BurdaForward: Is WhatsApp “The Next Big Thing” for Publishers?

Ms. Wagner, when and why did publishers start using WhatsApp­channels?

Simone Wagner: Meta launched the new “Channels” feature on WhatsApp in Germany in September 2023. Publishers like us at BurdaForward immediately discovered this format for themselves. We are always on the lookout for new distribution channels. Especially now that Facebook no longer generates anywhere near the number of clicks it used to. Burda currently has around 140 WhatsApp channels, the most successful of which is the “Love & Sexuality” channel with around 370,000 followers. But channels focusing on sports, baking and gaming are also very popular. All of our Burda channels together currently have 2.5 million followers.

Which post­formats work particularly well?

Wagner: We have realized that a post should be short and concise. Our standard posts consist of a picture, a headline, a short text and a link. WhatsApp is a very personal medium. The channels allow us to get close to the privacy of our users. The aim is to lead them to our pages and our content via a link. To generate followers, however, we have also started to play out other posts. For example, on our Taylor Swift channel: sometimes a photo of Taylor's latest jacket or a quiz about her cats. This increases interaction.

How relevant are the WhatsApp­channels for advertising?

Wagner: We already post so-called deals on the Focus online channel to promote products: for example, a 20 percent voucher or a link to a discounted product. So far, we have achieved good results with this strategy. We are currently also receiving our first requests from advertising customers for paid sponsored posts. This means that the advertiser buys a certain reach and we play out their post in the relevant channels. We are trying out a few things. It remains to be seen how promising this is.

How do you produce posts?

Wagner: We have a small team that takes care of growth and strategy. We post in the editorial offices where the content is created. An AI supports us and suggests which articles are suitable for which channels. So far, the WhatsApp channels are still a simple business with little effort. That's important, because we don't yet know whether the channels are really helping us. As a channel admin, you have no insight into who is following you - it's a black box, so to speak. Meta does not currently release any data.