By Vicky Sidler | Published 1 July 2025 at 20:00 GMT

WhatsApp, once the last ad-free refuge in Meta’s empire, just joined the sponsorship club.

Starting this month, businesses can place ads in the “Status” feed—the Stories-style slot where users share disappearing updates.

If you were hoping to dodge ads while checking Aunt Linda’s cat video, sorry. And if you run a business? You’ve just gained a brand-new ad channel—served with a side of privacy questions.

TL;DR

• WhatsApp will now show ads in Status—not inside your personal chats (for now).

• Targeting uses limited data: location, language, followed channels, and your past ad clicks.

• Opportunity: a fresh way to reach customers who ignore Facebook and Instagram.

• Risk: user backlash if brands treat Status like a noisy billboard.

• Action: create helpful, native-looking content and keep privacy promises crystal-clear. Confusing messages don’t convert—grab the 5-Minute Marketing Fix before you spend a cent.

What Exactly Changed?

Meta confirmed on 16 June that sponsored posts will appear in the Updates tab’s Status feed.

Users can still post photos, videos, or voice notes—but now they may see a branded clip wedged between Uncle Bob’s barbecue pics and your BFF’s gym selfie.

Meta claims it won’t read your messages or share your phone number. Ads rely on:

• City or country

• Language

• Channels you follow

• How you interact with other Meta ads

You can tweak preferences via Meta’s Accounts Center, but ads are here to stay.

Why It Matters to Small Businesses:

As a Duct Tape Marketing Strategist and StoryBrand Certified Guide, I see two big angles:

1. Discovery – WhatsApp’s two-billion-plus users scroll Status daily. Well-placed ads could reach people who never open Instagram.

2. Trust – WhatsApp built its empire on privacy. Blast the feed with hard-sell promos and you’ll look like that relative who spams the family chat with crypto tips.

Three Moves to Stay Ahead:

1️⃣ Audit Your Status Game:
If you’ve never posted a Status update, start now. Share helpful tips, behind-the-scenes clips, or quick offers. Organic content builds goodwill before you test paid ads.

2️⃣ Run Small, Smart Tests:
Set a micro-budget to test targeting—city, language, interest. Measure taps and replies, not vanity views. Kill what annoys, scale what helps.

3️⃣ Reassure on Privacy:
Users are sensitive. Remind them you won’t spam or sell data. Simple, human language beats legal jargon—if a 16-year-old can’t understand your promise, rewrite it.

Get Clear Before You Spend:

Thinking of diving into WhatsApp ads? First, nail a one-liner that explains why anyone should tap your brand instead of swiping past.

Grab my free 5-Minute Marketing Fix—a quick worksheet to craft a sentence that sells without sounding like a robot.

👉 Download it here

Because an ad that’s unclear is just noise in a new place—and nobody needs more noise in their chat app.