WhatsApp has announced some new updates for its group chat feature, as it looks to lean into the rising use of DMs for social engagement.
Which is a definitive trend. Over time, more and more people have retreated from posting to public social media feeds, opting for more private, enclosed discussion groups instead. The negativity and exposure of the main feed has seemingly turned people away, and now, the preference for many is to share updates with a smaller group of close friends instead.
These new updates will help to improve the presentation of group chats in the app, with new tags, stickers, event reminders, and more.
First off, as you can see in the above example image, WhatsApp is adding new custom tags in group chats, so you can take on a chosen identity or role within each group.
As explained by WhatsApp:
“We all wear different hats and sometimes you want to give that more context in a group chat. Now you can give yourself a tag that tells the group what your role is, and can be customized for each group you’re in. So you can be ‘Anna's Dad’ in one group, and ‘Goalkeeper’ in another.”
It could be a handy way to highlight specific roles within the group, or just another fun option for your friend chats.
WhatsApp is also adding new text stickers, so you can emphasize that specific element.
“You can now turn any word into a sticker by typing your text into Sticker Search. You can also add newly created stickers directly to your sticker packs instead of having to send them in a chat first.”
Finally, WhatsApp is also adding event reminder notifications within group chat streams:
“Now when you create and send an event in your group chat you can set custom early reminders for your invitees. This helps everyone remember to commute to the party you’re hosting or hop on the call at the right time, depending on the event type.”
So no more excuses for people who have said they’re coming to your event, but don’t actually plan on making it, with these reminders ensuring that they’ve seen the note.
Some handy additions, that could add more fun to your WhatsApp chat groups.
And with WhatsApp usage rising in Western markets, it’s likely that you’re already being invited to more groups.
