Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 17, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 3, 2026 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! This week Meta launched the Muse Image AI Generator, Google Consent Mode and bidding rules changed, concerns rise over Google Search data used for AI training, ChatGPT added new ad targeting features, and an Indian court order impacts domain privacy globally. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Moody Bible Institute breach exposes 2.3 million records Moody Bible Institute, a Chicago-based Christian college, confirmed a data breach after the ShinyHunters extortion group leaked over 2.3 million email addresses and personal data belonging to donors, students, alumni, and supporters. The group used a pay-or-leak campaign, and when demands were not met, they published the stolen data publicly. For Mission Teams This breach is a direct warning to faith-based organizations that donor and constituent data is a target for financially motivated hackers. Any ministry collecting email addresses, donation records, or other personal identifiable information should audit its security practices and ensure third-party platforms are secured with multi-factor authentication. https://cyberpress.org/moody-bible-institute-data-breach/ India court order could strip global domain privacy An Indian court ruling requires domain registrars to stop offering free default WHOIS privacy protection and to disclose domain owner information to anyone claiming a legitimate interest within 72 hours. GoDaddy, which manages 80 million domain names, warns that the ruling could have global implications because domain names are not region-restricted. The company has filed a 5,121-page appeal, which is scheduled to be heard on July 16. For Mission Teams Ministry websites registered through GoDaddy or similar registrars could eventually have their owner contact information made publicly searchable if this ruling stands. Teams managing ministry domains should check whether their WHOIS privacy protection is active and monitor this case as it develops. https://gizmodo.com/godaddy-sounds-alarm-over-how-india-law-would-upend-internet-privacy-everywhere-2000781210 Expanding Digital Evangelism into Virtual Reality Christian groups are now using virtual reality platforms to meet new people and share their faith online. These digital worlds have become a brand new mission field for reaching people who feel lonely or want a community. For Mission Teams Virtual reality offers an interesting avenue for bypassing some of the restrictions that believers and mission teams face in different countries around the world. It could become a valuable addition to existing digital engagement strategies, complementing current social media outreach and advertising efforts. However, experimentation and training are essential. These platforms differ significantly from the digital engagement platforms most teams currently use. Security, bandwidth, accessibility, user adoption, and team training all present important challenges that should be carefully considered. https://www.npr.org/2026/07/02/g-s1-131124/christian-missionaries-have-found-a-new-virtual-mission-territory Meta launches Muse Image AI generator Meta released Muse Image on July 7, 2026, its first in-house AI image generation model developed by Meta Superintelligence Labs. It is now available for free in the Meta AI app, in Instagram Stories in the United States, and in WhatsApp in a limited number of countries. The model allows users to generate and edit images from text prompts, and advertisers will soon be able to access it through Advantage+ creative tools to create ad variations without a traditional design process. For Mission Teams Churches and mission teams can use tools like Muse Image to create visual content for outreach campaigns more affordably. However, teams should be aware that the feature can manipulate public Instagram photos, raising new questions about consent and the appropriate use of images. From a security and privacy perspective, teams should also note Meta's expanded AI access to user-uploaded media and review their organization's social media policies accordingly. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/07/meta-ai-muse-image.html Google Search uploads now train AI by default Google updated its Search services privacy settings in June 2026 so that images, audio, files, and video you upload through tools like Google Lens and Google Translate are used to train its AI models unless you manually opt out. The setting called Search Services History is enabled by default, and anonymized versions of data already collected can remain in Google's training systems for up to four years, even after deletion. For Mission Teams Anyone in your organization using Google Lens to photograph documents or using Google Search voice input on behalf of the ministry may be unintentionally allowing sensitive content to be used by Google's AI systems, depending on their account settings. Teams should review their Google account settings and disable the Save Media option under Search Services History if they want to reduce potential data exposure. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-google-search-uploads-train-ai-opt-out/ Google Tag Manager interface updates and tracking reliability Google Tag Manager has a new look that makes it much easier for beginners to use. However, its new visual builder tool can cause tracking errors if your website design changes. For Mission Teams While these tools make it easier for teams to run ads and reach spiritual seekers, they must be configured correctly. Misconfigurations, website changes, and even platform updates can lead to broken analytics and potential non-compliance with data privacy laws. Interested in using Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager but not sure where to begin? Reach out—we'd love to help. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-27-adriaan-dekker-glo6e/ Meta rolls out Muse Image for advertisers Alongside the consumer launch of Muse Image, Meta announced that advertisers and agencies will gain access to the model through Advantage+ creative tools in the coming weeks. This will allow brands to generate ad image variations and edit campaign assets without a traditional design cycle. Meta says the model can produce on-brand ad variations with fewer iterations by combining native reasoning with advertiser creative assets. For Mission Teams Small ministry marketing teams who currently rely on outside designers or platforms for ad creative may find Muse Image through Advantage+ significantly reduces production costs and turnaround time for paid social campaigns. However, teams should review Meta's terms carefully as the model that creates the content is not perfect. Teams should verify the viability of generated content before deploying it in ads. https://ai.meta.com/blog/introducing-muse-image-muse-video-msl/ Apple's Hide My Email leaks real addresses A security researcher disclosed on July 1, 2026, that Apple's Hide My Email privacy feature contains a flaw that allows attackers to reverse-engineer anonymous email aliases back to users' real inboxes, with a 100 percent success rate in testing. Apple was first informed of the issue in June 2025 but has not fully patched the vulnerability despite multiple attempts, potentially leaving iCloud+ subscribers exposed. For Mission Teams iOS users who use Hide My Email aliases for ministry sign-ups or online outreach should treat those addresses as potentially compromised until Apple issues a confirmed fix. This is a practical reminder that no privacy tool should be trusted as a complete shield, and digital security training should cover how to verify whether a privacy feature is actually working. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-apple-hide-my-email-privacy-flaw/ Google bidding change may raise your ad costs Starting August 17, 2026, Google will change how it manages bidding for budget-limited campaigns using Target CPA or Target ROAS goals. If your campaign has been outperforming its targets, performance may shift closer to the higher target you originally set unless you manually adjust it using the new Bid Target Adjustment Tool, which became available on July 6. For Mission Teams Ministries running paid outreach campaigns on Google should check budget-limited campaigns before August 17 to avoid unexpected cost increases. Use the new Bid Target Adjustment Tool to review historical performance and update your targets to match what you actually want to spend. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/17061251?hl=en OpenAI Adds Custom Audience Targeting to ChatGPT Ads OpenAI added a custom audience feature to its ChatGPT Ads platform that lets advertisers upload email and phone lists to target or exclude specific users. However, a minimum of 100,000 identifiers is required, which may put the feature out of reach for smaller advertisers. For Mission Teams This is a significant step toward ChatGPT becoming a real ad platform alongside Google and Meta. Ministries should cautiously experiment with the platform in their context to test its viability. https://www.jonloomer.com/chatgpt-ads-custom-audiences/ 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.  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: July 10, 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