Weekly Marketing Rundown - September 5, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - April 17, 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 Iranian Cyber Attacks, Changes to Meta's Flexible ad format, Russia's crackdown on VPN's and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Iranian Cyber Actor Warning The FBI and CISA warned that cyber actors are targeting critical infrastructure by manipulating data on control displays. While focused on utilities, these actors often use similar tactics to disrupt communication networks. For Mission Teams This highlights the importance of using strong, unique passwords for any devices connected to your ministry network. Teams in sensitive regions should remain extra vigilant against unusual activity on their internet-connected hardware. https://www.ic3.gov/CSA/2026/260407.pdf Critical Vulnerability in Ninja Forms WordPress Plugin Hackers are using a major weakness in a popular website tool called Ninja Forms to take over websites. This flaw allows outsiders to run hidden code and gain full control of the site without needing a password. For Mission Teams Security flaws in web forms can expose sensitive contact information of seekers and disrupt digital disciple-making efforts. Teams must update their WordPress plugins immediately to protect their platform's integrity and ensure the safety of those engaging with their content. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-exploit-critical-flaw-in-ninja-forms-wordpress-plugin/? Changes to Meta’s Ad Formatting Meta is removing the Flexible Format option from its ad setup tools. This change means advertisers will soon use a new system called Format Display Options to manage how their images and videos appear. For Mission Teams This update requires teams to adapt their creative strategies for social media ads used in seeker outreach. Many teams leveraged the Flexible ad format, avoiding the dreaded "creative ad fatigue." A possible alternative is developing custom formats for each placement and creating multiple ads per ad set to allow for even more creative options. https://www.jonloomer.com/new-value-rules-for-audiences/ Official Meta Pixel Integration for GA4 Meta has updated its official tracking template to integrate more seamlessly with Google Analytics 4. This update enables more consistent data sharing between platforms, helping advertisers better understand how users interact with their websites. For Mission Teams This integration can help simplify the setup and management of the Meta Pixel. While Meta’s religious data restrictions have reduced the effectiveness of traffic campaigns for many teams, there are still strategic use cases where they remain viable. For teams that continue to rely on the Meta Pixel and website-based campaigns, this updated tracking template should provide more reliable data and improved insights. https://tagmanager.google.com/gallery/#/owners/facebook/templates/GoogleTagManager-WebTemplate-For-FacebookPixel Russia’s VPN Crackdown Disrupts Financial Infrastructure The Russian government attempted to block VPN services, but the technical process accidentally crashed the country's banking systems. This caused many people to lose access to digital payments and forced them to use cash for a short time. For Mission Teams This crackdown shows that digital evangelism efforts in restricted areas face high risks of sudden internet instability and surveillance. Teams must prepare backup communication methods, prioritize high-security tools and practice good cybersecurity hygiene. https://archive.is/4Z74V YouTube Viewing Trends and Platform Growth YouTube Shorts have grown significantly and now reach over 200 billion views every single day. Additionally, global audiences are consuming more than one billion hours of YouTube content on their television screens daily. For Mission Teams The scale of Shorts highlights the importance of prioritizing short-form video in digital engagement strategies. However, the high volume of TV-based viewing also points to a growing opportunity for long-form discipleship content—particularly for reaching individuals and families in more private, in-home environments. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-expands-ai-powered-tools-shares-trend-insights/751149/ Meta Expected to Overtake Google in Digital Advertising Meta is projected to become the world's largest digital advertising business this year, surpassing Google for the first time. This growth is largely driven by artificial intelligence improvements and the success of short-form video content like Reels. For Mission Teams Meta's increasing dominance suggests that advertising on platforms like Facebook and Instagram is currently still a very effective way to reach large audiences. It should not be discounted as a viable option for digital engagement work. https://www.wsj.com/business/media/meta-expected-to-unseat-google-as-worlds-largest-digital-ad-player-83d3f522?st=UHLFza&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink&mod=tldr& Meta Challenges X’s Dominance in Japan Through Threads Meta is launching a localized campaign to grow its Threads platform in Japan where the app X is currently very popular. They created a special account to share local tips and help more Japanese users switch to their new social network. For Mission Teams Japan remains a critical frontier for digital evangelism where the majority of the population is active on X but transitioning to Threads. Teams should consider establishing a presence on Threads now to connect with early adopters. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-looks-to-grow-threads-in-japan/816782/ Faith, Masculinity, and the Rise of “Catholicmaxxing” TikTok creators are increasingly blending traditional religious themes with modern fitness and dating culture. While these viral videos often present faith as trendy and masculine, broader data suggests that more young people are leaving the church than joining it. For Mission Teams While this trend is most visible in Western contexts, it highlights a growing desire for identity, purpose, and community among young men. Mission teams can engage this audience through relatable, lifestyle-oriented content that reflects real experiences. Authenticity is especially important so teams should prioritize using real people and genuine stories whenever possible to build trust and connection. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/07/catholicmaxxing-catholicism--church-religion-tiktok-gen-z-influencers Major Tech Companies Track Users Despite Opt-Out Requests An independent audit found that Google, Meta, and Microsoft may continue tracking users even after opt-out signals are enabled. In some cases, advertising cookies were still placed on user devices despite the use of official privacy controls. For Mission Teams This report highlights the ongoing tension between user privacy and large-scale data collection. Data privacy and Big Tech remain in a constant tug of war. As a result, teams should not assume that platform-based privacy settings fully prevent tracking and should remain flexible as policies and technologies evolve. When handling sensitive or internal communications, it is important to prioritize tools with strong security features, such as end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and secure backups. Platforms like WhatsApp can be useful in certain contexts, but teams should carefully evaluate each tool based on their specific risk environment. https://www.404media.co/google-microsoft-meta-all-tracking-you-even-when-you-opt-out-according-to-an-independent-audit/ 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 17, 2026

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