WhatsApp starts rolling out status ads and promoted channels, but only for select users
Next up is Promoted Channels, designed to help public channels gain more visibility within WhatsApp's directory. Much like Status Ads, promoted channels will carry a "sponsored" label to differentiate them from organic suggestions. When a business or creator pays to promote their channel, it gets bumped up in the visibility rankings, making it easier for potential followers to discover and engage with their content.This could be a game-changer for brands, creators, and organisations looking to grow their communities more quickly than they could through organic means.User privacy remains intactDespite concerns around advertising on private messaging platforms, WhatsApp insists that user privacy remains unaffected. Ads won't leak into your private chats, and Meta says the promotional features are confined strictly to public-facing areas like Status and Channels.Additionally, in a previous beta version (2.25.19.15), WhatsApp had already begun testing a feature allowing users to download detailed ad activity reports. These reports include information about which ads were shown, who the advertisers were, and on what dates users saw them, bringing a level of transparency that's uncommon in traditional ad ecosystems.With these tools, WhatsApp is finally stepping more confidently into the ad-driven creator economy, long dominated by platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. For everyday users, the updates might bring a touch of annoyance, but for small businesses and creators, this could be a much-needed boost.- Ends
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