Weekly Marketing Rundown - January 31, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - September 25, 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 Next Steps Journeys Update, major updates for WhatsApp and Meta, undersea cables, and more! Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Kavanah Analytics- Webinar You're invited to a free online webinar introducing Kavanah Analytics on Monday, October 20, offered at two times to fit your team's schedule: 8:00 AM Eastern and 8:00 PM Eastern.  If your team is using digital tools to reach the lost, you already know the hard part isn't running an ad or posting a video. It's answering the questions that matter: Who responded? Did that conversation lead to a Bible study, a baptism, a disciple? Kavanah Analytics is a free tool built specifically for mission teams that automatically pulls your Facebook, Instagram, Google Ads, messaging, and follow-up data into one clear picture, so you can see the whole journey from first click to real spiritual conversation without stitching together spreadsheets or paying for enterprise software. In this one-hour session we'll show you how it works, walk through a live team dashboard, and explain how to get your own team set up at no cost.  Bring your questions, and bring whoever on your team is asking "is this actually working?"  Register at https://forms.gle/d2mLocY1MrcsazA28 and join us on October 20. kavanahanalytics.com Meta's New Subscription Plans and Link Sharing Limits Meta recently introduced new paid subscription services that, among other changes, limit free link sharing and require users to pay for basic account features. With these plans marketers, pages, brands, and others will need to subscribe to access many features that were previously unlimited, including link sharing. The new monthly plans vary in price and offer benefits such as verified account badges, AI chat assistants, and enhanced customer support. For Mission Teams For now it is an optional service and teams only need to consider a paid plan if their ministry requires features such as verified badges, expanded team access, AI auto-replies, or direct links inside organic Reels/posts. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-one-business-plans/ Apple Releases iOS 27 to Fix Major Security Flaws Apple recently released a major software update called iOS 27 that fixes 126 different security problems on their devices. This important update stops hackers from using dangerous system flaws to break into phones and steal private information. For Mission Teams Mission teams must update their devices to ensure device and data security. https://www.esecurityplanet.com/news/news-ios-27-126-security-fixes-kernel-2026/ Meta's Muse AI Faces Blockades and Security Flaws Meta recently launched Muse, a powerful personal AI assistant designed to automate tasks like booking travel and shopping online, but it immediately faced significant roadblocks. Amazon blocked Muse from its website because it acts like a bot, and security researchers discovered a major "zero-day" vulnerability that could allow hackers to misuse the assistant's high-level access. For Mission Teams This situation warns ministries about the dangers and unpredictability of relying on new, highly privileged AI tools for digital tasks. Mission teams should prioritize secure, proven platforms and carefully evaluate new technologies before risking their accounts and seeker connections. https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/ https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-amazon-blocks-meta-muse/ https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/09/muse-metas-extraordinarily-privileged-ai-assistant-has-a-serious-0-day/ YouTube Shorts Introduces Episodic Series YouTube is launching a new tool that lets video creators group their short clips into organized seasons and episodes. This makes it much easier for viewers to binge-watch short stories on their phones or televisions. For Mission Teams Missionaries can strategically use this multi-part format to keep seekers engaged with ongoing gospel stories that lead them toward discipleship. https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/23/youtubes-new-short-series-feature-brings-episodic-viewing-to-shorts/ https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/made-on-youtube-creators-shorts-series-tv-features/? Meta Allows Threads Advertising Without an Instagram Account Meta now allows organizations to run ads on Threads without having an Instagram account or a matching username. This change makes it easier for brands to reach the growing Threads audience as a standalone platform. For Mission Teams Ministry teams can now launch targeted ad campaigns on Threads without needing to build and secure a separate Instagram presence. This lowers the barrier for teams that want to use Threads as another channel for outreach, event promotion, or sharing ministry resources. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/threads-advertisers-will-no-longer-need-an-instagram-account/830967/ WhatsApp Integrates Third-Party AI Agents on iOS WhatsApp is testing a new feature on iPhone that allows users to connect with and message up to five external AI agents directly within the app. These third-party conversations are not end-to-end encrypted, and agents can only view messages that users explicitly send to them. For Mission Teams Teams can add an AI platform to WhatsApp via an API. However, third-party integrations may introduce additional privacy and security risks. These conversations are also not end-to-end encrypted. Teams should consider these limitations carefully before using third-party AI tools within WhatsApp. https://wabetainfo.com/whatsapp-is-rolling-out-chats-with-third-party-agents-on-ios/ Meta Builds First Petabit Subsea Cable Meta is building a massive subsea cable named Petal to connect the United States and France with record-breaking internet speeds. By using advanced multi-core fiber technology, it will double current transatlantic data capacity without requiring extra physical infrastructure. For Mission Teams Faster global internet infrastructure means greater access to the internet worldwide, creating more opportunities to use digital engagement strategies. https://engineering.fb.com/2026/09/21/connectivity/petal-petabit-transoceanic-subsea-cable/ WhatsApp Expands Voice Message Transcriptions on Android WhatsApp is adding support for more languages to its voice message transcription feature on Android devices. The feature converts spoken audio into written text using downloadable language packs stored directly on the user's phone. For Mission Teams On-device transcription allows mission teams to review audio messages from seekers without sending sensitive voice recordings to external servers. This expanded language support helps disciple-makers quickly review voice notes in regional languages and maintain fast, personalized conversations across different cultures. https://wabetainfo.com/whatsapp-is-rolling-out-new-languages-for-voice-transcriptions/ 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 25, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - May 8, 2026 Welcome to this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! This week features significant updates from Meta, including AI connection usage rates and more. Additionally, there are changes to Google Ads, the latest developments regarding Turkey's social media restrictions, and other important news. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta AI Connectors for Ad Management Meta now allows advertisers to manage their ad campaigns using popular AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude. This new feature simplifies the process by removing the need for complex technical setups or developer credentials. For Mission Teams A few weeks ago there were widespread reports of marketers have their ad accounts disabled for integration AI tools through third party means. Meta appears to have made an official connection, but many still urge caution.  Missions team hoping to leverage AI tools for ads management would be wise to hold off or exclusively use the new built Meta AI Business Assistant for the time being https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-ai-connectors-claude/ Meta Daily Active Users Decline For the first time Meta reported a slight drop in the total number of people using its apps for the first time. This decrease happened mostly because of internet shutdowns and app restrictions in specific countries like Iran and Russia. For Mission Teams Even though Meta reported this slight drop in app usage, their add revenue is still growing and is likely simple related to global events. However, a drop in users highlights the risk of relying on single platforms for digital evangelism. Teams should diversify their outreach strategies to ensure they can still reach seekers when specific apps are blocked. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-ai-connectors/ Vimeo Data Breach Exposes Personal Information A security breach at Vimeo recently exposed the personal data of over 100,000 users due to a vulnerability in their system. This leaked information included names and email addresses, though passwords and financial details were reportedly not compromised. For Mission Teams Missions teams leveraging Vimeo as part of their digital engagement strategies should verify if their accounts have been compromised or not. This also highlights the importance of practicing strong cybersecurity hygiene such as utilizing strong passwords and MFA. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/vimeo-data-breach-exposes-personal-information-of-119-000-people/ Google Analytics 4 Task Assistant Update Google Analytics has launched Task Assistant to provide a guided checklist for improving property setup and data collection. This feature, found in the left navigation menu, organizes tailored recommendations into categories like account connections and data troubleshooting. For Mission Teams This assistant could help simplify the setup and management of data collection in GA4. Using this tool helps teams identify and fix data gaps that could otherwise compromise the security or effectiveness of digital outreach. https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/16888318?hl=en ChatGPT Ads Expansion OpenAI has launched a self-service Ads Manager, significantly lowering the barrier for businesses to advertise within ChatGPT. The minimum spend has dropped from $250,000 to $50,000, and the platform is moving toward a cost-per-click (CPC) model. For Mission Teams While still out of the reach of missions teams ad budgets this significant price drop could be a good signal. If prices continue to fall ChatGPT ads could become a viable platform for teams to leverage in their digital engagement projects. Additionally, other AI platforms may follow suit.  https://www.searchenginejournal.com/openai-launches-self-serve-ads-manager-for-chatgpt/573971/ Turkey Social Media Restrictions- Update  Turkey has passed a law banning children under 15 from social media to increase online safety for minors. Platforms must now use strict age verification and give parents more control over what their children see. For Mission Teams  Thus far Turkiye’s response to social media is similar to many countries around the world- age restrictions. It is unclear what further restrictions may come. Teams leveraging digital engagement tools in Turkiye should keep apprised of local news and adjust their strategies accordingly.  https://apnews.com/article/turkey-social-media-children-restrictions-law-d88963a7446a12cf4963b73d455b5ef7 Google Search Integrates Reddit Quotes Google is updating its AI search summaries to include direct quotes and advice from Reddit and other social forums. This change aims to provide users with authentic, human-focused answers by highlighting real discussions and community expertise. For Mission Teams This update means seeker questions about faith may now surface organic community discussions alongside traditional search results. Teams could consider leveraging these platforms as these peer-to-peer conversations now have significantly higher visibility in digital outreach. https://www.theverge.com/tech/924993/google-ai-search-mode-overviews-update-reddit-links Rising Facebook Account Lockouts Facebook is experiencing a surge in account lockouts as automated AI systems mistakenly flag normal user behavior as suspicious activity. These aggressive security filters often leave users stuck in a difficult appeal process with very little human support available to fix the errors. Members of the Kavanah Team have also seem a similar surge in Meta Ad account restrictions as of late.  For Mission Teams Over-active AI policing is causing problems for many. Teams should exercise caution when making major changes to Meta Business Suite settings, and even logging in while traveling. If pages, accounts or systems are restricted successful recovery is rare. https://searchengineland.com/why-facebook-account-lockouts-are-rising-and-whats-driving-them-476546 Facebook Sees Massive Engagement Surge Even in the midst of lower reported app usage in Q1 Facebook is experiencing a sudden and dramatic increase in organic reach, with some brands seeing their views and clicks nearly double. Meta is achieving this by updating its algorithm to prioritize original content and better rewards for creators who post directly to the platform. For Mission Teams This shift could prove to be a strategic window for mission teams to reach significantly more seekers without increasing their paid advertising budget. Teams should experiment with posting authentic, original video content now to take advantage of this increased visibility before the platform's reach potentially stabilizes. https://open.substack.com/pub/milkkarten/p/something-is-happening-on-facebook Instagram Testing Text Swaps for Reels Instagram is testing a new feature called Swap that allows users to replace the text on someone else’s video. This tool could let people quickly remix popular content, although it may conflict with recent rules against unoriginal posts. For Mission Teams Teams could potentially use popular trending videos to share gospel messages by simply swapping in biblical text or seeker-focused questions. However, this strategy carries a risk because it would make it easier for bad actors to swap out texts on Gospel centered content to distort the messaging before sharing it again.  https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-tests-option-to-swap-out-text-in-someone-elses-reels/819153/ 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: May 8, 2026