Weekly Marketing Rundown - September 25, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - August 21, 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 changes to Google Search Ad Language targeting, Youtube Picture ads, new data privacy laws and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Google Ads Retires Campaign-Level Language Targeting Google is updating its search ads by removing the setting that lets advertisers manually choose specific languages. Instead, Google's automated systems will now match people to ads based on the languages they already read and speak. For Mission Teams Mission teams leveraging Search Campaigns must ensure their digital ad text and landing pages are perfectly translated into their target audience's exact language. Because automated delivery could expose outreach campaigns to unintended or hostile groups, ministries must closely monitor their search traffic to protect their security and digital engagement strategies. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-is-removing-language-targeting-from-search-campaigns/585592/ OpenAI Introduces Carousel Ads to ChatGPT OpenAI is now letting companies show a scrolling list of products in their ChatGPT ads. This new format helps businesses display multiple items side-by-side to catch the attention of users chatting with the AI. For Mission Teams Mission teams could use these scrolling ads to share a variety of outreach resources, like scripture links and videos, in one engaging placement. https://digiday.com/marketing/openai-brings-product-carousels-to-chatgpt-ads/ New AI Disclosure Laws Reshape Digital Marketing New laws in Europe and California now require businesses to clearly label any pictures, videos, or sounds created by artificial intelligence. This means marketers must use special digital tags so that people always know when online content is computer-generated. For Mission Teams To safely find seekers and make disciples, mission teams operating in these jurisdictions must follow these new transparency rules whenever using artificial intelligence to create media for their digital evangelism campaigns. By honestly labeling their outreach content, ministries can build vital trust with cautious audiences while protecting their operational security from legal penalties or platform bans. https://www.thedrum.com/news/ai-disclosure-laws-arrive-in-the-eu-and-california-what-do-they-mean-for-marketers YouTube Mobile Tests New Overlay Picture Ads YouTube is testing new picture ads that pop up over the screen while people watch videos sideways on their phones. These still images appear every few minutes without stopping the video, giving advertisers a new way to show their messages. For Mission Teams Mission teams can use these new picture ads to add even more creative diversity to their add strategies on YouTube. https://ppcnewsfeed.com/ppc-news/2026-08/youtube-tests-image-ads-horizontal-mobile-playback/ New WhatsApp Security Warning System for Unverified Messages WhatsApp is testing a warning system to alert users when receiving messages from unverified contacts. The alert helps users identify potential scams before replying to unfamiliar accounts. For Mission Teams This new safety alert helps protect field workers from falling for phishing attempts on WhatsApp. However, new seekers contacting your ministry account for the first time may also see this security prompt. https://engineering.fb.com/2026/08/12/security/how-were-building-scam-alert-whatsapp/ Apple Issues Critical Spyware Threat Notifications Apple is alerting targeted iPhone users about sophisticated spyware attacks that could compromise their devices. These push notifications serve as critical warnings that hackers are actively attempting to steal personal information from specific individuals. For Mission Teams Particularly important for teams operating in sensitive fields with a high risk of nation-state interference, Apple’s security alerts should be taken seriously to protect digital networks and sensitive contacts. By securing devices immediately when warned, ministries can help prevent hostile actors from accessing their outreach campaigns and compromising their disciple-making efforts. https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/13/if-apple-sends-you-a-push-notification-alerting-you-to-a-spyware-attack-take-it-seriously/ Rise of Relatability Trends in Social Video Marketing Recent social media trends show that unpolished, relatable video content is outperforming high-budget advertisements. Audiences favor simple personal stories over formal corporate promotions. For Mission Teams Authentic videos recorded on a phone by real believers will likely connect better than expensive studio videos. Simple, honest video testimony builds trust faster with seekers browsing social media. https://bluehaloagency.com/news/social-media-trends-august-2026/ WhatsApp Introduces Usernames for Private Messaging WhatsApp is updating its app to let people save and use usernames instead of phone numbers. This change will soon allow users to chat with new contacts without sharing their personal phone details. For Mission Teams This is just the latest update related to WhatsApps' shift to usernames. Mission teams can use these new usernames to safely connect with seekers without revealing their real phone numbers. This update improves operational security while making it easier to share the gospel and disciple people in hostile areas. https://wabetainfo.com/whatsapp-launches-a-username-field-for-new-contacts/ YouTube Transforms Search with Conversational AI Chatbot YouTube is releasing a new tool across all devices that lets users ask questions and get helpful answers instead of just a list of videos. This smart chat feature remembers what you are talking about and acts more like a personal assistant than a regular search bar. For Mission Teams Ministries should closely monitor how their videos are tagged to ensure that artificial intelligence correctly identifies and recommends their biblical resources as potential seekers use the new integrated AI search feature. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-expands-access-to-its-in-app-ai-chatbot/827757/ Understanding Video View Counts Across Different Platforms Social media apps have very different rules for what they count as a video view. While some apps count a view the second a video starts, others require someone to watch for several seconds before it counts. Here are some examples: Facebook Reels: organic views count after just 1+ millisecond. Instagram Reels: organic views count as soon as a video starts or replays. YouTube: from 24 August, public views count from the first frame. YouTube Shorts: public views count immediately, including replays. TikTok: views count as soon as the video starts. YouTube ads: many only count after 30 seconds or an interaction. For Mission Teams Mission teams must understand these different rules so they can accurately track how many seekers are actually watching their digital evangelism videos. See the full list put together by Axios below: https://www.axios.com/media-trends-membership/2026/08/18/youtube-video-views Google Data Studio Adds New Reporting and Design Tools Google Data Studio updated its platform to make creating and viewing reports much easier. Users can now expand charts to full screen, copy visuals as pictures, and customize their report designs. For Mission Teams These design upgrades help ministry teams clearly track and evaluate how seekers engage with their online evangelism campaigns. Better visual reports allow leaders more options when reporting metrics. https://docs.cloud.google.com/data-studio/release-notes Polite Replies to Unknown Texts Can Cost You Replying to a text message from a stranger confirms that your phone number is active and monitored. Criminal syndicates use these polite responses to profile targets and sell verified numbers for higher prices on the dark web. For Mission Teams Workers should avoid responding to unexpected texts from unknown numbers while conducting online ministry. Maintaining strict boundary practices on mobile channels protects team members from targeted social engineering tactics and prevents ministry phone numbers from being further attacked and exploited. https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/threat-intel/2026/08/your-polite-reply-to-that-text-is-worth-2-on-the-dark-web Mission Media U Practitioner Fellowship We live in a digital world.  But our discipling mandate hasn't changed.  Join our partners at Mission Media U for a two-month practitioner fellowship from 24-September to 19-November-2026 with a focus on Personal Digital Disciple-Making.  Limited seats available.  Submit your application today.   Learn more here: https://www.missionmediau.org/fellowship/ 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: August 21, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - September 4, 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 malware attacks on Anthropic Claude, Apple's new CEO, Reddit's user base growth and more! Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Anthropic Warns Claude AI Users About Malware Hijacking Accounts Hackers are using hidden malware called infostealers on people's computers to steal passwords and secretly use their Claude AI accounts. Anthropic is protecting these users by logging them out and removing their payment information so they do not get overcharged. For Mission Teams Just last week, members of the Kavanah Media team helped an organization uncover an infostealer attack. These types of attacks on nonprofit organizations are becoming much more commonplace. Keeping your digital tools secure helps ensure that your strategic efforts to find seekers and make disciples can continue without harmful disruptions. Need help with cybersecurity, risk, and compliance? Send us a message here. https://www.securityweek.com/anthropic-warns-claude-users-of-infostealer-malware-infections/?utm_source=tldrinfosec Apple CEO Leadership Transition Tim Cook is stepping down as the head of Apple after fifteen years of leading the company. He is handing the role over to John Ternus but will remain with Apple to help guide the board of directors. For Mission Teams A change in Apple’s leadership could bring new security, device, and data updates that affect how your social media ads, apps, and websites reach potential seekers. Mission teams using Apple devices, apps, and other Apple services should be prepared to adjust their digital engagement strategies as changes are announced and rolled out. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-31/apple-s-cook-says-he-will-miss-this-work-as-he-leaves-ceo-role Optimizing YouTube Ad Creatives Google shared simple tips for creating better YouTube ads, such as featuring real people and clear, human voices to capture attention. The guide also warns against using fake buttons and distracting black bars in your images, helping your videos look more natural to viewers. For Mission Teams Following these guidelines could help teams improve engagement with their content and ads. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/18061165?hl=en&utm_source=tldrmarketing Creating Helpful Content for Google Search - Have you seen it? Google wants website creators to make helpful, trustworthy content for real people instead of trying to trick search engines. You’ll do much better if you share accurate information that answers what people are actually looking for online. For Mission Teams Creating genuine, people-first content helps your team connect safely with online seekers who are asking real questions about faith. By focusing on helpful answers rather than digital tricks, you can build a sustainable strategy that leads more people toward discipleship. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content Google Expands Ask Advisor Across Marketing Platforms Google is updating its Ask Advisor tool to share information across Google Ads, Google Analytics, Merchant Center, and Google Marketing Platform. This shared memory allows the tool to remember your campaign goals and past decisions without forcing you to restart conversations on each platform. For Mission Teams This cross-platform integration could help mission teams diagnose issues with ad strategies across multiple Google tools without losing context. By saving time and preserving campaign history, your team can more effectively run digital ads that find online seekers and guide them toward discipleship. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-35-adriaan-dekker-dk0ne/ The Rise of AI-Written Content on the Internet A new study shows that a large and growing amount of the internet is now written by artificial intelligence instead of real people. You can often spot this robot writing because it uses certain punctuation marks and fancy words much more often than human writers do. For Mission Teams Since so much online content is now made by computers, your team's authentic human voice is more important than ever for building safe and trusting relationships with seekers. By writing genuine messages instead of relying entirely on AI, you will create a secure and effective strategy to guide real people toward discipleship. https://www.pewresearch.org/data-labs/2026/08/20/how-much-of-the-internet-is-written-with-ai/?utm_source=tldrmarketing Meta's New Teen Safety Limits on Social Media Meta is adding new time limits and nighttime blocks for teenagers using Facebook and Instagram to help keep them safe online. Right now, these new rules will only happen in the United States, but other countries are asking for the same protections. For Mission Teams These new limits mean mission teams working among youth, such as church youth groups, will need to adjust their digital engagement strategies to reach teenage seekers during the hours they are actually allowed online. For teams not focusing solely on youth not much is expect to change, but this is an excellent reminder that the platforms we utilized can change at any time. Teams should build redundancy into their strategies to mitigate the risks platform changes can pose.  https://www.engadget.com/2245418/meta-teen-safety-commitments-are-us-only-for-now/ Google Launches AI Design Tool Google has created a new design tool called Google Pics that lets you build and change images just by typing what you want. This smart program lives inside tools like Google Docs to help you quickly make posters and social media posts. For Mission Teams This new artificial intelligence tool helps your mission team quickly design engaging social media ads to find online seekers without needing a professional artist. https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/01/googles-answer-to-canva-is-an-ai-tool-where-you-prompt-instead-of-design/ Meta's AI Automatically Tracks Website Conversion Events Meta is using artificial intelligence to automatically detect key actions on your website and track them for advertising campaigns. This new feature helps measure important user activities, though it currently overlaps with an older tracking setting in confusing ways. For Mission Teams While not as commonly utilized by mission teams due to Meta's Religious Data Restrictions, automatic event tracking could simplify measuring traffic engagement. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-automatic-events-feature/ Reddit's Fast Growth and New Opportunities Reddit is growing rapidly and now has more than 130 million people using it every day. People love Reddit because it offers real conversations and honest answers rather than traditional advertisements. For Mission Teams This rapid growth means mission teams could consider Reddit as another platform to include in their digital engagement work. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/reddit-statistics/ 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: September 4, 2026