Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 3, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - November 6, 2026 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! 🚀 We're diving into the latest updates you need to know including Meta's AI bots overloading small websites, a new WhatsApp photo suggestion feature, Reddit's first search ads, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta's AI Crawlers Are Overloading Small Websites Some small website owners say Meta's AI crawlers, bots that copy web pages to train AI, are using so much bandwidth that their sites slow down or crash. One designer found that 97.6% of her site's data traffic over four weeks went to Meta's bots. For Mission Teams Teams should be cautious when seeing traffic boosts as it may be bot traffic. Ministry websites on small hosting plans could face slowdowns, outages, or extra fees if these bots hit them hard. Teams could consider checking their site traffic for "Meta-ExternalAgent" and "Meta-WebIndexer" and asking their web host about blocking them, since some owners found robots.txt rules alone did not stop them. https://www.fastcompany.com/91633357/meta-web-crawlers-crash-small-business-websites-ai-bots-surge WhatsApp Now Suggests Your Latest Photo in Chats WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that shows your newest photo, video, or screenshot as a suggestion when you open a chat. Nothing sends automatically, and tapping the suggestion opens an editor so you can review it first. For Mission Teams While this feature could make sharing relevant screenshots even easier a suggested screenshot could show private details, like a seeker's message, a contact list, or a location, and it is easy to share it in the wrong chat by mistake. Those with concerns should turn this off under Settings > Chats > Recent media suggestions. https://wabetainfo.com/whatsapp-is-rolling-out-media-suggestions-on-android-and-ios/ Reddit Tests Ads in Search Results Reddit is testing ads on its search results pages for the first time, with ads matched to users' search queries. For now, only a small group of selected advertisers have access to the feature. For Mission Teams People often search Reddit with honest questions about life and faith, so search ads could someday help teams reach seekers at the moment they are looking for answers. Most teams can't join this early test yet, but if the testing is successful Reddit could become a even more viable platform for digital engagement. Those already running Reddit ads should watch for wider access. https://redditinc.com/news/we-are-testing-ad-placements-in-reddit-search-pages Turn On MFA, Passkeys, and Security Keys Now Several Kavanah Media partners recently had work accounts and their personal email accounts taken over by attackers, which put many connected accounts and contacts at risk. Personal email is often used to reset work passwords, so one weak account can open the door to a much bigger breach. For Mission Teams Everyone should turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA, a second step after your password) for all work email, personal email, social media, and ad accounts, etc.. Use passkeys or a hardware security key such as a YubiKey wherever you can, because unlike text-message codes, they will not work on fake login pages. Teams should also exercise caution when opening emails or clicking links from untrusted or unfamiliar sources. When in doubt, they should contact the senders through a separate communication channel to verify the legitimacy of any suspicious emails. Google Tests A/B Experiments for Asset Groups in Performance Max Campaigns Google/YouTube Google is testing a new tool that lets advertisers compare two sets of ad assets within a single Performance Max asset group. Advertisers can choose how to split traffic and which metrics to measure, such as conversions, value, or clicks. For Mission Teams Teams running Google Performance Max campaigns can test two sets of images, videos, or text to see which drives more visitors to a response page. However, this is a beta feature and may not be available in every account or region. Plan to run the test for at least 4 to 6 weeks, as Google recommends, and choose one clear success metric, such as conversions, to determine which message leads to more meaningful interactions. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-44-adriaan-dekker-vxzve/ Google Says AI Chatbots Are Cutting Into Its Search Ad Revenue Google said more people are using AI chatbots and its own AI search tools, and this is hurting its search ad business. Search volume grew 12% in Q3, slower than earlier quarters, and search revenue was flat. For Mission Teams Google says it is expanding ads in AI Overviews and AI Mode to more users and search queries, including in international markets. Teams running search ads should monitor these new placements and consider testing them with small budgets. As more people turn to AI chatbots for answers, teams should ensure their content is clear and accurate. The article also reports that up to 10% of AI Overviews were found to contain incorrect information, so teams should check how their ministries are described in AI-generated responses. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/google-says-ai-chatbots-are-hurting-its-bottom-line/873401/ Meta Now Suggests Lookalike Audiences for Leads Campaigns Meta is showing a new message in Leads campaigns suggesting that using a lookalike audience could lower the cost per quality lead by 11%. The author has seen this message only in Leads campaigns, so it does not appear to be a change affecting all campaign types. For Mission Teams If your team receives many low-quality sign-ups or leads, consider building a custom audience from people who have completed your follow-up process. You can then turn it into a lookalike audience and add it as an audience suggestion in a single ad set. Avoid creating multiple ad sets for different audience suggestions, as they may compete against each other. However, keep in mind that, according to the author, it is difficult to prove whether these suggestions actually help, and Meta often ignores them. Test carefully, and when handling contact lists, protect the privacy of seekers, especially in countries with restricted access. Additionally, if you use a CRM system and sign-up forms hosted on your own website rather than Meta's platforms, this strategy may not work due to Meta's Religious Data Restrictions. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/lookalike-audience-suggestions-leads-campaigns/ Meta Expands Creator Assistant Into a Content Planning Tool Meta has updated its Creator Assistant chatbot to help people plan and improve content on Facebook and Instagram. It can point out trends, build storyboards and shot lists, review drafts, and write comment replies for you to check. For Mission Teams Teams can use it to identify trending topics, plan short-form videos, and draft replies to comments. However, every reply should be reviewed by a person to ensure the tone and message are appropriate for seekers. Additionally, since it is unclear how Meta handles the data users enter, avoid sharing sensitive ministry details, contact names, or security-related information. Note that the tool is designed for creators and is now available on the web through the Creator Dashboard, as well as on mobile. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-updates-creator-assistant-chatbot/873524/ Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement  Looking for ways to use digital tools to grow evangelism and disciple-making? Check out our other resources: Jon Ralls' new book–  Check out The Reluctant Whisper on Amazon, where he talks of evangelism from a sales pitch into an authentic act of presence—sharing faith through story, not scripts! Check it out here. Ad Resource Store- Stumped on what ads to run next? Check out Kavanah Media's Ad Resource Store for ideas, templates and more! Digital Strategies got you confused?- Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Church GAP Analysis Tool- Uncover hidden risks before they become problems. Use our Free GAP Analysis Tool to evaluate your church or non-profit’s cybersecurity, compliance, and governance today.  Kavanah Analytics- How is your digital content truly impacting lives? We created Kavanah Analytics to help churches and mission teams answer that question. Learn More Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Jon Ralls, Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: November 6, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 5, 2026 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! We’re diving into the latest updates you need to know including Meta's new Paid Subscriptions for it's platforms, Google's work to add a CRM to Google Ads, one final update regarding Instagram's message encryption, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta Launches Paid Subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp Meta launched paid subscription plans for its flagship apps on May 27, 2026, with Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, and WhatsApp Plus rolling out globally. The subscriptions unlock additional features, including enhanced analytics and expanded audience reach. The move comes as Meta faces increased investor scrutiny over its substantial AI investments and seeks to diversify its revenue streams beyond advertising. For Mission Teams Paid subscription tiers that offer expanded audience reach and enhanced analytics could provide business pages with a meaningful boost in visibility, along with improved tools for content creation and management. It is reasonable to assume that mission teams may experience similar benefits. However, teams should carefully evaluate the costs and test the platform's functionality before incorporating it into their digital engagement strategies. https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/meta-launches-paid-subscriptions-instagram-212733317.html Instagram Ends End-to-End Encrypted Messaging Instagram removed end-to-end encryption for direct messages between users starting May 8, 2026, meaning Meta can now potentially see the contents of all messages on the platform. Encrypting messages had been an optional feature in Instagram since 2023, but the platform quietly updated its help page to announce the feature would no longer be available. For Mission Teams Ministry teams using Instagram DMs for sensitive conversations with seekers, new believers, or contacts in restricted-access countries should be aware that those messages are no longer private from Meta. For confidential outreach, switching to WhatsApp or Signal, both of which still offer strong encryption, is strongly recommended. https://www.macrumors.com/2026/05/05/psa-instagram-encrypted-messaging-ends-may-8/ EU Fines Meta Up to $12 Billion Over Children's Safety Failures on Instagram and Facebook On April 29, 2026, the European Commission announced preliminary findings that Meta’s Instagram and Facebook platforms may be in breach of the Digital Services Act for failing to adequately prevent children under 13 from accessing their services. The Commission noted that children can enter false birth dates without verification and that certain reporting tools require up to seven clicks to access. If these preliminary findings are confirmed, Meta could face fines of up to 6 percent of its total worldwide annual turnover, which could amount to as much as $12 billion. For Mission Teams This story is a reminder that digital platforms are beholden to state actors and laws. These tools can change at any time. Teams should review their own platforms and plan for redundancy. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001326801/000121465926006412/o514269px14a6g.htm Apple Tests New iPhone Anti-Theft Security Feature Apple is testing a new safety feature that automatically locks an iPhone if someone steals it from your hand. It uses motion sensors and location checks to quickly protect your personal information from thieves. For Mission Teams This feature improves physical and digital security for ministries running digital engagement projects in secure fields. Automatically locking a snatched device prevents criminals from accessing sensitive disciple-making apps and communication channels. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-apple-iphone-anti-snatching-lock-feature/ Google Is Upgrading All Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max This September Google announced that AI Max for Search campaigns is moving out of beta, and that campaigns using AI Max see an average of 7 percent more conversions or conversion value at a similar cost per acquisition when using the full feature suite compared to using search term matching alone. Starting in September, campaigns using Dynamic Search Ads, automatically created assets, and campaign-level broad match settings will automatically be upgraded to AI Max. For Mission Teams If your ministry uses Google Search ads to connect with people seeking faith-related content, this change is approaching quickly. Teams should review their account settings and prepare their campaigns for the automatic upgrade to help ensure a smooth transition and avoid disruptions to ongoing outreach efforts. https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/dsa-upgrade-to-ai-max-2026/ TikTok Is Quietly Becoming a Super App TikTok launched TikTok GO earlier in May, allowing users to discover and book hotels, attractions, tours, and other experiences directly within the app. The company is also reportedly pursuing a fintech license as it continues expanding its ecosystem and moving more transactions onto the platform. Rather than directing users to third-party websites, TikTok is increasingly positioning itself as a one-stop platform for discovery, decision-making, and transactions. While many users already rely on TikTok as a search tool and, in some cases, an alternative to Google, this latest move places the platform in more direct competition with Google's core Search and Maps businesses. For Mission Teams TikTok’s expansion into travel, shopping, and potentially financial services means more people, especially younger audiences, are spending increasing amounts of time inside the app each day. This presents a growing opportunity for ministries to reach people where they already are, but it also requires a clear, consistent TikTok presence and strategy to remain visible within a rapidly expanding ecosystem. It should be noted, however, that there are significant concerns around scalability, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance when leveraging TikTok for digital engagement. Some teams have experienced ad account restrictions related to religious content, while others have seen success. It is also recommended that TikTok, or any other apps owned by its parent company ByteDance, be installed on separate devices due to these security considerations and broader concerns about data governance. https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/30/tiktoks-road-to-becoming-a-super-app/ Meta Ads Manager Introduces New Campaign Grouping Feature Meta Ads Manager is testing a new Grouping tool that lets advertisers organize campaigns by similar settings or goals. This feature clumps similar choices together to make your advertising reports much easier to read. For Mission Teams This tool improves strategic application by grouping ads to see which funnel stages drive the highest digital engagement with seekers. It also could simplify data management, reducing the security risk of exposing detailed ministry strategies when sharing reports. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-grouping-reports-chatgpt-conversions/ OpenAI Ads Manager Beta and ChatGPT Updates OpenAI has added several new budgeting and targeting tools to its advertising platform. They are also testing grouped ad placements inside ChatGPT to help advertisers connect with interested users. For Mission Teams These updates let ministries safely control daily ad spending while scaling outreach to seekers in new countries. Displaying ads inside active AI conversations offers a strategic new way to build digital engagement. https://ads.openai.com Google Ads Limits Historical Reporting Data Access Starting June 1, 2026, Google Ads will automatically delete detailed hourly, daily, and weekly performance data that is more than 37 months old. Advertisers must manually export and save this granular tracking information if they want to keep it for long-term campaign planning. For Mission Teams Ministries leveraging those data points must proactively archive their detailed ad history to protect valuable strategic insights regarding seeker engagement and digital outreach patterns. https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ads-delete-performance-data-41403.html Google Ads Enhances Lead Tracking and Ad Approval Speed Google Ads added a built-in dashboard to track and organize new leads directly inside the platform, similar to a CRM. It also introduced real-time policy reviews to instantly approve search ads during creation. For Mission Teams This centralized dashboard helps ministry teams securely monitor seeker engagement and train AI to find high-intent contacts. Quick ad approvals also allow strategic outreach campaigns to launch immediately without frustrating delays. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-22-adriaan-dekker-bl6me/ WhatsApp Develops On-Device Scam Alert Feature WhatsApp is creating a new feature that warns users when they receive suspicious messages from unknown accounts. This safety tool checks messages directly on your phone so private conversations stay completely encrypted. For Mission Teams This feature allows users, including mission teams, to spot fraudulent contacts without exposing private conversations with seekers. Strategically training your team to enable this setting protects your disciple-making network from malicious phishing attempts. https://www.androidpolice.com/scam-detection-but-on-whatsapp Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement  Looking for ways to use digital tools to grow evangelism and disciple-making? Check out our other resources: Kavanah Media Blog – Learn from our experiences serving hundreds of mission teams worldwide. We share practical lessons, real stories, and best practices to help your team avoid mistakes and grow in digital outreach. Subscribe here. Jon Ralls' new book–  Check out Jon Ralls' new book The Reluctant Whisper on Amazon, where he talks of evangelism from a sales pitch into an authentic act of presence—sharing faith through story, not scripts! Check it out here. Ad Resource Store- Stumped on what ads to run next? Check out Kavanah Media's Ad Resource Store for ideas, templates and more! Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Church GAP Analysis Tool- Uncover hidden risks before they become problems. Use our Free GAP Analysis Tool to evaluate your church or non-profit’s cybersecurity, compliance, and governance today.  Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: June 5, 2026