WhatsApp Channels Is Now up to 500M Users

In amongst the various announcements and updates at Meta’s “Conversations” business messaging conference in Sao Paulo today, there was one particular usage note that stood out.

WhatsApp Channels, the one-way broadcast messaging option, which enables users to sign-up to topic-based groups to keep up to date on the latest info, is now up to 500 million users.

Channels, which WhatsApp launched a year ago, is pretty much the same as Instagram’s Channels option, providing another way for creators and brands to stay connected with their audience via more direct means.

Which, of course, used to be the realm of social media pages, but increasingly, people are engaging more via messaging, and Channels provides a way to lean into this, by facilitating messaging connection with your most passionate fans.

Which could also open up a range of new opportunities for brands.

You could, for example, run a promotions channel, with specials for channel members, or maybe you just want to maintain a DM broadcast stream for product announcements.

Either way, at 500 million users, there could be a lot of potential there, providing more ways to align with evolving engagement behaviors.

WhatsApp Channels is not available in all regions as yet, but you can sign-up to the Channels waitlist here.