Facebook-owned WhatsApp is testing a new feature in beta: status updates that disappear after 24 hours. Called Status, it looks a lot like Snap’s Stories.
A new tab between Chats and Calls will let people share photos or videos. The older text status stays; the new tool does not replace it.
As on Snap, you can draw on images, add emoji and text, and choose who sees each status. Once posted, you cannot delete it early or change how long it lasts.
Instagram got it first
Facebook already brought a near copy of Snap Stories to Instagram. As ephemeral visuals grew more popular over Snap’s roughly three years, Facebook followed the trend. In October it also tested Messenger Day in Australia. These experiments may feed revenue plans: after saying it would stop carving out new ad slots on Facebook itself, the company is looking harder at Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.
A natural place for ads
Stories, Messenger Day, or Status can be convenient ad inventory. People might see promotions from brands they already chat with on a screen they open every day. Brands reach an interested audience, and Facebook can earn without stuffing the main feed as hard.
