WhatsApp introduces paid subscriptions: users have to pay!

WhatsApp introduces paid subscriptions: users have to pay!

Nicht angegeben, Österreich - WhatsApp, the popular messenger service with around 1.5 billion daily users, announced a fundamental change in his business model on June 16. These innovations aim to open up new sources of income. This includes planned advertising and paid subscriptions that users can expect in the "News" area. The step to show commercial content in the future represents a turning point in the previously advertising use of the app.

In the new "current" tab, which is visited every day by millions of people worldwide, users can subscribe to channels for a fee in order to obtain access to exclusive content and early information. Channel operators have the freedom to determine the prices themselves, with WhatsApp being kept about ten percent of the income. Companies can also switch targeted advertising in the status area of ​​the service.

new monetization strategies

companies and clubs can use the new functions in the “current” area to effectively advertise their products or services. While personal chats, calls and voice messages remain free, advertising is shown exclusively in the "current" area. This area is clearly separated from the personal communication area to ensure that data protection remains untouched. WhatsApp considers the introduction of advertising as a possibility to establish a sustainable business model after the original annual subscription model 2016 has been set.

The strategic decision to introduce advertising is no coincidence. WhatsApp had no comprehensible financing model for a while. With the additional offer for paid subscriptions and a clear separation between advertising and personal use, the company wants to create a balance between commercial and private content without affecting the user experience.

data protection and user behavior

A central concern of WhatsApp remains data protection. The company does not sell telephone numbers and does not share personal data with third parties. The advertisements are only based on limited information, such as the state, city and language, and in the case of linked meta services, interests from Facebook or Instagram can also flow in. These measures are intended to ensure that the trust of the users is maintained in the platform, which is also an important communication tool for individuals and companies.

WhatsApp has grown steadily since its foundation in 2009 by Jan Koum and Brian Acton. Previously known as a paid service, the 2014 app was taken over by Facebook (now Meta) for around $ 19 billion. This takeover brought significant changes, including the introduction of voice calls and end-to-end encryption. The company is now aiming to adapt to the modern digital landscape with a new business model and to meet the increasing requirements of its users.

The developments in WhatsApp show a clear tendency to profile themselves in a constantly changing market without losing sight of the core functions that make the service so popular. “News” will become a key area for monetization, while personal exchange should always remain in the foreground.