Lead Generation · · 2 min read
Ads Are Coming to WhatsApp: What Status Ads Mean for Pakistani Businesses
On 16 June 2025 Meta announced ads in WhatsApp's Updates tab, plus promoted channels and paid channel subscriptions. Personal chats stay ad-free. Here's how businesses can prepare.
In short:
- Meta is adding ads to WhatsApp’s Updates tab, where Status and Channels live. Personal and group chats stay ad-free.
- Three features: ads in Status, promoted channels and paid channel subscriptions. Rollout is gradual over the coming months.
- Status ads open a chat with the business, which makes them a natural lead-generation format.
On 16 June 2025, Meta announced the first ads inside WhatsApp. They’ll appear in the Updates tab, which Meta says about 1.5 billion people use every day, and not in personal chats. Meta said messages, calls and statuses remain end-to-end encrypted and won’t be used to target ads.
What’s new
- Ads in Status: full-screen ads between people’s Status updates, similar to Instagram Stories. Users can tap to message the business directly.
- Promoted channels: businesses and creators can pay to appear more prominently in the channel directory.
- Channel subscriptions: channels can charge a monthly fee for exclusive updates.
Targeting will use limited information such as country or city, language, channels followed and how people interact with ads. Users who link WhatsApp to their Meta Accounts Center may see more personalised ads.
Why this matters in Pakistan
WhatsApp is where Pakistani customers already ask questions, confirm orders and talk to businesses. Status ads put your offer right next to that habit, and the “message us” action makes them a lead-generation format by default.
How to prepare
- Get your WhatsApp Business setup right: verified profile, catalog, greeting message and quick replies with prices and delivery info.
- Make vertical creative. Status ads are full-screen and short. Reuse your best-performing Reels and Stories.
- Staff the inbox. Ads that lead to chats only work if someone replies within minutes.
- Start a WhatsApp Channel for your brand if you have regular news, drops or tips. Promoted channels could help it grow.
- Track chats to sales. Use labels for new leads, quotes and orders so you can judge each campaign by revenue.
PeachTag Team
Led by Zain Ismail, 11+ years in performance marketing. Need help with this? Talk to us.
