Everything Advertisers Need to Know About WhatsApp Ads

WhatsApp, the world’s largest messaging app, is officially entering the advertising space. In a significant product shift announced by parent company Meta, WhatsApp will begin displaying ads within its Status updates and offering Channel Subscriptions and Promoted Channels—creating a new set of opportunities for advertisers and creators alike.

The rollout marks the first large-scale monetization push on the platform since Meta acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014, and it represents a careful balancing act between business growth and the app’s long-held privacy commitments.

Where Ads Will Appear

Ads will be limited to the Updates tab, which includes Status (WhatsApp’s equivalent of Instagram Stories) and Channels (broadcast-style feeds from creators, businesses, and organizations).

• Status Ads: These will appear between users’ Stories-like updates and allow direct engagement via tap-to-chat features. This creates a new path for businesses to drive discovery and conversion—without intruding on private conversations.
• Promoted Channels: Businesses and creators can now pay to boost their Channels in WhatsApp’s Explore directory, expanding their reach organically.
• Channel Subscriptions: Creators and businesses can offer exclusive content for a monthly fee. WhatsApp will not take a revenue share during the first year in most markets, although platform fees may apply depending on region and app store rules.

Targeting and Data Use

WhatsApp’s ad model prioritizes privacy-focused targeting, using only basic metadata to determine ad relevance:

• Inputs used include:
  • Country and city
  • Device language
  • Channels a user follows
  • Interaction history with ads
  • Meta ad preferences (if users opt into Accounts Center)

Critically, WhatsApp says it will not use private message content, groups, or calls for ad targeting, and user phone numbers will not be sold or shared with advertisers.

What This Means for Advertisers

With more than 3 billion monthly active users, and 1.5 billion daily active users in the Updates tab alone, WhatsApp is introducing a previously untapped surface with scale and frequency.

For mobile marketers, this presents:

• New full-funnel opportunities: Brands can build awareness through Status ads and drive direct response via tap-to-message CTAs.
• High-value placements: Status ads operate in a low-clutter environment where attention is high and distractions are minimal.
• Enhanced discovery: Promoted Channels enable visibility boosts and targeted channel growth, particularly useful in emerging markets.

In short, WhatsApp is poised to become a powerful new ad channel—sitting alongside Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger in Meta’s ecosystem.

User Experience Safeguards

To avoid alienating its user base, WhatsApp has confined advertising entirely to the Updates tab. If users do not engage with Status or Channels, they will not see ads.

“People want to use WhatsApp for more than messaging close friends and family,” said Nikila Srinivasan, VP of Business Messaging at Meta. “The Updates tab allows us to introduce monetization in a way that doesn’t interfere with personal communication.”

Revenue Potential

Industry analysts see strong upside. According to Evercore ISI, if WhatsApp can generate $6 in revenue per daily user of the Updates tab, Meta could add approximately $10 billion in annual revenue by 2028—with around $5 billion in operating profit.

This would make WhatsApp one of Meta’s most lucrative assets, closing the monetization gap between the messaging platform and Meta’s core social apps.

Looking Ahead

The global rollout of ads and subscriptions will continue over the coming months. Meta has not disclosed a full launch timeline but emphasized that this is only the beginning of its business-facing strategy for WhatsApp.

Advertisers should watch for:

• Expansion of ad formats (e.g. product catalogs, video ads)
• Monetization analytics and measurement tools
• Deeper integrations with Meta’s ad platform