The future of advertising on WhatsApp

Advertising on WhatsApp. There have been plenty of rumors. Although an exact date still isn’t clear, the option to advertise on messenger service WhatsApp will probably become available in 2019. Companies will finally have the opportunity to reach more than 1.5 billion users worldwide.

Advertising on WhatsApp starts slowly but surely

There is no timeline given for when advertising on WhatsApp will become possible. What is clear, however, is that it will begin gradually with advertisements and sponsored posts being shown in the Status feature. You can find this feature in the lower left corner of the WhatsApp window.

The Status feature is similar to the Instagram Stories feature. Videos, text, and images that are posted in the Status feature disappear after 24 hours. Messages will stay free from advertising – for now.

Benefits of advertising on WhatsApp

An important benefit of advertising on WhatsApp is that it is one of the most direct, personal and easy communication channels to reach someone, anywhere in the world. Most companies use WhatsApp to manage customer relationships, handle orders and resolve customer complaints or other problems.

Since WhatsApp is a highly personal communication tool, companies have the opportunity to build a strong engagement with their (potential) customers – if they use the right ads. This allows for a much better understanding of consumer needs.

Also, WhatsApp is a fast medium. Businesses can quickly answer questions from customers and help them with their order in only a few minutes. This will result in a top quality customer service.

The future of advertising on WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a much more intimate medium than Instagram or Facebook. People use it to send personal messages to their family, friends, and loved ones.

Since WhatsApp is a medium used primarily for private purposes, most people don’t want to see advertisements invading their private conversations. Therefore, advertising will only be possible in the Status feature for now.

There is a chance, however, that advertisements will also expand into other features in the future. This happened with Instagram as well when it increased the number of sponsored posts shown in the personal feed and Stories.

It’s important for companies to be careful not to contaminate their customer relations through WhatsApp with advertisements. Companies that want to advertise on WhatsApp need to find the right balance. WhatsApp ads are therefore likely to become even more personalized and interactive.

Conclusion

At this moment, it’s still not possible to advertise on WhatsApp. This is most likely going to change in the course of 2019. Advertisements will initially be shown in the Status feature.

WhatsApp is a medium that is mainly used for private purposes. In order to run a successful marketing campaign on WhatsApp, it’s important not to bombard customers with advertisements. We recommend personalizing ads on WhatsApp, making them highly interactive, and always put the customer first.