Are Ads Coming to Messaging Apps?

Mobile messaging represents an oft-unsung yet powerful worldwide trend. WeChat has over 400 million users; WhatsApp has over 300 million; Viber hit 200 million a few months ago, and dozens more boast user bases in the tens or hundreds of millions on various app stores worldwide. The volume of conversation on each is staggering, too. According to WhatsApp, the company has more daily active users than Twitter

Judging by today’s usage, messaging platforms have become de facto social networks — with your phone book acting as your social graph

An increasing number of brands, organizations and individuals are now asking how they can connect with the audiences who use these apps. Few of the bigger Western apps feature any sort of facility for brand or organization engagement, after all. And WhatsApp has publicly stated that it has no plans to support any sort of advertising model within its apps. They’re far from alone

I spoke with CEO of Viber Talmon Marco about his company’s move toward stickers, revenue generation and the potential for brands to come onto the platform. “This is definitely something we’re looking at. We do want to allow it,” he said. Read more…

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