Most people that use WhatsApp these days never paid for it, at least not with money. However, a little known fact about WhatsApp is that it used to cost a dollar to download when it was first launched. The app became completely free to use in 2016 because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up expanding its appeal to many more consumers, but recent hints suggest that that might change.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that WhatsApp will still likely be free to use for average people. In spite of the fact that this is the case, business users might need to pay a small fee for the service. This fee will be optional, and WhatsApp will try to entice business users into paying it by offering unique features like extended support for multiple devices.
According to details gleaned from ongoing beta projects by WBI, WhatsApp is also working on a feature that will let business users make customized links that lead to their pages. That might allow customers to engage with business owners with a single click or tap with all things having been considered and taken into account. The link will take the form of a wa.me domain, which can help customers recognize that it will link them to a business’s official WhatsApp account.
If current observations are accurate, WhatsApp might start calling this service WhatsApp Premium. It will be the latest in a long line of premium options being offered by social media platforms, and while WhatsApp is not exactly social media it has been incorporating social media oriented elements quite frequently.
It remains to be seen if this feature will offer enough to give WhatsApp a bit more growth potential in the near future, but the current signs suggest that it might be a resounding success. Not all premium paid subscription options in social media have been successful, with some failing quite miserably, so it will be interesting to see if WhatsApp goes the same kind of route.
Read next: WhatsApp is about to release an update that enables participants to save the group without notice
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that WhatsApp will still likely be free to use for average people. In spite of the fact that this is the case, business users might need to pay a small fee for the service. This fee will be optional, and WhatsApp will try to entice business users into paying it by offering unique features like extended support for multiple devices.
According to details gleaned from ongoing beta projects by WBI, WhatsApp is also working on a feature that will let business users make customized links that lead to their pages. That might allow customers to engage with business owners with a single click or tap with all things having been considered and taken into account. The link will take the form of a wa.me domain, which can help customers recognize that it will link them to a business’s official WhatsApp account.
If current observations are accurate, WhatsApp might start calling this service WhatsApp Premium. It will be the latest in a long line of premium options being offered by social media platforms, and while WhatsApp is not exactly social media it has been incorporating social media oriented elements quite frequently.
It remains to be seen if this feature will offer enough to give WhatsApp a bit more growth potential in the near future, but the current signs suggest that it might be a resounding success. Not all premium paid subscription options in social media have been successful, with some failing quite miserably, so it will be interesting to see if WhatsApp goes the same kind of route.
Read next: WhatsApp is about to release an update that enables participants to save the group without notice
