WhatsApp is finally rolling out status advertisements and sponsored channels on the platform. This is in line with Meta's move to port Instagram-esque experiences to the popular messaging platform, making it the go-to tool for businesses communications.
As spotted by WABetaInfo, this new update is currently going live under the WhatsApp beta for iOS version 25.20.10.78 update, which is now available as part of the TestFlight Beta Program. Previously, it was rolled out to WhatsApp Android beta users as well via the 2.25.21.11 build.
Users can now see advertisements between statuses and view Promoted Channels, all located within the Updates tab.
As it is evident from the above image, with the latest beta update, when users are switching to the Updates tab, a new pop-up menu appears with the "Discover more with relevant ads in Status & Channels" title. It gives the user a brief overview of the said changes and re-establishes the fact that these adverts will not appear in between personal chats and messages.
There is also an option to click on an external link to know more about how these advertisements are shown to the user and how they can further fine-tune their experience.
Once the user clicks on the Continue button, it is their silent approval to the Update Tabs Privacy Policy and Updates Tab Terms. There is also a "Not Now" button, which will most likely keep the user's WhatsApp experience for a while.
However, in the coming days, they will have to agree to them anyway since this is not an optional update from WhatsApp.
The publication reports that these status advertisements are placed naturally between status updates. This will fall under the existing swipe forward and backward gesture to view the next and previous status update. This is similar to what we are used to on Instagram, and in case of unwanted adverts, users have the ability to block the advertiser from appearing in the future.
Meanwhile, in case of sponsored channels, they appear under the WhatsApp Channel directory as usual with a subtle paid promotion or promoted label. These channels are usually placed higher on the directory for increased visibility and chances of interaction. This move does not interfere with the organically discovered channels from the user end.
It is important to note that Meta is not going to impose just any advert and promoted channel to the user. With this latest update, a new "Ad preferences" panel is also going live for them. This was first spotted as part of the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.19.14 update.
As part of this update, there is a new downloadable Activity Report, containing recent ad activity information like a list of displayed advertisers, time of ad target and more. Users will also be able to permanently hide ads from specific advertisers shown in their Status or Channels feed going forward.
Meta claims that it only collects limited data like country or city, language, and subscribed channels to show targeted advertisements. Additionally, if the user has added WhatsApp to the Meta Accounts Centre, the platform will be able to use that saved preference info to curate a more personalised ad experience on WhatsApp. However, do note that this option is toggled off by default.
With that said, this new features are currently live for a select few WhatsApp Beta TestFlight users on iOS, with widespread rollout scheduled for the upcoming months. We can expect status advertisements and promoted channels to go live for select Android beta users as well in the coming days.
