Social Media Manager

As WhatsApp usage continues to grow, especially in Western markets, Meta is gradually introducing more features into the app, aiming to eventually offer a wider range of functionalities within your message threads.

Meta's latest focus is expanding WhatsApp stickers, enhancing the platform's basic text features with a variety of new sticker options, including animated GIFs and AI-generated creations. First, WhatsApp is adding animated stickers from Giphy, bringing more dynamic elements to your message threads.

WhatsApp Stickers

As shown in this example, WhatsApp will now offer a selection of animated GIFs that you can integrate into your chats. While WhatsApp has had animated stickers for a while, including Meta Avatar stickers introduced last year, the new direct Giphy integration gives users access to a broader range of trending and topical stickers to enhance their conversations.

Additionally, WhatsApp is making its custom sticker maker available on Android, allowing users to turn their photos into personalized stickers. Originally launched on iOS last year, this feature expands your creative options with customizable visuals for any occasion.

WhatsApp Custom Stickers

Meta is also looking to broaden its AI sticker generation tools, which are currently available only in select markets.

Meta AI Announcements

With F, you can generate animation-style images based on text prompts, providing Meta with another way to incorporate its evolving generative AI tools into its apps. In addition, WhatsApp is enhancing its sticker preview feature, offering more options to preview specific sticker packs before downloading them. "You can also organize your sticker tray by tapping and holding a sticker to move it to the top or delete it."

While custom stickers may not revolutionize messaging, they offer another way for Meta to enhance WhatsApp’s core functionality. These additional tools align with current communication trends, giving WhatsApp users more creative options to explore. Ideally, this will be another step towards broadening user engagement within WhatsApp. Meta's ultimate goal is for WhatsApp users to engage more in shopping and commercial activities, transforming the platform into a key business and revenue driver.

In China, messaging apps like WeChat have become indispensable, connecting users to the world through simple, text-based tools. While Western consumers haven’t adopted similar behaviors to the same extent, Meta hopes that as WhatsApp's user base grows, it can gradually introduce more features to encourage similar engagement.