Weekly Marketing Rundown - October 31, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - March 6, 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 virality on Youtube, FAQs for SEO/ AEO, passkeys for Google ads and more! Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM YouTube Virality Strategies In an analysis of over 62 billion YouTube views, YouTube strategist Richard identified several key insights: 1) Virality Is Emotional Before It Is Informational The study found that clicks are driven primarily by emotion—not by usefulness or information. 2) High-Performing Emotions Among all emotional drivers, the top performers are anger, humor, and controversy. 3) Emotional Drivers Ranked by Performance When broken down further, emotional performance ranks as follows: Joy / Humor Controversy Anger Fear Nostalgia Curiosity Relatability Sadness Desire For Mission Teams While avoiding harmful anger, using gentle controversy can help your team address the big life questions seekers are already asking. However, campaigns built around felt needs (joy, community, etc.) have consistently performed well across a variety of global contexts. While apologetic or informational-type content may be useful in some settings, the data shows that appealing to emotion is a powerful strategy. https://x.com/richard_yts/status/2024937612813701486?utm_source=tldrmarketing Using FAQs to Influence Search Results Chris Long shares how using Frequently Asked Questions on a website can help control what people see in search results. By adding specific questions and answers, a site can show up more often when people search for those exact topics. For Mission Teams This strategy helps mission teams ensure that seekers find biblically accurate answers when searching for spiritual questions online. It also helps teams manage their digital reputation and improve the safety of their online spaces by directing users to trusted content. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/chris-long-marketing_seos-this-is-a-brilliant-use-of-faqs-influencing-activity-7432854487377092608-s8tD/ Better Images and Faster Results with Nano Banana 2 Google released a new tool called Nano Banana 2 that makes high-quality pictures very quickly. It can follow difficult instructions and even put correct words inside the images without making mistakes. For Mission Teams This tool enables teams to create professional gospel media and social media ads more quickly and at a lower cost. Its built-in watermarking helps keep digital content secure and verifiable while ensuring that ads for seekers appear authentic and clear. https://gemini.google/overview/image-generation/ Google Ads Security With Passkeys Google Ads now allows users to sign in using passkeys instead of traditional passwords. This new method makes it much harder for hackers to steal account information or trick people into giving away their logins. For Mission Teams Using passkeys protects mission accounts from being hacked while running sensitive evangelism ads in restricted areas. This security update ensures that only authorized team members can modify account settings or access seeker data. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-9-adriaan-dekker-mqwee/ The Shifting Landscape of Search Engines, AI and Social Media Searches New data shows that Gen Z's preference for TikTok is dropping as they return to Google and adopt AI platforms like ChatGPT. A large number of users are now choosing these advanced AI tools to find specific answers instead of scrolling through social media. For Mission Teams While this survey took place in the US, it is likely that this trend will continue globally. Mission teams would benefit from platform diversity and adjusting strategies to including both social media and SEO/ AEO (Search Engine Optimization/ Answer Engine Optimization) optimized websites. Strategic adaptation to these changing digital habits is essential for maintaining secure and reliable connections with those searching for spiritual guidance. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/gen-z-preference-for-tiktok-over-google-drops-50-data-shows/568267/ Google Discover Increases Social Media Content Google is now showing more posts from social media apps like TikTok and Instagram in its main news feed. This change happened because many people enjoy reading short and personal stories written by real people. For Mission Teams This update increases the likelihood that social media posts created by mission teams will reach seekers through Google search results. Teams should focus on creating authentic content to improve visibility and reach more people with the gospel. https://www.seroundtable.com/google-discover-feed-social-media-posts-41011.html Facebook Web Outage Interrupts Service Facebook recently experienced a technical problem that prevented the website from working for about three hours. While the mobile apps mostly continued functioning, people trying to use Facebook through web browsers could not access the platform. For Mission Teams Teams leveraging Meta in their digital engagement strategies likely saw a dip in performance. This outage reminds teams that relying on a single platform can suddenly halt communication with seekers and disrupt advertising campaigns. Teams should use multiple digital tools to ensure their outreach efforts remain active, even when one platform goes down. https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/03/facebook_outage/ Social Media and AI Growth in 2025 According to the State of Mobile 2026 Study, social media apps saw a massive increase in the amount of time people spent using them globally last year. At the same time, usage of artificial intelligence assistants grew faster than almost any other type of app. For Mission Teams High social media usage provides a significant opportunity for digital evangelism, allowing teams to reach seekers where they spend their time. The rapid growth of AI usage suggests that teams should integrate AI tools to safely manage large volumes of spiritual conversations and automate initial engagement. https://content-naf.emarketer.com/genai-was-2025-s-fastest-rising-app-category--social-media-still-lapped-field 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: February 27, 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