New Delhi, Jul 21: Meta is taking a big step to make money from WhatsApp by testing new ad features and in its latest Android beta update (version 2.25.21.11), the messaging platform has introduced two new tools – ‘Status Ads’ and ‘Promoted Channels’.

These features are now available to select beta users on Android, according to WABetaInfo.

Status Ads are similar to the ads you see on Instagram Stories. Business accounts can now post sponsored content that will appear in users’ Status feeds.

These ads will show up between updates from friends and family but will have a clear "sponsored" label, so users can easily tell them apart from personal posts.

WhatsApp is also giving users control over what they see. If someone doesn’t want to see ads from a particular advertiser, they can block them, and those ads won’t appear again.

The second feature, Promoted Channels, will help public channels become more visible in WhatsApp’s channel directory.

Just like Status Ads, these promoted channels will be marked as "sponsored". When a business or creator pays to promote their channel, it will appear higher in search results, making it easier for users to find and follow them.

These changes could be very useful for brands, creators, and organisations who want to grow their audience quickly.

It also signals WhatsApp’s serious entry into the world of advertising and creator monetisation -- something already common on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.

Meta has assured that these ads won’t affect users’ privacy. The company says all promotional content will only be shown in public areas like Status and Channels, not in private chats. So, your personal messages will remain ad-free.

Earlier, in a previous beta update (2.25.19.15), WhatsApp also started testing a feature that lets users download detailed ad activity reports.

These reports show which ads were displayed, who the advertisers were, and when the ads were seen. This adds more transparency compared to traditional ad platforms.

(IANS)

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