It was last year when WhatsApp changed its “Status” feature into one that’s a lot like “Stories” from Instagram. Soon, it will resemble “Stories” even more, as it will also be adding ads to said feature.
The Economic Times quotes WhatsApp Vice President Chris Daniels as saying “We are going to be putting ads in ‘Status’. That is going to be primary [sic] monetisation mode for the company as well as an opportunity for businesses to reach people on WhatsApp.”
The ads will make use of Facebook’s native advertising system. No specific timeline was given regarding its implementation, though it’s believed that the ads will show up in 2019.
The “Status” feature was first implemented in February 2017, with enhancements added six months later. Instagram, on the other hand, implemented “Stories” back in August 2016. Both are derivatives of Snapchat Stories, in which posts made using the feature will disappear in 24 hours.
Facebook acquired WhatsApp back in 2014. The social media platform has since tried to monetise its acquisition, an act that has led to the latter’s co-founders leaving the company.
(Source: The Economic Times)
