Meta Platforms has announced the global expansion of WhatsApp Channels, a feature that allows users to receive private updates from celebrities, sports teams, and thought leaders. This move is part of Meta’s strategy to enhance user engagement across its social media applications by transforming them into central hubs for content creators to interact with their followers.
WhatsApp Channels was initially launched in Colombia and Singapore in June, and the feature was concurrently introduced on Instagram as Broadcast Channels. These channels on WhatsApp are distinct from regular chats, and followers remain invisible to each other.
Meta intends to recommend WhatsApp Channels to users based on their region and popularity. Similar to regular WhatsApp chats, users can employ emojis to react to messages within a channel.
The expansion of WhatsApp Channels will be gradually rolled out to users worldwide in the coming weeks and months. Anyone with a WhatsApp account will have the ability to create a channel within the app.
This move underscores Meta’s ongoing efforts to enrich the user experience across its platforms and to provide content creators with powerful tools to engage and interact with their audience.
