Weekly Marketing Rundown - March 13, 2026

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 - 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