Yarrr! Meta be swearin' on Davy Jones' locker, it won't be plunderin' WhatsApp with blasted ads, mateys!
2023-09-15
Arr, ye scallywags! Meta be denyin' the claim that they be plannin' to add in-feed adverts to the messagin' platform WhatsApp. No ads, they say! Shiver me timbers, let's hope 'tis true, or we'll be settin' sail for a new messagin' voyage!
Meta has released a statement denying accusations that it plans to insert in-feed ads into WhatsApp, following a report from the Financial Times. The report claimed that teams at Meta were considering showing ads in conversation lists on the app's homescreen. However, Meta stated that it has not been working on or testing these features and has no plans for them.This is not the first time Meta has faced accusations of monetizing its user base, as analysts have been predicting this move for years. In 2018 and 2019, Meta had plans to display ads in WhatsApp. The Wall Street Journal revealed plans to show ads in the messaging app's Status feature, while Olivier Ponteville reported that Meta would bring Stories Ads to WhatsApp's status product in 2020. However, the Wall Street Journal later published a follow-up story stating that Meta was backing off its ad plans.
Despite these past plans, Meta has found success in monetizing WhatsApp through its WhatsApp Business platform, offering services and tools to its 200+ million active user base. According to TechCrunch, the "click-to-WhatsApp" ads reached an annual revenue run rate of $1.5 billion during Meta's Q3 2022 earnings call.
Meta has also updated its pricing structure and messaging categories to increase revenue from WhatsApp Business. Additionally, the company plans to add more ways to monetize the service, such as allowing businesses to send personalized messages on Facebook and Instagram through the app, and integrating payments into the Channels feature launched in September 2023.
In summary, Meta denies plans to insert ads into WhatsApp, and although it has previously considered such options, it has found success in monetizing the platform through WhatsApp Business and has other sustainable revenue-generating plans in place.