Weekly Marketing Rundown - January 30, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - November 13, 2026 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! 🚀 We're diving into the latest news you need to know, including fake police takedown notices, Meta's new account system, changes to TikTok ads, Google's ad surcharge changes, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Fake Police Notices Tried to Remove Free-Speech Groups From X X told an Indian court that takedown requests targeting two free-speech groups' accounts came from someone impersonating the Delhi Police. X did not remove the accounts and filed a police complaint to identify the impostor. For Mission Teams Bad actors can impersonate officials to get accounts shut down, posing a real risk to ministries operating in places where Christian content is unwelcome. Teams should treat their domains, brands, and platforms as temporary assets, maintain backups of their content and contact lists, and approach any "official" removal demand with caution until its authenticity is verified. https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/x-take-down-notice-india-free-speech-groups-b3080408.html Meta Is Moving Users to a New "Meta Account" Meta is automatically transitioning Accounts Center, where people link their Instagram, Facebook, and Threads profiles, into a single "Meta Account" with one login. Users cannot opt out, and WhatsApp will remain separate unless it was already linked. For Mission Teams Linked profiles will share one login and a common set of ad preferences, meaning a team member's personal and ministry profiles could become more closely connected. Teams should review which profiles are linked in Accounts Center and keep ministry or pen-name profiles in separate accounts. https://ppc.land/meta-forces-users-onto-meta-accounts-with-no-opt-out-offered/ https://www.meta.com/account/ Updated YouTube Descriptions May Help Videos Show Up in AI Search In a small test conducted by Peec AI, about 60 YouTube videos received more detailed descriptions, and AI tools such as Google's AI Overviews picked them up 359% more often afterward. Videos that were left unchanged saw only a 17% increase. However, the test was too small to prove that the new descriptions caused the jump. For Mission Teams As more people use AI search tools, clear descriptions could help your existing videos appear in AI-generated answers. Teams can test this by updating a few older videos with descriptions that include the video's topic, the questions it answers, and clearly labeled timestamps. https://searchengineland.com/youtube-description-updates-ai-retrievals-study-500845 TikTok Search Ads Work Differently Than Google Ads TikTok's search ads have settings that don't match Google Ads, including Automated Keywords that are turned on by default for small business accounts. TikTok also won't block misspellings or plural forms of a negative keyword unless you add each one yourself. For Mission Teams A ministry running TikTok search ads could end up showing ads on unrelated search terms without knowing it. Teams should check their Automated Keywords list and add common misspellings and plural forms to their negative keyword lists. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/tiktok-search-ads-are-becoming-real-search-advertising/596016/ TikTok Expands Its AI Video Ad Tools TikTok's Symphony tool can now create AI video ads up to 30 seconds long using up to 50 reference images, videos, or audio clips. Advertisers outside North America can also buy access to ByteDance's newest video models through BytePlus, ByteDance's business tech arm. For Mission Teams Small teams could produce more video ads for less money, which may help them test more messages with seekers. AI-made visuals still need careful review to make sure they represent the gospel accurately and fit the local culture. Security Disclaimer Symphony runs on ByteDance's systems, so anything you upload is handled under ByteDance's data practices. Do not upload footage of real team members, seekers, or locations, and keep this work on an account and device separate from sensitive ministry data. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/tiktok-updates-its-ai-video-ad-tools/874209/ Google DeepMind AI Mathematically Verifies Key Parts of the Signal Protocol Google DeepMind used an AI tool called AlphaProof Code to mathematically verify that key parts of the Signal encryption protocol work as intended. The project was a four-week test that found no new problems in the parts examined. However, it did not cover the entire Signal app. For Mission Teams This provides additional confidence in the security of the Signal protocol. That said, it doesn't guarantee security, and it doesn't protect against risks such as phone seizure, weak passwords, or unsafe sharing habits. Teams should continue using strong device security and exercising caution when communicating with contacts in restricted areas. https://www.wired.com/story/a-new-ai-tool-from-google-deepmind-formally-verified-the-signal-protocol/ WhatsApp Events Can Now Invite People Without WhatsApp WhatsApp is updating its Events feature so people can create events, send invitations, and manage RSVPs in one place called Events Home. Invitations can now reach people who do not have WhatsApp, and they can see details and RSVP through a link without downloading the app. For Mission Teams Teams can use event links to invite seekers to in-person or online gatherings and manage RSVPs in one place. However, teams operating in restricted areas should plan carefully, as shared event links and RSVP lists may reveal who is attending. According to Meta, phone numbers are hidden from guests who are not in a person's contacts, and the event address is shown to non-WhatsApp guests only after they RSVP. Teams should therefore consider keeping sensitive meeting locations off the event page and sharing them privately. The update is rolling out to everyone over the coming weeks, so availability may initially vary. https://about.fb.com/news/2026/11/whatsapp-events-brings-people-together-beyond-the-group-chat/ Google Changes Ad Surcharges for Italy, France, and Turkey in 2027 Starting January 1, 2027, Google will change the Regulatory Operating Cost added to ad invoices in three countries: Italy: 2.5% → 3.0% France: 2.0% → 3.0% Turkey: 4.5% → 2.25% For Mission Teams Teams running Google Ads, YouTube Reservation, or Display & Video 360 campaigns in these countries should update their 2027 budgets, since costs will rise in Italy and France and fall in Turkey. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9750227 Meta Ads Creative Enhancements: What They Do and When to Turn Them Off Meta's 47 AI-powered Creative Enhancements can change everything from text placement and ad formatting to video colors. They are designed to help marketers diversify their creative content, but their outputs and adjustments are not always ideal. For Mission Teams Mission teams should review the enhancement settings for each ad and turn off any features that change their message, destination, or images in ways they have not approved. These may include Optimize Website Destination, Landing Page Experience, AI-generated people in videos, Translation, and AI answers to viewer questions. Teams should also have translated text reviewed by a native speaker before running ads with sensitive content. Meta may also apply features still in testing to up to 5% of your ad impressions unless you uncheck "Test New Creative Features" in Advertising Settings. Teams should clearly define their branding, use previews where available, and monitor ads for changes that no longer align with their approved wording. See Jon Loomer's full list of Creative Enhancements and his suggestions in the article below: https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-creative-enhancements/ OpenAI Launches Business Profiles and Mention Tracking in ChatGPT OpenAI has started a beta test called Businesses in ChatGPT. Companies can claim a profile, correct what ChatGPT says about them, and see mentions, profile views, and website clicks. For Mission Teams Ministries registered as businesses may be able to claim a profile and correct how ChatGPT describes them. However, the beta is initially available only to eligible ecommerce and online service businesses in the US. The data shows totals but does not reveal the questions people asked, and smaller accounts may have access to very little data. Verification is done by phone call, text message, or DNS record. Teams operating in restricted countries should carefully consider the risks of publishing contact details and website links. They should also continue tracking seeker engagement on their own websites, since this tool can show that their ministry was mentioned but not explain why. https://www.thestateofbrand.com/news/chatgpt-business-hub-brand-mentions-clicks Fewer Meta Ad Sets May Lower Your Cost Per Result Meta says each ad set needs about 50 conversions a week to learn well. Meta's own analysis found that ad sets below this level cost about 28% more per purchase. For Mission Teams Check how many conversions each ad set generates per week. If an ad set generates fewer than 50 conversions a week, consider consolidating your budget into fewer ad sets so that each desired action, such as a sign-up or message start, generates more data for optimization. Use Meta's formula (weekly budget ÷ (cost per result × 50)) to estimate how many ad sets your budget can support. Consider adding a second ad set only when you are generating around 100 conversions per week and have a clear reason to split your campaign. Note that the 28% figure applies to purchases. Small teams optimizing for lower-volume events, such as Bible study sign-ups, should treat this figure as a guideline rather than a guarantee. https://pubcast.jonloomer.com/your-extra-ad-sets-are-costing-you-28-more/ Google Ads Changes How It Handles Language, Scheduling, and AI Labels Google Ads has removed the manual language setting from Search campaigns. Google now determines who sees an ad based on the language used in the ad text and landing page, as well as what it knows about the languages a person understands. As a result, ads may still reach people searching in another language if Google determines they can understand the ad. Google does not translate ads, and advertisers still cannot exclude specific languages. Asset scheduling now allows advertisers to group days, such as weekdays or weekends, when scheduling headlines, images, and other ad elements. However, scheduling ads to run on fewer days does not automatically reduce monthly spending. Google can still spend up to 30.4 times your average daily budget over the course of a month, meaning daily spending may be higher on the days your ads are active. Google has added California, South Korea, and Vietnam to the list of locations where ads created or edited with AI must display a visible label. These join the European Union, India, and New York. For Mission Teams Write each ad group in a single language, and give each language its own landing page URL so Google can direct your ads to the right seekers. If you limit ads to the hours when your responders are online, keep an eye on your budgets. A restricted ad schedule no longer automatically limits your monthly spending. Be careful when using AI-generated content in sensitive locations such as Vietnam. A visible AI label draws attention to how an ad was created, and anyone can view the disclosure in the ad's "How this ad was made" panel. In sensitive locations, consider using non-AI assets. Where AI content is used, disclose it properly to avoid rejection. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-45-adriaan-dekker-uonse/ Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement Looking for ways to use digital tools to grow evangelism and disciple-making? Check out our other resources: Jon Ralls' new book: Check out The Reluctant Whisper on Amazon, where he reframes 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! Confused by digital strategy? 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 nonprofit’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 on 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: November 13, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 19, 2026 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! This week, we're covering a packed news cycle for digital marketers, from Meta's sweeping AI push and the rollout of new creator tools and business agents across its platforms to Google's significant updates to ad bidding policies and platform terms ahead of an August deadline. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta Platforms Hit by Major Global Outage On June 12, 2026, Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger went down for millions of users worldwide, with Downdetector logging over 100,000 Facebook problem reports by 10 a.m. ET. The outage lasted about four hours and also caused high disruptions to Meta Ads Manager, meaning advertisers could not run or manage campaigns during the blackout. For Mission Teams Mission teams around the world, including Kavanah Media, that rely on Meta platforms for digital outreach were forced to adjust ads, messaging, and other activities in response to the outage. Incidents like this highlight the importance of having backup communication channels in place, such as email lists or WhatsApp groups, for times when these platforms go down unexpectedly and communication cannot be delayed. https://www.tomsguide.com/news/live/meta-instagram-facebook-messenger-down-6-12-2026-live-updates Meta Launches New Community App Called Forum A few weeks ago Meta released a brand new app called Forum that works a lot like Reddit. This platform allows users to join different groups and have public discussions about topics they find interesting. For Mission Teams This new app gives ministries a fresh opportunity to connect with seekers and build communities around spiritual questions. The platform continues to grow in popularity, and as Groups become easier to access and engage with, Facebook Groups may become an increasingly viable tool for digital engagement. Missionaries raising support may also find value in the platform, as Facebook Groups can be used to communicate with supporters through this dedicated app. https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/22/meta-quietly-launches-a-new-reddit-like-app-called-forum/ UK Bans Social Media for Children Under 16 It finally happened. After months of discussion, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on June 15, 2026, that Britain will ban children under 16 from platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X, and Snapchat, with enforcement directed at technology companies rather than children themselves. If approved by Parliament, the ban is expected to take effect in spring 2027. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal are not included. For Mission Teams While it remains unclear how the UK government will effectively enforce this ban, the broader lesson for digital engagement teams is how quickly platforms can be required to adapt in response to government regulations. Teams should plan for redundancy, ensure compliance with local and regional laws, and be prepared to pivot when significant policy or platform changes occur. https://www.npr.org/2026/06/15/nx-s1-5858644/britain-social-media-ban Google Ads Overhauls Bidding Rules Starting August 17 On June 15, 2026, Google announced three significant updates to Google Ads, including a new Bidding Target Optimization feature that will take effect on August 17. The update will automatically adjust budget-limited campaigns toward their stated performance targets. Advertisers also gained access to Smart Bidding Exploration globally, along with a new Promotion Mode beta that allows temporary budget increases to be scheduled around peak events. For Mission Teams For ministry teams running paid evangelism campaigns on Google, it is possible that these changes will have little immediate impact. Most of the updates are aimed at marketers focused on driving revenue and commercial conversions, which are not typically the primary objectives of mission teams and churches. Members of the Kavanah Media team are monitoring these developments closely to determine whether they warrant any adjustments to digital engagement strategies. Even so, teams that rely on Target CPA or ROAS bidding should review their settings before the August 17 deadline to avoid unexpected changes in campaign performance. This update also signals that Google is placing greater responsibility on advertisers to set accurate performance goals rather than relying on the platform to automatically exceed targets. https://www.digitalapplied.com/blog/google-ads-bidding-budgeting-overhaul-june-2026-ppc-playbook Google Updates Ads Terms to Cover AI-Powered Features Google updated its Google Ads Terms of Service effective July 1, 2026, expanding language to explain how advertiser-provided information, including conversational inputs, may be used across AI-powered and automated advertising tools. Advertisers retain responsibility for reviewing and approving any automatically generated campaigns or ad assets. For Mission Teams Organizations using Google Ads should review the updated terms carefully before July 1 to understand how their campaign data and inputs may be used by Google's AI systems. The article quotes one marketer as saying: "He pointed to new language authorizing Google to use automated features to format, select, or generate targets, ads, and destinations on an advertiser’s behalf, while advertisers remain responsible for the resulting campaigns." Similar to Meta, Google is clearly moving toward greater marketing automation. As these platforms continue to evolve, advertisers may find themselves with less direct control over automated tools and campaign optimization. Teams are encouraged to review the updated policy and audit their accounts and campaigns in July to better understand how these changes may affect their digital engagement efforts. https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-updates-terms-of-service-ahead-of-july-2026-rollout-479255 Google Expands Limited Ad Serving to Search Results Google officially updated its Limited Ad Serving policy on June 12, 2026, to cover additional scenarios on Google Search, meaning accounts flagged as less trustworthy will have their ads shown less frequently on certain search queries. The policy was originally introduced in 2023 for new advertisers and expanded to YouTube in 2024, making this the broadest enforcement step yet. For Mission Teams Newer or smaller ministry advertising accounts should maintain a clean account history and establish strong brand credibility to avoid being throttled under this policy, particularly when promoting events or outreach campaigns. Google considers several factors holistically, including user reports, account maturity, ad format usage, compliance history, industry, and verification status. However, Google does not disclose specific metrics or thresholds that trigger account reviews. https://www.digitalapplied.com/blog/google-limited-ad-serving-expands-search-2026-advertiser-guide Meta Launches AI Business Agents Across All Apps At its Conversations event in London, Meta announced the expansion of AI-powered business messaging agents across Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram. These agents can automatically answer customer questions, collect leads, and assist with bookings. Meta is also building deeper integrations with platforms such as Shopify and Zendesk to connect these agents with existing business systems. For Mission Teams Ministries and Christian nonprofits that receive frequent inquiries via Messenger or WhatsApp could potentially use these AI agents as online responders, though it remains to be seen how effective they will prove in practice. Several teams around the world leveraging similar chatbots report some success in filtering initial conversations, but human oversight remains critical. Others continue to raise concerns related to security, authenticity, AI hallucinations, and the theological implications of using AI chat agents in evangelism. Teams are encouraged to explore these tools to assess their viability, but thorough testing is strongly recommended. https://socialbee.com/blog/social-media-news/ Zero-Click Searches Now Account for 68 Percent of Google Traffic A new 2026 study by SparkToro found that 68 percent of all Google searches now end without any click leaving Google's ecosystem, meaning only 232 out of every 1,000 US Google searches result in a visit to an external website. Google's AI Mode and AI Overviews are keeping users inside Google rather than sending them to publisher sites. For Mission Teams This is a major wake-up call for any ministry or Christian organization relying on Google traffic to drive people to their website, as the traditional model of ranking on search to get visitors is fundamentally breaking down. Teams should explore building owned audiences through email lists, community apps, direct social channels, and paid ads so they are not fully dependent on search engine traffic. Additionally, optimizing sites for AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) could help to ensure site content is still referenced by agents when answering user questions. https://ignitevisibility.com/digital-marketing-news/ ChatGPT Ads Expand to New Markets OpenAI is expanding its ChatGPT advertising platform into five new countries: the UK, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and Mexico. It is also testing a feature that displays multiple ads at once. The company is additionally adding new tools to help businesses better manage their advertising budgets and campaigns. For Mission Teams As AI platforms become increasingly popular places for people to search for answers, these new ad tools could offer a powerful way to reach spiritual seekers globally. Teams in these regions are encouraged to test the platform to assess its viability in their context. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-24-adriaan-dekker-pqoze/ ShapedPlugin Security Compromise Hackers recently inserted malicious code into several premium WordPress plugins developed by a company called ShapedPlugin. The malware is designed to secretly steal user passwords and bypass additional security protections on affected websites. For Mission Teams A compromised ministry website could expose sensitive seeker information and significantly disrupt digital evangelism efforts. Teams using paid ShapedPlugin tools should immediately scan their sites for malware and update their software to help protect these important engagement platforms. This also serves as a reminder for teams using WordPress sites that even when best practices are followed in terms of cybersecurity and plugin selection, websites can still be compromised. You may research a plugin, monitor it, test it, and avoid installing plugins from untrusted sources, yet still be exposed if the plugin itself is compromised. Teams are encouraged to audit their sites, test plugins, and scan for signs of compromise. If you would like help ensuring your site is secure, we can assist—please reach out. https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2026/06/psa-supply-chain-compromise-targets-shapedplugin-backdoored-pro-plugins-distributed-via-official-channels/ 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: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: June 19, 2026