Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 27, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - October 24, 2025 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! In this issue, we explore the Meta's new Andromeda system, the AWS outage, predictions for social media's future and more.  Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta AI Conversations Will Be Used for Ads Meta announced that starting December 16th, it will use your chats with Meta AI to help decide what content and ads you see. These AI conversations won’t directly create new ad targeting categories, but they will add to the data Meta already uses to personalize your experience. This move has sparked debate about whether AI chats should be treated like private messages or more like search history. For Mission Teams: Meta will have even more data to help match ads with the right people. It could improve ad performance, but teams should also be aware of privacy concerns and how users might react. Marketers may need to adjust strategies to stay transparent and build trust as AI becomes part of the ad targeting process. http://jonloomer.com/qvt/meta-ai-conversations-target-ads/ Big AWS Outage Shuts Down Websites and Apps Amazon Web Services (AWS) had a major outage that caused many websites and apps to stop working for several hours. The problem came from a network glitch, and it affected things like banking apps, streaming services, and company tools. AWS fixed the issue, but it showed how much the internet depends on their cloud system. For Mission Teams: If those tools go down, campaigns can pause, data can be lost, and users might have a bad experience. Teams should think about backup systems, check service status often, and plan for what to do if something like this happens again. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-aws-outage-2025/ Meta Andromeda: Why Mixing Up Your Ads Matters Meta’s new Andromeda system (the new ad delivery system) doesn’t just pick one “best” ad—it spreads out delivery across different versions to learn what works. Jon Loomer explains that advertisers should use a mix of creative types like different images, videos, headlines, primary text, calls-to-action, and formats (like single image vs. carousel). This helps Meta gather better data and avoid showing the same ad too often, which can make people stop paying attention. For Mission Teams: Teams should leverage different creative types and formats, enable Creative+ Enhancements and leveraging Adv.+ optimizations whenever possible as this approach can improve long-term ad performance and reach more people effectively. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-andromeda-creative-diversification/ Meta Lead Ads: What’s Changing in October 2025 Meta is updating its Lead Ads system to give users more control over how their data is collected and used. Starting October 2025, advertisers must clearly explain why they’re asking for personal info and how it will be used. Meta will also require more transparency in lead forms and may limit how much data advertisers can collect without a clear reason. For Mission Teams: This matters for marketing teams because it changes how lead generation campaigns are built and approved. Teams will need to update their forms, rethink what data they really need, and make sure everything is easy for users to understand. It could also affect how quickly leads are collected and how much targeting data is available. https://giovanniperilli.com/en/blog/meta-lead-ads-october-2025-the-new-rules-and-what-really-changes/ No Consent, No Ads: Google’s New Privacy Rule Google now requires websites to follow the EU Consent Policy if you have end users in the EU—even for non-personalized ads. If your site doesn’t send proper consent signals, Google can suspend your entire ad account. To stay compliant, you should use a certified Consent Management Platform (CMP), check your consent setup in Google Tag Manager, and test it using GA4 DebugView and Ads consent mode reports. For Mission Teams: This is important for marketing teams because ignoring consent rules could shut down all ad activity. Teams should check their emails or Google Ads accounts to see if they have new Action Required notifications and also make sure their websites collect and send the right privacy signals, or risk losing access to Google Ads. Please reach out to us here at Kavanah Media if you need assistance with GDPR compliance. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-42-adriaan-dekker-rn3qe/ Facebook’s “Group Highlights” Make Private Posts More Public Facebook’s new “Group Highlights” feature lets private groups share selected member posts outside the group. Members must give permission before their content is shown, and highlights can appear on the group’s front page, in Facebook search, or even on Google. AI may help pick which posts to show, but names and profile pictures are hidden for now. For Mission Teams: Missionaries utilizing Facebook groups in their digital engagement strategies can experiment with this feature to broaden their reach. However, they must proceed with caution, ensuring user consent and addressing security concerns. Furthermore, missionaries operating in secure areas should reassess the groups they follow to confirm that their sensitive information is not being shared publicly on the platform. https://www.facebook.com/help/970710061848673?cms_platform=iphone-app&helpref=platform_switcher What Social Media Might Look Like in 2026 This article from Social Media Today shares 36 predictions about how social media could change by 2026. Experts think platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook will focus more on AI, short videos, and private messaging. There’s also talk about more rules for content, better tools for creators, and new ways for people to shop directly through social apps. For Mission Teams: Some examples from the list include: AI-generated content becoming normal, private messaging replacing public posts, creators getting paid directly through platforms, and social apps becoming shopping hubs. These changes could affect how brands and mission teams handle digital security, ad targeting, and customer engagement. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/36-predictions-social-media-marketing-2026/802195/ Instagram Reels Tries Skippable Ads Like YouTube Meta is testing skippable ads on Instagram Reels, similar to how YouTube does it. Users will see a countdown before the ad starts and then get a “skip” button. Right now, creators won’t earn money from these ads, and Meta says the goal is to help businesses get noticed without annoying viewers. For Mission Teams: This test could change how ads are made and placed on Reels. It may push brands to create more engaging content quickly, since users can skip. https://www.adweek.com/media/meta-is-testing-skippable-ads-on-instagram-reels-borrowing-from-youtubes-playbook/ Marketers Still Trust Real People Over AI User-generated content (UGC)—like videos, reviews, and posts made by everyday people—is still the top choice for marketers. A recent report shows that 36% of marketers say UGC is extremely important, while only 2% feel that way about AI-generated content. Gen Z spends a lot of time watching UGC, showing that people want real, relatable content—not computer-made stuff. For Mission Teams: This suggests teams should consider pulling back on using AI to make content and leaning into user generated content. Localized authentic content is best, but teams working in secure fields should be cautious. As always, these findings are primarily based in Western markets. Teams should experiment in their own locations. https://content-naf.emarketer.com/social-media-strategists-value-ugc-over-ai Social Media Stops Sending Traffic to News Sites Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram are sending way fewer clicks to news websites—down 30% since 2022. That’s a drop from 1.75 billion to 1.22 billion referrals. While platforms test new ways to boost link engagement, short videos and algorithm changes are making it harder for traditional news posts to get seen. Link-in-bio tools are growing, but they mostly help online shopping. For Mission Teams: Because social media platforms may limit the visibility of posts containing external links, marketing teams should think about alternative ways to share links — like putting them in bios or comments — to maintain reach and avoid algorithmic penalties. https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-media-trends-a6e42ba0-ae85-11f0-87d6-3dbac628b68f.html Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement  At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: 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 8-day devotional on YouVersion called "Living in Tension." Subscribe here Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us 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: October 24, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - September 26, 2025 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! In this issue, we explore the usefulness of Meta's new Ads Manager metric, the US governments recommendations for encrypted apps, Italy's new AI laws and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Instagram Follows from Ads, but Does it Mean Much? Facebook now lets marketers see how many Instagram followers come directly from ads, but this is usually just a vanity metric. Frequently, followers don’t actually engage with content—no likes, comments, or story views. Some even seem like fake accounts, which makes the follower count less useful than it looks. For Mission Teams: Tracking Instagram follows from ads has become easier, but this may not be the most effective measure of success. A more strategic approach is to concentrate on genuine engagement and your overarching objectives. If your goal is to foster meaningful conversations that lead to offline meetings, then that is what you should prioritize in your tracking. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/instagram-follows/ Remarketing on Meta Facebook’s ad system automatically prioritizes remarketing, and has for awhile. That means it shows ads to people who’ve already interacted with your brand in some way—like visiting your site or engaging with your content. It is no longer necessary to run seperate dedicated ads for retargeting. For Mission Teams: Due to Religious data source restrictions, and other factors, remarketing on Meta's platforms has been difficult in the context digital engagement projects for some time. However, even with these challenges, Meta's algorithm's prioritization change means remarketing is even easier as it happens automatically. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/general-remarketing/ U.S. Officials Recommend Encrypted Messaging Apps Government officials in the U.S. are urging people to use encrypted apps like Signal and others to keep their messages private. These apps make it harder for hackers or outsiders to read what you send. For Mission Teams: For marketing teams, this is good reminder to utilize good cybersecurity hygiene and prioritize the usage of encrypted platforms for communications. https://www.esecurityplanet.com/video/us-officials-recommend-using-encrypted-apps-for-messaging/ Italy Passes First National AI Law in the EU Italy is now the first country in the European Union to create a national law for artificial intelligence. The law sets age restrictions and other rules for how AI should be used safely and fairly. For Mission Teams: For marketing teams, it is essential to understand that digital engagement tools are constantly evolving and can change unexpectedly. To maintain effectiveness, we must diversify our systems, implement robust cybersecurity practices, and stay updated on the latest developments. Additionally, teams should be aware of local laws regarding AI, data, and other aspects related to digital engagement strategies, as these can significantly impact their projects. https://www.eweek.com/artificial-intelligence/italy-leads-eu-with-first-national-ai-law/ Meta Adds New WhatsApp Ad Features Meta just introduced two new ad tools for WhatsApp: “Click-to-Message” and “Status Ads.” The Click-to-Message feature lets users start a WhatsApp chat directly from an ad, while Status Ads allow businesses to place promotions in the WhatsApp Status feed—similar to Instagram Stories. These updates make it easier for brands to connect with users inside the app. For Mission Teams: This could mean a more direct ways to reach customers and start conversations. It could lead to faster responses, better engagement, and more personalized service. This new systems are being rolled out globally in stages. Teams should verify if they have access to the new ad platform in their region and test them in their context before full adoption. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-adds-whatsapp-click-to-message-whatsapp-status-ads/760186/ Facebook Ads Cost More in 2025, But Still Cheaper Than Google Facebook’s average cost per lead jumped to $27.66 in 2025, up 21% from last year. Even with the increase, it’s still much lower than Google’s $70.11. Traffic ads on Facebook are doing better, with cheaper clicks and more people clicking, but lead ads are getting less effective. For Mission Teams: Marketing teams should watch ad performance closely and focus on better creative and targeting. Rising costs and lower conversion rates mean teams may need to shift strategies and protect ad budgets. It’s also a good time to review how data is used in campaigns. https://searchengineland.com/facebook-ad-costs-jump-beat-google-461690 Signal Adds Free and Paid Chat Backup Plans Signal is launching encrypted chat backups with two options: a free plan and a paid one. The free version gives users 100MB of message storage and 45 days of media backup. For $1.99/month, the paid plan offers 100GB and full media backup. All backups use zero-knowledge encryption, meaning only the user can access them using a 64-character recovery key generated on their device. For Mission Teams: These new options could be an excellent encrypted storage option for teams that leverage Signal heavily.  https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/08/signal-introduces-free-and-paid-backup-plans-for-your-chats/ ​​Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: 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 8-day devotional on YouVersion called "Living in Tension." Subscribe here Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us 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: September 26, 2025