Weekly Marketing Rundown - April 10, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - August 28, 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 Meta's latest AI integrations, Iranian hacks, Instagram growth strategies and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta to Launch Hatch AI Agent and WhatsApp Integration Meta is launching a smart AI helper named Hatch that can check emails and buy things for you without leaving the app. The company might charge up to $199 per month for premium access while also letting other businesses connect their own bots through WhatsApp. For Mission Teams These new WhatsApp features offer strategic ways to find seekers and make disciples by using AI to instantly engage with people on digital platforms. However, mission teams must carefully evaluate the outputs from these tools. AI tools often hallucinate and there are serious concerns with letting AI handle the very personal work of evangelism. https://thenextweb.com/news/meta-hatch-ai-agent-watermelon-199-subscription Understanding Discontinued Facebook Ad Features So much has changed with Meta advertising over the years that it can be difficult to keep track of everything. Jon Loomer has taken the time to chronicle some of the biggest changes. After reading this list, one thing is very clear: marketing on Meta is very different from what it was and continues to change rapidly. Strategies from just a few months ago can already be outdated. For Mission Teams Mission teams should update their strategy to find seekers because many older ad targeting methods are now obsolete due to platform changes. Understanding these platform changes helps ministries create better digital ads that safely engage modern audiences. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/15-discontinued-facebook-ads-features/ Iranian Hackers Shut Down UK Power Plant Hackers from Iran recently broke into the computer systems of a small power plant in the United Kingdom and shut it down for four days. While this attack did not affect the country's main power supply, it marks the first time these hackers successfully stopped a British facility from working. For Mission Teams If may feel like these type of attacks only happen in the non-missions world, but the data would say otherwise. Nonprofit and missions agencies alike are reporting an uptick in attacks. Mission teams, churches, and agencies are encouraged to do due diligence in regards to cybersecurity and operational security. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08/22/iranian-hackers-shut-down-uk-power-plant/?is=6c9d26923a16288b80f85de0340fba4f6bfb5483bde5c91e5ae0e76242c3259c Anthropic Expands AI Security Audits with Mythos 5 Anthropic recently released a smart computer tool named Mythos 5 that helps companies find and fix hidden security problems in their software code. Even with this advanced tool, human experts still need to review the suggested repairs to make sure they work correctly. For Mission Teams Mission teams and agencies leveraging digital tools of any kind are encouraged to use these same AI tools for cybersecurity, as bad actors will surely use them as well. Groups that do not leverage AI for their own defenses may be left vulnerable. Protecting the personal data of new disciples, employees, and others ensures secure digital engagement and builds a strong foundation for your online ministry strategies. https://www.esecurityplanet.com/cybersecurity/news-anthropic-mythos-5-ai-security-audits/ Instagram Updates Ad Messaging and Searchable Captions Instagram is testing a new tool that automatically sends private messages when people type specific words on your ads. The platform is also making post captions more important for search engines to help users find the stories behind your pictures. For Mission Teams Mission teams can write clear captions to help seekers easily find their content while using the new automated messaging tool to instantly share spiritual resources. https://www.jonloomer.com/reply-to-keywords-meta-ads-feature/ https://wersm.com/instagram-captions-context-search/?utm_source=tldrmarketing Meta Removes Ad Placement Controls Meta is slowly removing the ability for creators to pick exactly which apps or devices show their ads. Instead of completely blocking unwanted locations, advertisers will now need to set special bidding rules to control where their content appears. For Mission Teams Mission teams must update their ad strategies because losing control over ad placements might risk showing ads to contacts outside of desired personas. Ministries should learn to use these new rules to help avoid ad performance issues. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-removing-placement-controls-ad-sets/ Elementor Pro Vulnerability Exposes WordPress Sites A serious security bug was found in the popular Elementor Pro WordPress plugin that allows hackers to upload bad files. This flaw means attackers could sneak harmful code into websites through the file upload forms and take control of the server. For Mission Teams Mission teams using WordPress to build evangelism websites must update their plugins immediately to stop hackers from taking control of their digital platforms. Keeping software updated protects sensitive seeker information and ensures your ministry websites stay online and safe for visitors. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/critical-elementor-pro-bug-exposes-wordpress-sites-to-rce-attacks/ Google Simplifies Tagging Tools for Faster Website Analytics Google is combining its tagging tools to make tracking website visits much easier without needing complex coding. These updates help websites load faster and allow users to visually track visitor actions in one place. For Mission Teams This consolidation could make analytics easier to manage for mission teams. Teams are encouraged to check their accounts when these changes are rolled out and familiarize themselves with the updates. https://www.seroundtable.com/google-tag-and-google-tag-manager-updated-41918.html Buffer Data Study Reveals Proven Instagram Growth Strategies A large study shows that posting helpful Instagram content three to five times a week helps accounts grow twice as fast. Creators should focus on using Reels, carousel posts, and replying to comments rather than trying to make viral videos. For Mission Teams Mission teams leveraging organic strategies should use consistent Reels and carousel posts to regularly share gospel messages with seekers who are looking for hope. Engaging with people in comment sections builds personal trust while maintaining safe digital privacy practices for your team. https://buffer.com/resources/grow-on-instagram/ WhatsApp Enhances Account Security Features WhatsApp added new security features, including stronger passwords for two-step verification and caller details for unfamiliar numbers. Users can now set up multiple passkeys across different devices to prevent hackers from taking over their accounts. For Mission Teams Missions teams and churches leveraging WhatsApp are encouraged to implement these passwords and passkeys to help keep their accounts secure. https://about.fb.com/news/2026/08/new-account-security-features-for-whatsapp/ 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: Jon Ralls, Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: August 28, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - October 10, 2025 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! In this issue, we explore Meta's new undersea cable project, problems with budget ad spend, Google's new messaging asset rules, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Facebook’s New Reels Update Makes Videos and Friend Discovery Easier Facebook’s latest update helps users find fresh Reels faster by showing 50% more videos posted the same day. AI now suggests similar content and highlights which videos your friends liked, making it easier to connect and chat. Users can also save favorite Reels more easily, and choose to see less AI-generated content by tapping “Not Interested.” Longer Reels (over 1 minute) are becoming more popular, especially among creators with big followings. For Mission Teams: For teams utilizing unpaid organic campaigns, this opens up more chances to get content seen quickly and find new audiences - granted teams post frequently. It also means marketers should consider making longer Reels and track how AI based content is performing. https://about.fb.com/news/2025/10/finding-sharing-reels-facebook-just-got-easier-more-fun/ Why Meta Might Not Be Spending Your Ad Budget Recently members of the Kavanah Media team have noticed Meta underspending teams' budgets. An article we originally posted in March 2025, addresses this issue. In it the article, Jon Loomer outlines nine common reasons why Meta might not fully spend your ad budget. These include: targeting too small of an audience setting ad set spend limits using strict cost or bid controls choosing low-volume optimization events applying dayparting (ad scheduling) or frequency caps relying on automated rules poor ad performance hitting spending limits making frequent changes that disrupt delivery For Mission Teams: Utilizing original audiences to target specific areas or genders, running ads on a schedule, manually choosing placements, and even not allowing Advantage+ Creative Enhancements can all trigger delivery issues. Teams experiencing underspent budgets should try experimenting with Advantage+ tools to see if that mitigates the issues. https://www.jonloomer.com/why-wont-meta-spend-my-advertising-budget/? Meta Introduces Ad-Free Subscription Option in the UK Meta is testing a new subscription in the UK that lets users pay to use Facebook and Instagram without ads. This move is partly a response to European privacy rules, giving users more control over how their data is used for advertising. The ad-free experience will cost a monthly fee and is expected to roll out in other parts of Europe soon. For Mission Teams: Teams in the UK could see reduced performance on their ads and may need to rethink how they engage audiences through organic content and other non-ad strategies. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/ad-free-subscription-uk/? Google’s New Rules for Message Assets Start October 30 Starting October 30, 2025, Google will launch a new help center to explain the rules for message assets—these are short messages used in ads. If an asset doesn’t follow the rules or can’t be verified, it won’t be shown. Full enforcement will roll out over a period of about four weeks. For Mission Teams: Teams hoping to leverage the new message asset feature should ensure their assets are in compliance, or risk restrictions and interruptions. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-40-adriaan-dekker-6ucbe/ WhatsApp and Threads Ad Placements This week a member of the Kavanah Media team began noticing that WhatsApp was listed as a potential ad placement on several ad accounts. WhatsApp's new ads will show under the "Updates" tab within the app. This new placement on Ads Manager implies a seamless integration for teams wanting their ads seen on all of Meta's platforms. For Mission Teams: WhatsApp's nearly 3 billion users make this ad placement particularly enticing. Teams hoping to leverage it can check if it's been rolled out to their ad account at the Ad Set level, under Ad Placements by selecting 'Manual Placements.' Meta Invests in New Undersea Cable to Boost Internet in Asia Meta is putting money into a new undersea cable project to improve internet connections across Asia. The cable will help make online services faster and more reliable in places like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. This is part of Meta’s plan to support growing internet use in the region and make sure its platforms work smoothly. For Mission Teams: Better internet means more people can access content quickly and without interruptions. This could lead to stronger engagement in Southeast Asia, especially for video and mobile ads. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-announces-investment-new-subsea-cable-project-asia/802158/ The Synthetic Scroll Is Changing How We See Content Marketers are starting to worry about AI-generated content flooding social media feeds. These “synthetic scrolls” are filled with posts made by machines, not people, and they’re getting harder to tell apart from real ones. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are experimenting with AI to keep users engaged longer, but it’s raising questions about what’s real and what’s not. For Mission Teams: This matters because brands could end up competing with AI "Slop" for attention. As algorithms shift to more AI based feeds, users may grow weary. Marketing teams may need to rethink how they create posts that feel authentic and trustworthy. https://digiday.com/marketing/the-synthetic-scroll-has-arrived-marketers-are-watching-nervously/ ​​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 10, 2025