WhatsApp to start showing more adverts in messaging app

WhatsApp to start showing more adverts in messaging app 6 hours ago Share Save Zoe Kleinman • @zsk Technology editor Share Save Getty Images WhatsApp is launching three new ad features in a global roll-out across the messaging app. The Meta-owned platform says the new ads will not be shown in the same place as people's private chats, nor will the contents of their messages - which are encrypted - be used to decide which ads to display. WhatsApp will instead use the country, city and language of the user, as well as how they interact with other ads and which channels they follow, to drive suggested content. But people who have chosen to link their WhatsApp account to Facebook or Instagram will see more personalised ads. The new ad features will appear in a section called Updates, which is a separate tab at the bottom of the app. WhatsApp claims to have 1.5 billion users globally. Businesses with channels will be able to choose to promote ads in the Updates section to attract new followers, and also charge a subscription to access extra content. WhatsApp will eventually take a 10% commission of that fee, and there may also be extra costs on top of that taken at the app store level depending on the size of the business. Firms will also be able to advertise in the form of a status update, which looks similar to an Instagram story and will link through to start a chat if clicked on. Social media expert Matt Navarra told the BBC that Meta is "laying the foundation for WhatsApp to finally become a monetisable platform at scale". But "monetising the periphery" of WhatsApp, while keeping personal chats private, would not be without risk for the company, he added. This could particularly be the case in markets like the UK and Europe, he said, where the app is viewed primarily as a messaging tool with less appetite for content feeds or adverts. "Any perception that the app is becoming noisy or Facebook-ified will spark backlash," he said. How does WhatsApp make money? 'Natural extension'