WhatsApp is no longer just a messaging app. Remember when scrolling through WhatsApp statuses were a quiet affair? Vacation pictures, relationship drama, dance videos and the works? Well, not for long, your little green goblin for office group chats and family ‘good morning messages’ maybe turning into a digital billboard.
On June 16, 2025, WhatsApp announced a significant expansion of its business capabilities, allowing users to discover new businesses and initiate conversations directly from Status updates. The move marks a pivotal development in Meta’s ongoing monetisation strategy, positioning WhatsApp closer to its sibling platforms, Facebook and Instagram, in terms of advertising integration.
According to an official statement on WhatsApp’s blog, while the platform introduces advertising through Status and Channels, core features such as personal messages, calls, and status updates will remain end-to-end encrypted. This encryption ensures that neither WhatsApp nor third parties can access the content of private communications.
To deliver relevant ads, WhatsApp will utilise limited user data, including location, language preferences, followed Channels, and engagement with existing ads. For those who have linked WhatsApp with Meta’s Accounts Center, the platform will also draw on ad preferences and behavioural data from across Meta-owned services. Notably, WhatsApp has reiterated that users’ phone numbers will not be sold or shared with advertisers, and personal chats or group activities will not influence the ads presented.
From Encrypted Chats to Commercial Channels
The update is part of Meta’s broader monetisation strategy, which includes indexing Instagram Reels within WhatsApp and introducing cross-platform commercial integrations. These developments signal a departure from WhatsApp’s original positioning as a purely private, ad-free messaging service to one increasingly aligned with Meta’s advertising-driven business model.
For the digital industry, this shift represents a substantial expansion of commercial opportunities within closed messaging environments. Rajiv Dingra, Founder and CEO, ReBid, a digital marketing agency, shares that the clients are increasingly open to exploring WhatsApp as a marketing channel, particularly for high-intent, last-mile engagement. The appeal lies in its high penetration, personal nature, and near-instant open rates. “Unlike other social platforms, WhatsApp offers a direct line to the user, which is gold for performance-driven brands—especially in BFSI, D2C, and education sectors,” he says.
Performance Over Presence: What Brands Are Prioritising
As the lines blur between social interaction and commercial engagement, brands are now presented with the potential to connect more contextually and personally with their audiences. This evolution raises a pertinent question: Will the ad inventory on WhatsApp open new creative or performance opportunities for brands?
Avi Kumar, CMO, FNP, says it is an interesting move that definitely changes how brands can show up on WhatsApp. He also adds that the brand’s approach will be to experiment carefully and focus on personalisation and utility over pure visibility. “For us at FNP, WhatsApp has always been more than a channel — it’s where many of our customers interact with us for order updates, reminders, and even gifting assistance. The Status ad inventory could be useful, provided it’s designed for contextual and value‑adding communication rather than just interruptive ads,” he states.
According to Darayus Mehta, Co-founder, True Diamond, the introduction of ad inventory presents a significant opportunity for his brand to deepen consumer engagement in a space where they are already highly active. The brand views WhatsApp Status ads as a compelling alternative to traditional Meta advertising channels.
“What makes this particularly exciting is that we are not asking consumers to go somewhere new — we are meeting them where they already are. This creates opportunities for more natural, less intrusive brand interactions that feel integrated into their daily communication habits rather than disruptive to them,” he notes.
Cross-Posting Reels to WhatsApp
Before 2025, sharing Instagram Reels on WhatsApp generally required extra steps such as downloading the reel or copying a link, as there was no direct integration for posting Reels to WhatsApp Status. In April 2025, Instagram introduced a major update enabling users to share Reels directly from Instagram to WhatsApp as a Status with all audio and visuals intact.
For brand and agency experts, this means their storytelling and performance content can gain visibility not just on Instagram, but also reach intent-driven users on WhatsApp who may be closer to the point of action.
Shankar Prasad, Founder and CEO, Plum, is rethinking what makes content “share-worthy.” He believes that it is no longer just about creating content that performs well in-feed but also about creating something that someone wants to forward to a friend.
“We’re now collaborating with creators who not only have influence but also a certain warmth and relatability. The kind of people who make content that’s not just scrolled past, but saved, shared, and talked about. That’s the kind of chemistry we’re looking to build with our community,” he elucidates.
Cross-Platform Planning Gets Smarter
Sunitha Natarajan, Director of Digital Strategy, Social Panga, speaks on the evolution of the App. She shares that the content reach has expanded beyond just the native app, meaning that now WhatsApp also plays an important role in the media mix. It allows agencies to share reels as statuses or leverage AI-driven features to search for specific reels. This cross-platform approach extends the lifecycle of the content that is made.
She also adds that now agencies are frequently using cross-platform insights (Instagram + WhatsApp) for retargeting. “For example, we’ve worked with brands like MAGGI to deliver recipe suggestions during lunch through ads and collected first-party data for retargeting. With more ad inventory available, I see opportunities for more creative and personalised retargeting strategies. By leveraging insights from both Instagram and WhatsApp, we can create a more nuanced understanding of our audience and tailor our communication to their needs,” she highlights.
Achyuta Nand Chand, Co - Founder, Mashrise, explains that with Reels indexing boosting content reach, WhatsApp is used more strategically for post-click actions. It’s become a core channel for direct customer conversations, lead qualification, and driving quicker decisions through personalised, one-on-one engagement.
“We’re already building smarter retargeting loops using Meta’s cross- platform data. For example, someone who watched a Reel might get a WhatsApp CTA for a lead form or product demo. It’s early days, but the uplift in quality engagement has been promising,” he conveys.
Still Early Days for Paid Status Campaigns
On the other hand, Shivashish Tarkas, Founder, The InterMentalist, remarks that Videos, Shorts, Reels, and more can and are being shared via WhatsApp, but that is more shares-driven, not status monetisation-driven. “We do use WhatsApp for sharing and increasing reach, but the majority of traction still comes from the post and video. We have not done any paid campaigns which are status based and nor do we see brands asking for it. Instagram and YouTube still dominate the influencer marketing community,” he states.
Content creators have also begun to reassess how the platform fits into their distribution strategies. For creators like Crafter Aditi, who is known for her DIY and craft content, the shift presents a chance to engage with audiences beyond traditional social channels.
“It’s a fresh way to reach people, especially those who may not follow us on other platforms,” she shares, noting that the success of the format will hinge on how seamlessly it blends into the existing user experience.
While some have raised concerns about audience fatigue, creators see potential in WhatsApp’s everyday intimacy and high engagement. When asked about adapting her content for the platform, Aditi says, “I’d make small tweaks to suit the platform and its users—like sharper hooks or more engaging edits—but my overall content style and storytelling approach would stay true to what I do and what my audience likes.”
The Seamless Funnel: Discovery to Conversion
According to Manish Solanki, COO and Co-founder of TheSmallBigIdea, this move allows brands to offer a more cohesive journey across platforms and seamlessly transitioning users from discovery to direct engagement. “WhatsApp’s role has definitely grown and is no longer just a customer service tool,” he elaborates.
“With features like Reels indexing coming into play, we can now stitch together a smoother journey: someone discovers a brand on Instagram, then continues the conversation or makes a purchase on WhatsApp,” Solanki shares.
However, he emphasises the need for thoughtful use of the platform, adding, “People see WhatsApp as a personal space, so we try to keep interactions genuine and non-intrusive. It’s about showing up in the right way, not just showing up.”
As WhatsApp becomes more integrated into Meta’s content ecosystem, agencies are rethinking how it fits into the full-funnel digital strategy.
