WhatsApp channels have been available in the Netherlands for a few months now, so it's time to take stock. Where are the opportunities? And what are lesser strengths to this new feature? With more than 13 million Dutch WhatsApp users, surely it is useful to take a critical look at this update.

WhatsApp channels can just be found in the familiar WhatsApp app, and also on the desktop version of WhatsApp. The home screen shows all your chats, but at the top next to "chats" is also "updates. Clicking on this will take you to status and channels. Channels are separate from your chats and no one can see which channels you are following. Even administrators cannot see who is following them, as phone numbers are shielded.

Through these channels, you can easily share news and fun facts with your followers. This will keep them up to date on the latest developments regarding their favorite sports clubs, cosmetics brands or other interests. It is a one-to-many channel, as no messages can be sent to a WhatsApp channel. However, followers can respond, more on this later.

When you create a channel, a kind of chat is opened in which you can post things. This chat can be monitored by WhatsApp users, so they can see all recent messages. After 30 days, old messages are deleted.

WhatsApp is incredibly popular and has many users at home and abroad. Therefore, it is definitely interesting to be active on it. You can reach many people with the channels, as it is quite accessible for users to follow channels. Their privacy is well preserved: phone numbers are shielded and contacts cannot see which channels they are following.

Another advantage of WhatsApp channels is that you don't have to deal with algorithms. The channels are conveniently listed below each other in the app, so followers don't have a feed to scroll through. This means that the followers who want to see your messages actually see them with one click on the channel. So this is how you reach the people who are interested in your content anyway.

WhatsApp channels can have only one administrator, but can be logged in on four different devices. Thus, the channel can still be maintained by four colleagues.

There are some caveats to the current version of WhatsApp channels, however. For example, it remains to be seen whether the way people can comment is an advantage or a disadvantage. Instead of posting (textual) comments under posts, followers of WhatsApp channels can only respond to the posts with an emoticon.

The advantage of this is that no nasty discussions arise, and you don't have to moderate comments. The downside is that there are no lousy discussions either. However, followers can share the post to private conversations with friends and group conversations.

In addition, it is important to think about spreading your channel. Of course, it is a waste if you can only reach a few followers. Many channels can be found through the search function on WhatsApp, but this is not true for all channels. Only verified channels are found. Don't have a checkmark behind your name (yet)? Then it is important to spread a link to the channel through other social media or your newsletter.

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