WhatsApp to Roll Out Ads Soon in the Updates Section: What Marketers Need to Know

Imagine opening WhatsApp to check a friend’s Status update, and seeing an ad for a product you didn’t know you needed. That moment isn’t far off.

On June 16, 2025, WhatsApp confirmed it is officially rolling out ads, ending its decade-long promise of staying ad-free. For the billions who use it daily, this move changes how businesses and creators can reach people. For affiliate marketers, it opens a brand-new opportunity.

WhatsApp has over 3.1 billion monthly active users globally in 2025, making it the most widely used messaging app in the world, according to DemandSage. If you’re in affiliate marketing, this change will reshape how you connect with audiences. Let’s explore what’s changing, how WhatsApp ads work, and how to build an effective WhatsApp affiliate marketing strategy around it.

What’s New: How WhatsApp Ads Work

Since Meta acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014, the app has resisted ads until now. As of June 2025, WhatsApp has started rolling out three key advertising features globally, all housed in the Updates tab to keep personal chats untouched.

1. Status Ads

Users viewing WhatsApp Status updates, photos, and videos that disappear after 24 hours will now see ads inserted between updates from friends and family. It works much like Instagram Stories ads, making it an easy format to adapt for affiliate promotions. For those wondering how to create a WhatsApp advertisement, these Status ads will use vertical creatives (images or short videos), just like Instagram or Facebook. These ads can also link to a product page or open a chat, ideal for affiliates driving sales through conversation.

2. Promoted Channels

In 2023, WhatsApp introduced Channel, a one-way broadcast feature where admins can post updates, news, or exclusive content to their followers. Now, they can use these channels to promote visibility within WhatsApp’s directory. You can pay to get your channel discovered by more users. If you’re an affiliate, you will be able to run a WhatsApp marketing campaign through your channel, sharing product deals, content, and limited-time offers directly with followers.

3. Channel Subscriptions

Creators can now offer monthly subscriptions for exclusive content within their channels. It’s WhatsApp’s answer to Patreon and YouTube memberships. While this is more tailored toward influencers and content creators, affiliates who have built strong personal brands can also benefit.

Why Now? The Strategy Behind the Shift

Meta has been clear: messaging is its next revenue engine. With ad prices rising across platforms and attention spans shrinking, the company is pushing for business messaging as a scalable revenue model. WhatsApp already plays a key role in Meta’s click-to-chat ads on Facebook and Instagram.

This update builds on that, bringing the ads directly into WhatsApp, where conversations happen in real time. Analysts project that business messaging could bring in $30–40 billion annually. That makes WhatsApp a serious contender in the affiliate marketing ecosystem.

Why WhatsApp Ads Matter for Affiliate Marketers?

If you’re already using WhatsApp to share links, broadcast deals, or nurture leads, this change takes things to the next level. Affiliate marketing on WhatsApp will no longer be limited to manual messages or groups; it’s becoming a scalable, trackable channel.

This shift matters because of:

1. High Visibility in a Low-Noise Environment. Unlike email or social media, WhatsApp isn’t overloaded with ads, yet. That means your WhatsApp marketing campaign will have more attention and less competition, especially in the early rollout phase of WhatsApp advertising campaigns India and beyond.
2. Mobile-First Conversion Funnel. In markets like India, WhatsApp is often the first and most-used instant messaging app on a smartphone. By embedding ads within the app, Meta allows marketers to shorten the funnel, from impression to conversation to conversion, in just a few taps.
3. Direct Messaging Drives Higher Engagement. Click-to-chat ads open conversations instantly. This is huge for affiliates promoting COD products, limited-time discounts, or niche offers. You’re not just sending traffic, you’re starting a sales conversation.

What About Privacy?

Good news for users: your privacy is still safe. WhatsApp has clearly said that your personal messages, calls, and group chats will stay private and end-to-end encrypted, just like before. That means no one, not even WhatsApp, can read them.

The ads you see will be based only on basic info like your country, language, channels you follow, and how you interact with ads. Your phone number won’t be shared or sold. If you’ve connected your WhatsApp to Facebook or Instagram through Meta’s Accounts Centre, your ad preferences from those platforms might be used to show you more relevant ads. But this only happens if the accounts are linked.

For affiliates and advertisers, this brings a new way to reach people, while still respecting their privacy. Right now, the targeting is not as detailed as Facebook or Google Ads. But it still gives a chance to share useful content through WhatsApp Channels.

It’s a new kind of advertising, one that focuses more on relevance and trust, not just data.

How to Create a WhatsApp Advertisement That Works

You must be wondering how you can create a WhatsApp advertisement that works well:

1. Use Short-Form Vertical Creatives: As the WhatsApp status ads are full-screen and mobile-first, you should keep videos or images punchy, relevant, and visual. Include a clear CTA, like “Shop Now,” “Claim Offer,” or “Chat for Details.”
2. Pick Offers That Match Mobile Behavior: Focus on affordable products, high-converting, and work well with impulse decisions. Beauty, personal care, fashion, and daily-use electronics are all strong categories.
3. Combine Organic + Paid Reach: Use promoted Channels to grow an audience while testing Status ads for real-time promotions. This hybrid approach gives you both long-term engagement and short-term performance.
4. Experiment and Measure: Even though ad targeting is basic at launch, Meta will likely expand tools soon. Track interaction rates, CTRs, and conversation starts to refine your content and timing.

Planning for Your WhatsApp Affiliate Marketing Strategy

If you’re thinking long-term, WhatsApp can become more than just a traffic source; it can be a consistent, trusted space where you build real engagement and conversions. Here’s a step-by-step approach to get started:

Step 1. Create a WhatsApp Channel Around a Niche You Know

Start by picking a clear theme or niche, something people want daily updates on. For example: “Budget Beauty Finds” for affordable skincare/makeup, “Gadget Deals India” for mobile accessories and electronics, and “Smart Shopping Tips” for general deals, coupons, and cashback. Once your Channel is live, you can post affiliate product recommendations, limited-time offers, and helpful content that builds trust.

Step 2. Post Regularly Through Status and Channels

Use both features to stay visible. Status updates to share 24-hour deal teasers, product demos, or coupon alerts using eye-catching images or short videos. And, channel posts to provide slightly more detailed product roundups, offer comparisons, or step-by-step buying tips with affiliate links. Regular posting keeps your audience engaged and helps build habits around checking your updates.

Step 3. Promote Your Channel for Visibility

To grow your audience, you can share the Channel link on your social media or website, use Meta’s new promoted channels feature (a paid tool) to increase visibility directly within WhatsApp, and collaborate with other creators or affiliate groups to cross-promote. The more people you reach, the more clicks and conversions your affiliate links can generate.

Step 4. Add Affiliate Links Thoughtfully

Wherever you mention a product, whether in a Channel post, Status ad, or direct message, include your affiliate link. But don’t overdo it. Try to use that product personally to give an honest review, and your audience will trust you. A good format might be: “Try this Vitamin C Serum for under ₹399,  great reviews and currently 25% off.. [link]”. It should feel helpful, not pushy. 

Step 5. Design for Mobile, Always

WhatsApp is a mobile-first app. You can use vertical creatives (9:16 ratio), short, clear text overlays, emojis, and arrows sparingly to draw attention, and compress images/videos for quick loading. Also, keep your messages concise. Users scroll quickly; your content should grab attention within seconds.

To Sum Up

WhatsApp’s move to introduce ads marks a major shift in how users, businesses, and marketers interact on the platform. For affiliate marketers, this is a chance to tap into a high-engagement, mobile-first environment where attention is still high and ad fatigue is low.

With tools like Status ads, promoted Channels, and direct chat links, you now have new ways to promote offers, build relationships, and drive conversions, all while respecting user privacy.

As ad features grow and targeting improves, those who take early steps, experiment with content, and build niche-driven channels will be best positioned to succeed.

The key? Keep your content relevant, helpful, and mobile-friendly,  and treat WhatsApp like what it is becoming: a powerful affiliate marketing channel.