as Snapchat and Telegram.
Fears have already been raised over an irremovable AI feature set to come to WhatsApp. This has many people concerned about what it means for consumer experience. Cathcart confirmed that some additions, like the new channels button and Updates Button, are here to stay as permanent parts of the app. “You can’t delete the channels button, you can’t delete the Updates button, you can’t delete the calls button,” he explained. He added that maintaining simplicity is essential: “I mean, we don’t want to have a service that has lots of settings… that’s complexity too.”
Even with these changes, experts warn that user reception may still be a challenge. Navarra noted what has become a growing trend in the last few years. There’s a drop off in public sharing in social media. What he found remarkable is the death of the feed. Public sharing is in decline, and folks are holed-up in DMs and Stories with smaller groups. He cautioned that Meta cannot be in a hurry to monetize. If WhatsApp becomes just another ad delivery system, users will feel alienated and skeptical.