Weekly Marketing Rundown - August 14, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - November 13, 2026 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! 🚀 We're diving into the latest news you need to know, including fake police takedown notices, Meta's new account system, changes to TikTok ads, Google's ad surcharge changes, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Fake Police Notices Tried to Remove Free-Speech Groups From X X told an Indian court that takedown requests targeting two free-speech groups' accounts came from someone impersonating the Delhi Police. X did not remove the accounts and filed a police complaint to identify the impostor. For Mission Teams Bad actors can impersonate officials to get accounts shut down, posing a real risk to ministries operating in places where Christian content is unwelcome. Teams should treat their domains, brands, and platforms as temporary assets, maintain backups of their content and contact lists, and approach any "official" removal demand with caution until its authenticity is verified. https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/x-take-down-notice-india-free-speech-groups-b3080408.html Meta Is Moving Users to a New "Meta Account" Meta is automatically transitioning Accounts Center, where people link their Instagram, Facebook, and Threads profiles, into a single "Meta Account" with one login. Users cannot opt out, and WhatsApp will remain separate unless it was already linked. For Mission Teams Linked profiles will share one login and a common set of ad preferences, meaning a team member's personal and ministry profiles could become more closely connected. Teams should review which profiles are linked in Accounts Center and keep ministry or pen-name profiles in separate accounts. https://ppc.land/meta-forces-users-onto-meta-accounts-with-no-opt-out-offered/ https://www.meta.com/account/ Updated YouTube Descriptions May Help Videos Show Up in AI Search In a small test conducted by Peec AI, about 60 YouTube videos received more detailed descriptions, and AI tools such as Google's AI Overviews picked them up 359% more often afterward. Videos that were left unchanged saw only a 17% increase. However, the test was too small to prove that the new descriptions caused the jump. For Mission Teams As more people use AI search tools, clear descriptions could help your existing videos appear in AI-generated answers. Teams can test this by updating a few older videos with descriptions that include the video's topic, the questions it answers, and clearly labeled timestamps. https://searchengineland.com/youtube-description-updates-ai-retrievals-study-500845 TikTok Search Ads Work Differently Than Google Ads TikTok's search ads have settings that don't match Google Ads, including Automated Keywords that are turned on by default for small business accounts. TikTok also won't block misspellings or plural forms of a negative keyword unless you add each one yourself. For Mission Teams A ministry running TikTok search ads could end up showing ads on unrelated search terms without knowing it. Teams should check their Automated Keywords list and add common misspellings and plural forms to their negative keyword lists. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/tiktok-search-ads-are-becoming-real-search-advertising/596016/ TikTok Expands Its AI Video Ad Tools TikTok's Symphony tool can now create AI video ads up to 30 seconds long using up to 50 reference images, videos, or audio clips. Advertisers outside North America can also buy access to ByteDance's newest video models through BytePlus, ByteDance's business tech arm. For Mission Teams Small teams could produce more video ads for less money, which may help them test more messages with seekers. AI-made visuals still need careful review to make sure they represent the gospel accurately and fit the local culture. Security Disclaimer Symphony runs on ByteDance's systems, so anything you upload is handled under ByteDance's data practices. Do not upload footage of real team members, seekers, or locations, and keep this work on an account and device separate from sensitive ministry data. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/tiktok-updates-its-ai-video-ad-tools/874209/ Google DeepMind AI Mathematically Verifies Key Parts of the Signal Protocol Google DeepMind used an AI tool called AlphaProof Code to mathematically verify that key parts of the Signal encryption protocol work as intended. The project was a four-week test that found no new problems in the parts examined. However, it did not cover the entire Signal app. For Mission Teams This provides additional confidence in the security of the Signal protocol. That said, it doesn't guarantee security, and it doesn't protect against risks such as phone seizure, weak passwords, or unsafe sharing habits. Teams should continue using strong device security and exercising caution when communicating with contacts in restricted areas. https://www.wired.com/story/a-new-ai-tool-from-google-deepmind-formally-verified-the-signal-protocol/ WhatsApp Events Can Now Invite People Without WhatsApp WhatsApp is updating its Events feature so people can create events, send invitations, and manage RSVPs in one place called Events Home. Invitations can now reach people who do not have WhatsApp, and they can see details and RSVP through a link without downloading the app. For Mission Teams Teams can use event links to invite seekers to in-person or online gatherings and manage RSVPs in one place. However, teams operating in restricted areas should plan carefully, as shared event links and RSVP lists may reveal who is attending. According to Meta, phone numbers are hidden from guests who are not in a person's contacts, and the event address is shown to non-WhatsApp guests only after they RSVP. Teams should therefore consider keeping sensitive meeting locations off the event page and sharing them privately. The update is rolling out to everyone over the coming weeks, so availability may initially vary. https://about.fb.com/news/2026/11/whatsapp-events-brings-people-together-beyond-the-group-chat/ Google Changes Ad Surcharges for Italy, France, and Turkey in 2027 Starting January 1, 2027, Google will change the Regulatory Operating Cost added to ad invoices in three countries: Italy: 2.5% → 3.0% France: 2.0% → 3.0% Turkey: 4.5% → 2.25% For Mission Teams Teams running Google Ads, YouTube Reservation, or Display & Video 360 campaigns in these countries should update their 2027 budgets, since costs will rise in Italy and France and fall in Turkey. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9750227 Meta Ads Creative Enhancements: What They Do and When to Turn Them Off Meta's 47 AI-powered Creative Enhancements can change everything from text placement and ad formatting to video colors. They are designed to help marketers diversify their creative content, but their outputs and adjustments are not always ideal. For Mission Teams Mission teams should review the enhancement settings for each ad and turn off any features that change their message, destination, or images in ways they have not approved. These may include Optimize Website Destination, Landing Page Experience, AI-generated people in videos, Translation, and AI answers to viewer questions. Teams should also have translated text reviewed by a native speaker before running ads with sensitive content. Meta may also apply features still in testing to up to 5% of your ad impressions unless you uncheck "Test New Creative Features" in Advertising Settings. Teams should clearly define their branding, use previews where available, and monitor ads for changes that no longer align with their approved wording. See Jon Loomer's full list of Creative Enhancements and his suggestions in the article below: https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-creative-enhancements/ OpenAI Launches Business Profiles and Mention Tracking in ChatGPT OpenAI has started a beta test called Businesses in ChatGPT. Companies can claim a profile, correct what ChatGPT says about them, and see mentions, profile views, and website clicks. For Mission Teams Ministries registered as businesses may be able to claim a profile and correct how ChatGPT describes them. However, the beta is initially available only to eligible ecommerce and online service businesses in the US. The data shows totals but does not reveal the questions people asked, and smaller accounts may have access to very little data. Verification is done by phone call, text message, or DNS record. Teams operating in restricted countries should carefully consider the risks of publishing contact details and website links. They should also continue tracking seeker engagement on their own websites, since this tool can show that their ministry was mentioned but not explain why. https://www.thestateofbrand.com/news/chatgpt-business-hub-brand-mentions-clicks Fewer Meta Ad Sets May Lower Your Cost Per Result Meta says each ad set needs about 50 conversions a week to learn well. Meta's own analysis found that ad sets below this level cost about 28% more per purchase. For Mission Teams Check how many conversions each ad set generates per week. If an ad set generates fewer than 50 conversions a week, consider consolidating your budget into fewer ad sets so that each desired action, such as a sign-up or message start, generates more data for optimization. Use Meta's formula (weekly budget ÷ (cost per result × 50)) to estimate how many ad sets your budget can support. Consider adding a second ad set only when you are generating around 100 conversions per week and have a clear reason to split your campaign. Note that the 28% figure applies to purchases. Small teams optimizing for lower-volume events, such as Bible study sign-ups, should treat this figure as a guideline rather than a guarantee. https://pubcast.jonloomer.com/your-extra-ad-sets-are-costing-you-28-more/ Google Ads Changes How It Handles Language, Scheduling, and AI Labels Google Ads has removed the manual language setting from Search campaigns. Google now determines who sees an ad based on the language used in the ad text and landing page, as well as what it knows about the languages a person understands. As a result, ads may still reach people searching in another language if Google determines they can understand the ad. Google does not translate ads, and advertisers still cannot exclude specific languages. Asset scheduling now allows advertisers to group days, such as weekdays or weekends, when scheduling headlines, images, and other ad elements. However, scheduling ads to run on fewer days does not automatically reduce monthly spending. Google can still spend up to 30.4 times your average daily budget over the course of a month, meaning daily spending may be higher on the days your ads are active. Google has added California, South Korea, and Vietnam to the list of locations where ads created or edited with AI must display a visible label. These join the European Union, India, and New York. For Mission Teams Write each ad group in a single language, and give each language its own landing page URL so Google can direct your ads to the right seekers. If you limit ads to the hours when your responders are online, keep an eye on your budgets. A restricted ad schedule no longer automatically limits your monthly spending. Be careful when using AI-generated content in sensitive locations such as Vietnam. A visible AI label draws attention to how an ad was created, and anyone can view the disclosure in the ad's "How this ad was made" panel. In sensitive locations, consider using non-AI assets. Where AI content is used, disclose it properly to avoid rejection. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-45-adriaan-dekker-uonse/ 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 reframes 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! Confused by digital strategy? 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 nonprofit’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 on 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 13, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - April 24, 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 the latest cybersecurity worries, a reminder that you can integrate Tiktok and Meta Analytics with GA4, the latest Canva update and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Windows Infostealer Distributed via Fake VPN Sites and Gaming Mods Hackers are creating fake websites for popular tools like Proton VPN to trick people into downloading harmful software. Once installed, this virus steals private data and passwords directly from your computer. For Mission Teams Missions teams should only download files from trusted and verified sources. https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/threat-intel/2026/04/from-fake-proton-vpn-sites-to-gaming-mods-this-windows-infostealer-is-everywhere Unified Data Import for Google Analytics Google Analytics now allows users to bring in data from platforms like Meta and TikTok for free to see all marketing results in one place. This tool helps people understand how their total budget is performing without needing to check many different websites. For Mission Teams Consolidating data from multiple social media advertising platforms can help mission teams identify which channels are most effective for connecting with seekers. A unified view of performance data enables better stewardship of resources and helps ensure that engagement insights remain organized within a single trusted dashboard. However, some Kavanah Media team members have reported challenges with these integrations. Teams should test these tools carefully before full adoption and be aware that Google may modify or discontinue these features in the future. Have you implemented this approach? What has your experience been? https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9164320?hl=en The Shift Toward Sovereign Messaging Government officials across parts of Europe are moving away from widely used apps like WhatsApp in favor of state-developed communication platforms. This shift reflects a growing desire for greater control over sensitive data, particularly in response to concerns about foreign surveillance and cyber threats. For Mission Teams This trend highlights the increasing risk of relying solely on commercial messaging platforms for sensitive outreach and internal communication, especially in restricted or high-surveillance regions. Government entities, corporations, and even mission agencies are beginning to prioritize platforms they can directly control or manage. For many mission teams, tools like Signal remain a viable option due to their strong security features. However, teams should carefully assess their risk tolerance and choose communication tools that align with their specific security needs and operating environments. https://www.politico.eu/article/european-civil-servants-new-messaging-services/ Canva AI 2.0 and the Future of Design Canva has updated its platform with a powerful AI assistant that creates complete designs from simple descriptions. This new system can manage complex tasks and use multiple creative tools at once to save time. For Mission Teams These updated automated design tools can help mission teams with limited resources efficiently create professional social media ads to better reach seekers. https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/16/canvas-ai-assistant-can-now-call-various-tools-to-make-designs-for-you/ Instagram Analytics Upgrade for Content Reach Instagram has added a new dashboard that ranks post results based on what actually helps more people see your content. The system compares every new post to your last five to show you exactly which ones are performing best. For Mission Teams These reach-focused metrics help teams leveraging organic campaigns to quickly identify which specific messages or formats are most effective at finding new seekers. By understanding what drives distribution, digital evangelists can stop guessing and focus their strategy on content that successfully starts new spiritual conversations. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/samanthabensimonyehle_instagram-now-has-the-most-insightful-performance-ugcPost-7450196573705342976-pZKl/ Mobile App Sharing with Precision Timestamps YouTube has added a new feature to its mobile app that lets users share a video starting at a specific second. While this new sharing tool is being added, YouTube is also removing its older Clips feature. For Mission Teams This update allows digital evangelists to share specific, impactful gospel moments from long videos directly with seekers. Teams must adjust their strategy to use these precise timestamps for engagement since the internal Clips tool is no longer available for highlighting key discipleship content. https://www.theverge.com/streaming/913611/youtube-mobile-app-share-at-timestamp-clips Global Expansion of Meta AI Business Assistant Meta is expanding its AI business assistant globally to help advertisers manage campaigns across multiple languages. The tool is designed to streamline troubleshooting, provide automated recommendations, and improve overall campaign efficiency. For Mission Teams While Meta Ads Manager can present challenges—particularly around reliability and support responsiveness—this global rollout may offer new opportunities for mission teams to optimize ad performance, resolve issues more quickly, and reach seekers more effectively in local languages. Automated recommendations can improve efficiency, but teams should carefully evaluate how AI-driven targeting and optimization may impact the digital security and privacy of those engaging with gospel content. https://www.facebook.com/business/news/meta-ai-business-assistant-expands-globally-with-more-languages Meta Value Rules for Targeted Audiences Meta is introducing Value Rules, a feature that allows advertisers to signal which audiences are most valuable to their goals. Instead of optimizing only for clicks or conversions, these rules help the system prioritize users who are more likely to take higher-value actions. For Mission Teams Mission teams can use Value Rules to guide the algorithm toward more meaningful engagement—such as prioritizing new contacts, highly engaged users, or specific audience segments. While this does not replace detailed targeting, it does offer a degree of strategic input that helps shape how campaigns are optimized. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-value-rules-audiences/ Religious Affiliation Trends Among Immigrants Research indicates that immigrants to the United States tend to become less religiously affiliated over time, reflecting broader trends in the general population. While newcomers are often assumed to be more devout, data suggests that both religious identity and church attendance frequently decline after resettlement. For Mission Teams These trends suggest a potential window of opportunity for early engagement with first-generation immigrants as they adjust to a new cultural environment. Digital outreach efforts may be more effective when they address the immediate questions of identity, community, and belonging that often accompany relocation. Mission teams can use these insights to shape thoughtful, culturally aware campaigns. However, teams should also ensure that all outreach efforts comply with platform advertising policies and respect local sensitivities. https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/the-myth-of-the-devout-immigrant Threads Launches Live Chats for Real-Time Interaction Threads has introduced Live Chats to allow groups of up to 150 people to have public conversations during live events. This new feature includes interactive tools like real-time polls, countdowns, and media sharing to keep users engaged as events happen. For Mission Teams Live Chats provide a powerful way for digital evangelists to host real-time spiritual discussions or Q&A sessions with seekers during significant global events. Teams must monitor these public chats closely to manage security and ensure that participants can engage in a safe environment without exposing sensitive personal information. https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/22/threads-is-adding-live-chats-to-boost-real-time-engagement/ Foundations of Digital Engagement Strategy Course May 13-16, 2026 (Pre-EMDC Training) Chiang Mai, Thailand This course is for you. Digital permeates virtually every aspect of people's lives and it should be present in every stage of your mission and ministry strategy. Join Kavanah Media staff during the Pre-EMDC training week for a time of practical training in digital engagement. This course is designed for you to examine your end to end strategy and find ways that digital components can be added or improved whether you are just ready to begin or an experienced practitioner. Follow the link or contact us for more details. https://emdcon.org/ 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. YouVersion Reading Plan– Jon Ralls, CEO of Kavanah Media, just launched a powerful 4-day devotional on YouVersion called "Love Where You Are." Subscribe 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: April 24, 2026