Weekly Training

Weekly Marketing Rundown - August 14, 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 new Google Chrome security updates, Google limiting ad reach for unverified ad accounts, new Turkish Social Media Laws, Grok and Meta AI updates and more.  Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Google Chrome Plans Faster Updates Without Restarts Google is fixing a huge number of security bugs in its Chrome browser because smart computer programs are now finding hidden flaws. Soon your browser will update itself much faster without asking you to restart. For Mission Teams These quick security fixes will help protect mission team devices and browsers from vulnerabilities. This smoother update process ensures fewer digital interruptions while your team focuses on engaging people and making disciples online. https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/07/chrome-may-get-faster-updates-with-no-restart-required/ Google Expands Limited Ad Serving Policy Across All Channels Google announced an expansion of its Limited Ad Serving policy to cover all Google Ads surfaces, including YouTube, Gmail, and Play Store. Unverified ad accounts or those receiving negative user feedback may experience automatic impression caps across all active campaigns. For Mission Teams Ministry ad accounts should complete full advertiser verification, maintain positive landing page experiences, and ensure their ads comply with Google’s policies to avoid impression limits. Accounts found to be noncompliant will receive a notification in Google Ads Manager and will be given an opportunity to appeal the restriction. https://www.techwyse.com/news/platform-updates/google-limited-ad-serving-policy-all-ads-2026 New Security Controls for Meta Ads AI Connectors Meta has officially launched it's own MCP (data connector for AI Agents) and added new security controls that let advertisers limit what artificial intelligence tools can access inside their ad accounts. This update makes it much safer to use tools like ChatGPT to check your daily reports without putting sensitive data at risk. For Mission Teams Mission teams and churches can now officially connect their Meta accounts to Claude, ChatGPT, or Perplexity. Teams wanting to experiment with this new connection are encouraged to proceed cautiously, as Meta has previously disabled ad accounts for using similar integrations, even after stating that they were available. The difference now is that an official MCP connection should help prevent this issue. The integration can be set up under the Integrations Tab in Meta Business Suite. The interface walks you through connecting your agents to pages, channels, and more. Another word of caution: this integration can allow AI agents to publish and edit ads on behalf of marketers, but it is still a new and largely untested feature. There are significant risks associated with giving an AI agent that level of access to an ad account. All integrations and permissions should be tested through careful experimentation and kept under close supervision. Kavanah Media would cautiously recommend against giving any AI tool, regardless of how trusted or well-tested the provider may be, full access to an ad account, as issues such as AI hallucinations remain common. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-ai-connectors-security-controls/ Meta Updates Ad Manager with Exclusion-Only Audiences Meta has added a new tool that lets advertisers upload lists of people who should specifically never see their ads. This feature gives brands a safer, permanent way to block certain users so they don't accidentally get shown ads meant for someone else. For Mission Teams This update is highly valuable for mission teams seeking to run secure and focused digital evangelism campaigns. Teams can now ensure their ads avoid specific audiences, helping keep their search for spiritual seekers focused and preventing wasted effort on groups that should not be targeted. https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/417176/meta-brings-exclusion-only-capabilities-to-ads-man.html Cybersecurity Report Warns of Targeted Data Scanning A new threat report shows a sharp increase in automated network scans aimed at professional services and client portals. Attackers are actively scanning accessible tools to exploit weak administrative credentials and access privileged files. For Mission Teams Nonprofits, including faith-based nonprofits, are often considered soft targets. Kavanah Media team members are hearing more and more reports of ministries falling victim to breaches caused by exploited vulnerabilities. Bad actors, some of whom may be backed by nation-states, know that Christian nonprofits, projects, and churches often lack the technical expertise needed to protect their digital platforms against sophisticated attacks. Ministry hubs and local offices should secure remote access points and limit administrative permissions. Securing digital file storage also helps protect confidential partner lists and worker information from unauthorized access. Have questions about protecting your systems, workers, and partners? Please reach out, we would love to help! https://www.channelinsider.com/security/sonicwall-cyber-report-preventable-risks-smbs/ TikTok Expands Search Keyword Bidding for Advertisers TikTok expanded its search ad capabilities, allowing advertisers to bid directly on search queries typed into the app search bar. Advertisers can now display targeted video ads at the top of organic search results pages. For Mission Teams Digital evangelists can experiment with targeting specific search phrases about life questions, hope, and faith on TikTok. Reaching young people while they are searching for answers creates opportunities for meaningful spiritual conversations. https://ads.tiktok.com/business/en-US/blog/introducing-search-ads-campaign New YouTube Audio Ads Google recently released a helpful guide explaining how to create audio ads for YouTube and YouTube Music. These ads play while people are listening and use a static image instead of a full video. Depending on their length, they can be either skippable or non-skippable. For Mission Teams This ad format offers a unique way to share your message with spiritual seekers while they listen to audio online through YouTube or YouTube Music, similar to Spotify and other platforms. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-32-adriaan-dekker-lwige/ Meta Introduces Muse Glimmer for Local AI Meta has released a new local AI agent named Muse Glimmer that can run directly on your personal computer without needing the internet. It is very good at acting like a helpful assistant by following instructions, reading pictures, and even fixing its own mistakes when it tries to complete tasks. For Mission Teams This tool allows mission teams to securely run AI agents directly on their own computers without sending private information to the cloud. For teams with access to capable laptops and computers, this could be an excellent way to control where data is viewed, shared, and stored. It may also help mitigate concerns related to data sovereignty and reliance on cloud providers, particularly when serving in sensitive fields where data could be subject to legal requests or government access. https://research.meta.ai/blog/introducing-muse-glimmer-open-agentic-model Introducing Grok Bot AI Assistants SpaceXAI and Cursor have released a new app called Grok Bot that gives you a smart computer helper to finish tasks for you all day and night. These bots can do things like manage your emails, talk to other bots, and learn how you like to work without needing someone to watch them constantly. For Mission Teams These AI teammates can take over time-consuming tasks such as replying to emails and tracking responses during digital evangelism campaigns. This can save your team significant time while reaching seekers online, but you must ensure that these tools keep seekers' personal information secure. Similar to the caution regarding AI agent integrations with Facebook Ads Manager, there are significant risks associated with giving an AI agent that level of access to your systems. All integrations and permissions should be tested carefully and kept under close supervision. https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/11/grok-bot-is-an-all-new-iphone-and-mac-app-from-spacexai-and-cursor https://x.ai/news/introducing-grok-bot TikTok Allowed on Government Devices Again The United States government is letting workers use TikTok on official devices again because the app has new American owners. A recent rule change decided the video app is no longer a major security threat. For Mission Teams This official government approval suggests that, for U.S.-based missionary efforts, the U.S. version of TikTok may be considered a more secure platform for running social media ads than its overseas counterparts. While caution is still warranted, teams that have been hesitant to leverage TikTok U.S. due to security concerns could consider experimenting with the platform. https://www.engadget.com/2235010/government-workers-can-officially-waste-time-scrolling-tiktok-again/ YouTube Growth on Home Televisions According to a study done in the UK, YouTube is quickly replacing regular television as people spend more time watching it on their big screens at home. Even older adults are using the video app much more often to watch their favorite shows. For Mission Teams While the study focused on the UK, this trend will likely continue globally. As more people watch YouTube on their televisions, your team can use video ads to reach spiritual seekers right in their living rooms. This strategy provides another opportunity to share your message and make disciples while maintaining appropriate security for your online interactions. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/media-habits-adults/nations-media-habits-revealed-in-annual-ofcom-report Turkey's New Law Increases Government Control Over the Internet Turkey passed a new rule that gives the government much more power over the internet and social media. This means officials can quickly force websites to remove posts or block accounts without a judge's permission. For Mission Teams To safely find seekers and make disciples using social media ads, your team must use stronger security to protect local contacts. Because the government can now block digital platforms instantly, you will need backup strategies to keep your engagement active. https://tradersunion.com/news/financial-news/show/2943387-turkey-cyber-law-digital-oversight/ Mission Media U Practitioner Fellowship We live in a digital world.  But our discipling mandate hasn't changed.  Join our partners at Mission Media U for a two-month practitioner fellowship from 24-September to 19-November-2026 with a focus on Personal Digital Disciple-Making.  Limited seats available.  Submit your application today.   Learn more here: https://www.missionmediau.org/fellowship/ 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 14, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - August 7, 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 several Signal updates, Instagram user demographics, changes to ChatGPT ads, concerns over new fake WIFI network attacks, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM New ChatGPT Ad Features For Custom Audiences And AI Generation OpenAI is testing new features for ChatGPT Ads that let advertisers target specific people using email lists and also an artificial intelligence tool that can automatically write ad content based on a website. For Mission Teams As ChatGPT continues to develop it's advertising platform and it's capabilities, marketing on the platform is becoming even easier. Teams are encouraged to experiment with the platform, but more long term data on its effectiveness in digital engagement is still forthcoming. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-july-recap-adriaan-dekker-qwf1e/ Signal Adds Automatic Security Warnings for External Links Signal is rolling out automatic safety checks when users click web links inside private chats. The app displays a warning screen if a link leads to a known dangerous or fraudulent site. For Mission Teams This feature adds an extra layer of protection for all Signal users by requiring one additional step before potentially malicious links can be opened. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/signal-adds-security-warnings-for-social-engineering-phishing-attacks/ YouTube Shorts Launches Interactive Poll Stickers for Ads YouTube now allows content creators and advertisers to add clickable polling stickers directly to Shorts videos. Viewers can vote on options without leaving the video player or stopping their viewing session. For Mission Teams Interactive polls could provide a simple way to engage ad viewers by asking spiritual questions or offering encouragement. Teams are encouraged to test the feature before a full rollout. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-adds-poll-stickers-shorts-ad-category-blocking-channels/730826/ New WhatsApp Group Chat Features WhatsApp is adding new tools to make talking in groups much easier. Users can now tag everyone at once, change poll settings, and quickly create side chats from a big group. For Mission Teams These updates allow teams using WhatsApp Groups more capability when managing group chats. https://about.fb.com/news/2026/08/were-upgrading-your-whatsapp-group-chats/ Starting Campaigns With Fewer Ads According to Jon Loomer, launching a new campaign with a large number of ads often reduces quality and wastes time. It is generally better to start with a small number of high-quality ads, identify what performs best, and then scale from there. For Mission Teams In both marketing and digital engagement, simplicity is often the best strategy. It is generally better to start small and grow than to build an overly complex campaign from the outset. More often than not, launching a simple ad and allowing the data to guide future strategy adjustments is more effective than adding unnecessary complexity. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/start-with-fewer-ads/ Fake Updates on Hotel Wi-Fi Install Spyware Hackers are breaking into hotel Wi-Fi networks to trick guests into downloading fake software updates. If users click on the fake updates, the hackers install a program that can steal passwords and take pictures from their webcams. For Mission Teams Missionaries traveling and using hotel Wi-Fi should avoid connecting to untrusted Wi-Fi networks, avoid public Wi-Fi whenever possible, and consider using a VPN. Workers should also be cautious about clicking pop-ups or software update prompts while connected to public networks to help protect their digital security and communications. https://thehackernews.com/2026/08/hijacked-hotel-wi-fi-pushes-fake.html Signal Expands Multi-Device Support to Secondary iPhones Signal now allows iPhone users to link a second iPhone to their existing account using end-to-end encryption. Users can choose to sync their full chat history and 45 days of saved media across both mobile devices. For Mission Teams This update makes it easier for mission teams to separate personal phone numbers from secure ministry accounts across multiple devices. Field workers can manage sensitive seeker messages on a backup test phone without losing access to encrypted conversation histories. https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/04/signals-latest-ios-update-expands-multi-device-feature-for-iphone-users/ Platforms Crack Down on Low-Quality AI Content Major social media platforms are tightening their rules to limit low-effort, AI-generated content across their services. Companies such as YouTube, TikTok, Snap, and Meta are introducing mandatory labels, watermarks, and reduced distribution to help curb spammy content. For Mission Teams Relying on fully automated AI tools to quickly produce large volumes of gospel content could eventually reduce your account's overall reach. Teams should prioritize authentic, human-led messaging and content to help ensure their digital outreach efforts are not penalized or flagged as low-quality spam. https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-slop-substack-youtube-tiktok-pinterest-facebook-instagram-threads-2026-7 Meta Ads Introduces Stablecoin Payment Options Meta now allows businesses to pay for ad campaigns using stablecoins, digital currencies designed to maintain a consistent value, such as USDC. A third-party payment provider converts the digital funds into local currency before crediting the advertising account. For Mission Teams This payment option provides field teams in financially restricted countries a flexible way to fund gospel ad campaigns without relying on local banks. However, teams must use secure digital wallets to protect financial assets and maintain operational privacy. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-ads-introduces-stablecoin-payment-options/827034/ X Blocks Account Access in Saudi Arabia Following Government Demands X has started blocking dozens of user accounts inside Saudi Arabia after receiving official legal demands from the local government. The platform stated these restrictions were necessary to comply with local laws regarding public order and religion. For Mission Teams This censorship highlights how quickly governments can force tech platforms to restrict accounts operating in sensitive regions. Mission teams must establish secondary communication channels so connections with local seekers are not lost if primary social media pages are suddenly blocked. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/04/x-twitter-blocks-dissident-accounts-saudi-arabia Myspace Owners Plan Relaunch of Social Platform The owners of Myspace announced plans to bring back the once-popular social media network. While no official launch date was given, they hope to revive the classic platform for old and new users. For Mission Teams While a Myspace comeback is driven by nostalgia, mission teams should monitor if it creates new digital communities for online outreach. However, teams should keep primary digital evangelism resources focused on established platforms where seekers currently gather. https://mashable.com/life/myspace-comeback-owners-relaunch-plans Google AI Max Will be Standard In September Google is updating its Dynamic Search Ads to an artificial intelligence system called AI Max. This tool automatically creates ad headlines and connects people’s search questions directly to the best page on a website. For Mission Teams This upgrade helps match seekers with gospel resources. However, teams must carefully monitor these automated systems for relevancy and performance. https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/dsa-upgrade-to-ai-max-2026/ 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 7, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 31, 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 new Seller app, CV Global's latest resources, shifting social media trends and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta's New Seller App Meta has launched a new standalone app called Seller, designed specifically for merchants using Facebook Marketplace. The app includes AI-powered listing creation, inventory management, and a unified inbox to streamline the selling process and better compete with platforms such as eBay. For Mission Teams While primarily an e-commerce update, the new Seller app highlights Meta's continued push toward dedicated, feature-rich platforms. Although Meta's long-term plans for the app remain unclear, its launch suggests the company is continuing to expand its ecosystem of specialized business tools. If the app gains widespread adoption, it could eventually become another platform where advertisers, including ministry teams, can reach their audiences through paid campaigns. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/technology/meta-facebook-marketplace-seller.html Equipping Churches with CV Global Activation Hubs CV Global has added Activation Hubs to its new website to provide churches with practical tools and training for digital ministry. These resource centers equip believers to confidently share their faith and connect with people searching for answers online. For Mission Teams These hubs provide proven strategies to help teams find digital seekers through social media advertising and guide them into local disciple-making groups. By using these specialized tools, teams can strengthen their digital engagement efforts while helping protect ministry accounts from online security threats. https://www.cvglobal.co/en/activation-hubs Maximizing Digital Outreach Using Google Ad Strength Google Ads uses a helpful tool called Ad Strength to grade your ads from poor to excellent based on their overall quality. Getting a high grade means your ads will perform better and show the most effective messages to your audience. For Mission Teams Testing multiple ad assets allows your team to securely reach specific audiences without raising red flags on digital platforms. This strategy improves your online engagement so you can easily find local seekers and turn them into disciples. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9142254?hl=en Understanding Bid Multipliers for ChatGPT Ads ChatGPT Ads now include a new feature called bid multipliers that allows advertisers to increase or decrease bids for specific audience segments. This tool provides greater control over who sees your ads, but it currently works only with custom audience lists containing at least 25,000 users. For Mission Teams Using these multipliers allows your team to strategically adjust your ad spend based on your target persona. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/bid-multipliers-chatgpt-ads/ Meta's New AI Text Swap for Ad Images Meta has a new tool called Advantage+ Creative Text Generation that uses artificial intelligence to automatically rewrite the text within your ad images. This feature creates multiple variations while preserving your original fonts, colors, and overall design. For Mission Teams This time-saving feature allows mission teams to generate more diverse creative variations directly within Meta's platform. Additionally, all content generated by this tool requires approval from the marketer, helping ensure that poorly generated or inconsistent copy is not published without human oversight. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-rewrite-text-ad-images/ Social Media Shifts From Sharing to Viewing People are posting less about their own lives and treating social media more like television. While they share fewer personal updates, they are actually spending more time watching short videos. For Mission Teams Social media usage habits are changing. While users may be scrolling for different reasons, they are still spending significant time on social media platforms. Mission teams are encouraged to adapt to these changing trends by creating more short-form video content to meet potential seekers where they are. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/social-media-is-becoming-less-social/825125/ UAE Launches AI-Powered Judicial Platform The United Arab Emirates just launched a new computer system that uses artificial intelligence to speed up their court cases. While this smart tool organizes files and researches laws, human judges will still make all the final choices. For Mission Teams As governments use powerful artificial intelligence systems to process digital data and manage staggering caseloads, these tools may help address overwhelming workloads, but they also raise important questions about the role of AI in legal proceedings. A larger question remains: if governments are using AI in this way, what other applications may exist? Nation-states are increasingly leveraging these tools to monitor missionaries, national believers, and even mission websites and platforms. Mission teams, churches, and agencies are strongly encouraged to audit their systems for cybersecurity risks, educate workers and teams on best practices, and explore secure platforms for communication, logistics, and other operational needs. https://gulfnews.com/uae/government/uae-launches-worlds-first-fully-integrated-ai-powered-judicial-platform-1.500622338 Google Expands Lead Form Access for Smaller Advertisers and Rolls out AI Labels Google Ads has removed its high spending requirement, allowing smaller organizations to collect user contact information directly through search ads. The platform has also expanded these lead-generation features to additional countries and provided updated guidelines for labeling AI-generated image assets. Additionally, marketers can now apply their own "AI-generated" label to ads that contain AI-generated content, helping promote greater transparency and authenticity. For Mission Teams Lowering these budget requirements allows smaller mission teams to strategically run ad campaigns that engage online seekers directly. To maintain security, teams must carefully manage seeker contact data within Google's data storage timelines as they build discipleship connections. Regarding AI labels, these can be helpful for teams operating in contexts where users have grown fatigued by AI-generated content and may have increased distrust or concerns about its use. Clearly disclosing that content was AI-generated may help address those concerns. However, teams are still encouraged to test the feature before fully adopting it. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-30-adriaan-dekker-gcjme/ Facebook Launches Free Profile Verification Facebook is introducing a free verification badge that uses a short video selfie to prove you are a real person. This new tool helps users know they are talking to actual humans instead of fake accounts created by computers. This only works for personal accounts, however. For Mission Teams Knowing an account belongs to a real person improves authenticity because teams can confidently connect with genuine seekers. This verification also boosts security against fake profiles, making our social media strategy safer for finding and discipling new believers online. For teams operating in more secure contexts this may not be an option. https://about.fb.com/news/2026/07/introducing-facebook-verified/ New Ask Advisor Tool in Google Analytics Google created a new chat tool in Google Analytics to help you understand your website traffic more easily. You can simply ask it questions to learn how many people are visiting your pages and why they leave. For Mission Teams Teams can utilize this AI agent to help analyze and understand their app and website data. It reviews your outreach securely within your specific account, allowing you to safely track engagement and grow your digital evangelism. https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/16675569?hl=en 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: July 31, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 24, 2026 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! This week we're covering a Wordpress vulnerability, audience labels on Meta, Google opening up access to third party app stores, and more! Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM WordPress core hit by critical hack chain wp2shell Two linked vulnerabilities in WordPress core, dubbed wp2shell, let hackers take complete control of a website without a password or any plugins installed. Both flaws are on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list, and public proof-of-concept attack code is already circulating. For Mission Teams If your ministry or church runs a self-hosted WordPress site on 6.9.x or 7.0.x, update now. This is not a plugin issue. The flaw is in WordPress itself, so even clean default installs are vulnerable. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-wordpress-core-vulnerabilities-active-exploitation/ Meta overhauls audience labels in Ads Manager Meta has redesigned the Audiences section in Ads Manager around labels, grouping audiences into categories like Customers, Engaged Audiences, Unlabeled Audiences, Lookalikes, and Saved Audiences. The redesign ties into Meta's audience value rules and is the biggest structural change to the section in about a decade. For Mission Teams Teams managing Meta ad accounts should reorganize their custom audiences under the new label structure. What Meta is ultimately optimizing for here is still unclear, and it may not change performance beyond ease of use. Worth experimenting. Read more about it below: https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-redesigns-audiences-around-labels/ Google Play opens app access to third-party Android stores Google will let other American app stores list Google Play apps on their own platforms. Google still handles the actual downloads, keeping the process secure and collecting its standard fees. For Mission Teams This only applies to the US Play Store, but it could put ministry apps and digital ads in front of seekers on new platforms. It also raises security questions: less regulated app stores mean more risk for users, and it's not yet clear how Google will manage that. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-google-play-third-party-android-app-stores/ Protecting against FaceTime video scams Apple is warning iPhone users that scammers are using FaceTime video calls to steal personal information and money. Live video makes an impersonation of a trusted official feel far more believable. For Mission Teams Don't answer calls from contacts you don't know. Verify who you're talking to before sharing anything. Simple habits, but they protect your whole team. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-apple-facetime-scam-warning-iphone-users/ Optimizing Meta ads for lead generation Meta lead ads help ministries connect with people through simple online forms. Start with basic questions and only add fields if you need higher quality contacts. For Mission Teams Meta has recommended this strategy for a while, though it was built mainly for sales objectives. Lead forms could work for inviting contacts to set up a church visit, offering free PDF downloads, starting conversations on Messenger, and more. Worth testing in your context. Read the latest guide and advice for lead ads from Jon Loomer below: https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-lead-generation/ Interactive web experience builder with Canva Code 2.0 Canva Code 2.0 lets anyone build interactive websites, web apps, and games from simple text prompts, then customize the results using Canva's standard visual tools. For Mission Teams Useful for quickly deploying interactive landing pages and forms for online outreach. Just make sure whatever you deploy is secure and compliant. https://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/Canva-Code/ Reddit considers Face ID and ID verification to fight bots Reddit CEO Steve Huffman confirmed the platform is weighing identity verification options, from lightweight biometric methods like Face ID to full government ID checks, in response to a flood of AI-generated bot accounts. Reddit wants to confirm real human presence without abandoning its commitment to user anonymity. For Mission Teams If your team does outreach on Reddit, this could change how anonymous and pseudonymous accounts are managed, and it may shift the platform culture that makes certain approaches effective there. Any identity verification system also adds new data collection points and privacy risk. It's also one more sign that audiences are tiring of AI-generated content. Authentic engagement matters more, not less. https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-is-weighing-identity-verification-methods-to-combat-its-bot-problem-195814671.html WhatsApp testing automatic message translation for iPhone WhatsApp is developing automatic translation for iPhone that will translate incoming messages across up to 21 languages in real time, in both individual and group chats. Translation happens on-device, preserving end-to-end encryption. The feature was spotted in an iOS beta and isn't available to general users yet. For Mission Teams For teams doing cross-cultural outreach through WhatsApp groups, in-chat translation would remove a lot of friction from multilingual conversations without leaving the app. https://9to5mac.com/2026/03/20/whatsapp-for-iphone-may-soon-offer-automatic-message-translation-across-21-languages/ ChatGPT ads expand internationally as AI ad channel grows OpenAI expanded its ChatGPT advertising pilot into the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea, and began testing multi-advertiser placements that group several ads into a single unit. Ad-tech partner Criteo reports over 2,000 brands now running campaigns through the platform. Meanwhile, Google AI Mode was showing ads on nearly 30 percent of commercial queries as of the week of July 20. For Mission Teams AI-native ad placements are growing fast. For teams considering paid digital outreach, the shift matters: people encounter these ads while seeking answers, not while scrolling a feed. https://www.b2the7.com/news-blog/marketing-trends-july-2026-ai-mode-ads-ga4-ai-traffic Google fined $1 billion by European regulators under new digital law European regulators fined Google 890 million euros ($1 billion) for allegedly favoring its own services. It's Google's first fine under the EU's Digital Markets Act. For Mission Teams Regulatory pressure like this can change how platforms handle data and rank search results. If your team relies on search visibility or runs outreach in Europe, keep an eye on how Google responds. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/23/google-1-billion-eu-fine-dma.html 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: July 24, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 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 African device manufacturers reportedly sending data to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), rising advertising costs in the MENA region, Meta shutting down its new Instagram AI content creation tool, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Budget Android phones silently send data to China Security researchers at NowSecure published findings showing that Transsion phones, which dominate markets across Africa and South Asia, contain a system-level component that cannot be removed and that secretly transmits users' precise location, per-app network usage, foreground app activity, and camera usage to servers linked to the manufacturer. The encrypted data includes persistent device identifiers that enable ongoing tracking of individual users. For Mission Teams Many ministry partners and church members in the Global South use Transsion devices including Tecno, Infinix, and itel brands, meaning sensitive communication and donor data may be exposed without their knowledge. Teams should consider purchasing devices from trusted sources and brands. https://www.nowsecure.com/blog/2026/07/08/what-the-transsion-telemetry-research-means-for-mobile-security/ Rising advertising costs in the Middle East Recently, a mission team that Kavanah Media works with on a digital engagement project in the MENA region experienced rising Meta advertising costs. The increase appeared to be greater than what would typically be expected from the challenges associated with Advantage+ Audience. As it turns out, the trend can be explained, at least in part, by rising advertising costs across the region. Companies are spending significantly more on digital advertising throughout the Middle East and North Africa. This increased demand has driven up the cost of advertising on social media platforms. It should be noted that this trend is also being observed globally and is not unique to the MENA region. For Mission Teams Teams using Meta Ads in the MENA region should expect rising advertising costs. These challenges can be mitigated by increasing advertising budgets, diversifying creative assets, and enabling Advantage+ Creative tools. https://23hublab.com/how-rising-cpms-are-reshaping-gulf-ad-strategy/ To see the 2026 CPM benchmarks by country, check out the link below: https://adligator.com/blog/meta-ads-cpm-by-country-benchmarks New AI ad creation tools in ChatGPT OpenAI is testing a new tool that automatically writes ads based on your website details and settings. This makes starting campaigns much faster, but you still need to check the ads to make sure they are correct. For Mission Teams This new tool can help you quickly create ads to find more genuine seekers online. You must carefully review these automated ads to keep your team secure and ensure they match your disciple-making strategies. https://searchengineland.com/openai-can-generate-chatgpt-ads-for-you-481651 Meta AI writing tool in Business Manager Members of the Kavanah Media team noticed a new Meta AI integration in the Content section of Meta Business Manager. Just below the text box is a new "Write with AI" button. Social media managers can now use AI to help draft copy directly within the platform when creating content. For Mission Teams Mission teams can leverage this tool to help draft, edit, or diversify text copies for faster organic posting. Marketers should check the Content section of Business Manager to see if the update has been rolled out to their accounts. As with all AI tools, outputs should be verified before publishing. Meta kills Instagram AI photo remix feature Meta launched a new AI image tool called Muse Image that allowed anyone to generate images using public Instagram profiles without notifying account owners. After three days of intense backlash from users, talent agencies, and SAG-AFTRA, Meta removed the feature and acknowledged that it had missed the mark. For Mission Teams This story highlights how quickly AI tools can violate personal dignity and consent, which matters deeply for ministry contexts where image and identity are sacred. Teams should monitor how platforms handle opt-in versus opt-out defaults, especially when member photos or ministry content could be scraped without permission. https://www.dailywire.com/news/meta-removes-concerning-instagram-ai-feature-after-severe-backlash Google Ads AI image enhancements Google uses smart AI tools to instantly modify images by adding text, adjusting sizes, or creating animations. These updates help your digital ads capture more attention without requiring additional design work. For Mission Teams This tools makes it easier than every to create additional ad copy. Teams can leverage this to help with creative diversity. As with all AI tools, outputs should be verified before publishing. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/16483726 Meta adds AI lead capture agent to instant forms Meta is testing a new feature inside lead ad instant forms that activates an AI agent to guide users through a conversational flow to collect their information. The AI decides whether to show the standard form or initiate a chat, pulling from the advertiser's website and form to answer questions about the business. For Mission Teams This tool could help ministry outreach teams collect leads more efficiently through conversational AI, but it raises questions about how accurately the agent represents your organization's message. Teams should test what the AI says when asked theological or sensitive questions about your ministry before enabling it. https://www.jonloomer.com/lead-capture-ai-agent-instant-forms/ Google Ads now labels AI-generated ad creatives Starting in July 2026, Google Ads will allow advertisers to add text or visual labels to image and video ad creatives that were generated or modified using AI, helping them comply with emerging AI transparency regulations in the EU, India, and New York. Google Ads may also automatically apply these labels to assets created using its own AI tools. For Mission Teams Ministry advertisers running AI-generated image or video ads in regulated markets such as Europe must now ensure their creatives carry proper AI disclosure labels or risk policy violations. This is also an opportunity to build audience trust by being transparent about which communications are AI-assisted versus human-created. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/16483726 ChatGPT ads gain location and audience controls OpenAI has added location exclusions and custom audience targeting features to its ChatGPT advertising platform. Advertisers can now upload email lists to target or exclude specific groups of users. For Mission Teams These advanced controls make AI chatbot advertising a more viable tool for localized digital outreach. However, a high minimum number of contacts may limit smaller ministry teams from adopting the feature immediately. https://www.jonloomer.com/blog/ TikTok mandates commercial content disclosure rules TikTok has updated its guidelines to require clear labels on all promotional and branded video content, as well as AI-generated or deepfake videos. Posts that fail to use the built-in disclosure toggle may be restricted or removed from user feeds. For Mission Teams Even non-profit or ministry-boosted posts might fall under these strict definition guidelines on TikTok. Make sure to toggle the disclosure switch on sponsored content to maintain your account's visibility and reach. https://www.darkroomagency.com/observatory/what-brands-need-to-know-about-tiktok-new-rules-2026 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: July 17, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 3, 2026 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! This week Meta launched the Muse Image AI Generator, Google Consent Mode and bidding rules changed, concerns rise over Google Search data used for AI training, ChatGPT added new ad targeting features, and an Indian court order impacts domain privacy globally. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Moody Bible Institute breach exposes 2.3 million records Moody Bible Institute, a Chicago-based Christian college, confirmed a data breach after the ShinyHunters extortion group leaked over 2.3 million email addresses and personal data belonging to donors, students, alumni, and supporters. The group used a pay-or-leak campaign, and when demands were not met, they published the stolen data publicly. For Mission Teams This breach is a direct warning to faith-based organizations that donor and constituent data is a target for financially motivated hackers. Any ministry collecting email addresses, donation records, or other personal identifiable information should audit its security practices and ensure third-party platforms are secured with multi-factor authentication. https://cyberpress.org/moody-bible-institute-data-breach/ India court order could strip global domain privacy An Indian court ruling requires domain registrars to stop offering free default WHOIS privacy protection and to disclose domain owner information to anyone claiming a legitimate interest within 72 hours. GoDaddy, which manages 80 million domain names, warns that the ruling could have global implications because domain names are not region-restricted. The company has filed a 5,121-page appeal, which is scheduled to be heard on July 16. For Mission Teams Ministry websites registered through GoDaddy or similar registrars could eventually have their owner contact information made publicly searchable if this ruling stands. Teams managing ministry domains should check whether their WHOIS privacy protection is active and monitor this case as it develops. https://gizmodo.com/godaddy-sounds-alarm-over-how-india-law-would-upend-internet-privacy-everywhere-2000781210 Expanding Digital Evangelism into Virtual Reality Christian groups are now using virtual reality platforms to meet new people and share their faith online. These digital worlds have become a brand new mission field for reaching people who feel lonely or want a community. For Mission Teams Virtual reality offers an interesting avenue for bypassing some of the restrictions that believers and mission teams face in different countries around the world. It could become a valuable addition to existing digital engagement strategies, complementing current social media outreach and advertising efforts. However, experimentation and training are essential. These platforms differ significantly from the digital engagement platforms most teams currently use. Security, bandwidth, accessibility, user adoption, and team training all present important challenges that should be carefully considered. https://www.npr.org/2026/07/02/g-s1-131124/christian-missionaries-have-found-a-new-virtual-mission-territory Meta launches Muse Image AI generator Meta released Muse Image on July 7, 2026, its first in-house AI image generation model developed by Meta Superintelligence Labs. It is now available for free in the Meta AI app, in Instagram Stories in the United States, and in WhatsApp in a limited number of countries. The model allows users to generate and edit images from text prompts, and advertisers will soon be able to access it through Advantage+ creative tools to create ad variations without a traditional design process. For Mission Teams Churches and mission teams can use tools like Muse Image to create visual content for outreach campaigns more affordably. However, teams should be aware that the feature can manipulate public Instagram photos, raising new questions about consent and the appropriate use of images. From a security and privacy perspective, teams should also note Meta's expanded AI access to user-uploaded media and review their organization's social media policies accordingly. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/07/meta-ai-muse-image.html Google Search uploads now train AI by default Google updated its Search services privacy settings in June 2026 so that images, audio, files, and video you upload through tools like Google Lens and Google Translate are used to train its AI models unless you manually opt out. The setting called Search Services History is enabled by default, and anonymized versions of data already collected can remain in Google's training systems for up to four years, even after deletion. For Mission Teams Anyone in your organization using Google Lens to photograph documents or using Google Search voice input on behalf of the ministry may be unintentionally allowing sensitive content to be used by Google's AI systems, depending on their account settings. Teams should review their Google account settings and disable the Save Media option under Search Services History if they want to reduce potential data exposure. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-google-search-uploads-train-ai-opt-out/ Google Tag Manager interface updates and tracking reliability Google Tag Manager has a new look that makes it much easier for beginners to use. However, its new visual builder tool can cause tracking errors if your website design changes. For Mission Teams While these tools make it easier for teams to run ads and reach spiritual seekers, they must be configured correctly. Misconfigurations, website changes, and even platform updates can lead to broken analytics and potential non-compliance with data privacy laws. Interested in using Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager but not sure where to begin? Reach out—we'd love to help. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-27-adriaan-dekker-glo6e/ Meta rolls out Muse Image for advertisers Alongside the consumer launch of Muse Image, Meta announced that advertisers and agencies will gain access to the model through Advantage+ creative tools in the coming weeks. This will allow brands to generate ad image variations and edit campaign assets without a traditional design cycle. Meta says the model can produce on-brand ad variations with fewer iterations by combining native reasoning with advertiser creative assets. For Mission Teams Small ministry marketing teams who currently rely on outside designers or platforms for ad creative may find Muse Image through Advantage+ significantly reduces production costs and turnaround time for paid social campaigns. However, teams should review Meta's terms carefully as the model that creates the content is not perfect. Teams should verify the viability of generated content before deploying it in ads. https://ai.meta.com/blog/introducing-muse-image-muse-video-msl/ Apple's Hide My Email leaks real addresses A security researcher disclosed on July 1, 2026, that Apple's Hide My Email privacy feature contains a flaw that allows attackers to reverse-engineer anonymous email aliases back to users' real inboxes, with a 100 percent success rate in testing. Apple was first informed of the issue in June 2025 but has not fully patched the vulnerability despite multiple attempts, potentially leaving iCloud+ subscribers exposed. For Mission Teams iOS users who use Hide My Email aliases for ministry sign-ups or online outreach should treat those addresses as potentially compromised until Apple issues a confirmed fix. This is a practical reminder that no privacy tool should be trusted as a complete shield, and digital security training should cover how to verify whether a privacy feature is actually working. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-apple-hide-my-email-privacy-flaw/ Google bidding change may raise your ad costs Starting August 17, 2026, Google will change how it manages bidding for budget-limited campaigns using Target CPA or Target ROAS goals. If your campaign has been outperforming its targets, performance may shift closer to the higher target you originally set unless you manually adjust it using the new Bid Target Adjustment Tool, which became available on July 6. For Mission Teams Ministries running paid outreach campaigns on Google should check budget-limited campaigns before August 17 to avoid unexpected cost increases. Use the new Bid Target Adjustment Tool to review historical performance and update your targets to match what you actually want to spend. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/17061251?hl=en OpenAI Adds Custom Audience Targeting to ChatGPT Ads OpenAI added a custom audience feature to its ChatGPT Ads platform that lets advertisers upload email and phone lists to target or exclude specific users. However, a minimum of 100,000 identifiers is required, which may put the feature out of reach for smaller advertisers. For Mission Teams This is a significant step toward ChatGPT becoming a real ad platform alongside Google and Meta. Ministries should cautiously experiment with the platform in their context to test its viability. https://www.jonloomer.com/chatgpt-ads-custom-audiences/ 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: July 10, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 3, 2026 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! This week we're diving into major shifts shaking up the digital advertising landscape, including Google's updated Ads Terms of Service for AI use, Meta ads troubleshooting, Next Steps World Cup resources and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Google Ads Terms of Service Updated for AI Use Google updated its Google Ads Terms of Service effective July 1, 2026, to clarify how advertiser inputs can be used across AI-powered and automated ad tools. The changes give Google broader authority to use automated systems to generate and optimize campaign elements on behalf of advertisers. For Mission Teams Mission teams running Google Ads should review the updated terms, as they now bear greater responsibility for reviewing AI-generated ad content that they may not have created themselves. Understanding how Google's systems can use your data and creative assets is essential for responsible and ethical ad management. https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-updates-terms-of-service-ahead-of-july-2026-rollout-479255 Troubleshooting Meta Ads That Fail to Convert Many advertisers blame the platform when their digital ads fail to bring results. In most cases, the real issues are broken links, confusing web pages, or poorly chosen marketing goals. For Mission Teams If your ministry ads get clicks but no one signs up or sends a message, you should audit your landing pages, CTA's, greetings, and setup immediately. Fixing these issues helps seekers find your content more easily and ensures your outreach budget is used effectively rather than wasted. Check out Jon Loomer's Guide: https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-arent-converting/ Zero-Click Google Searches Now Represent 68 Percent of All Searches New research published during the week of June 29, 2026, shows that 68 percent of all Google searches in the United States now end without anyone clicking on a link, meaning fewer than one in three searches results in a website visit. AI Overviews and AI Mode are answering questions directly on the results page. For Mission Teams If your ministry relies on Google search traffic to bring people to your website, this data should prompt a rethink of your content strategy. Creating content that earns citations inside AI answers, not just high search rankings, is now essential for staying visible to people searching for faith-related topics online. https://www.b2the7.com/news-blog/marketing-trends-june-29-2026 AI-Driven Threats Accelerate Apple's iPhone Security Patching Apple is releasing iPhone security updates much faster because hackers are now using artificial intelligence to build quicker cyberattacks. This change helps protect mobile devices before bad actors can find and exploit hidden software flaws. For Mission Teams It is recommended that digital evangelists immediately install these mobile updates to protect sensitive seeker data and secure disciple-making conversations on social media. Promptly applying security patches helps protect ministry devices from AI-assisted cyberattacks, ensuring they remain secure for running outreach campaigns and engaging with online communities. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-apple-iphone-ai-security-updates/ Google Restricts Search Ads With Unclear Branding Google is changing its search rules to limit ads from accounts that use confusing or generic branding. This update means your ads must clearly show your organization's identity so users do not get misled. For Mission Teams Ministries must clearly brand their search ads and landing pages to avoid being restricted when trying to reach online seekers. This transparency builds security and trust with your audience while ensuring your disciple-making campaigns stay visible. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-june-recap-adriaan-dekker-n0wle/ Meta Changes Wording for Restricting Ad Audiences Meta has changed a settings button in its advertising platform to read, "I need a specific audience." While this update does not change how ad targeting works, it does reflect a shift in how Meta guides advertisers through the campaign setup process. For Mission Teams When creating Facebook ads to reach seekers, teams should recognize that Meta's detailed targeting options are still treated as suggestions by the platform. Teams using these options have reported poorer performance and higher costs. At this stage, the wording change appears to be purely cosmetic, but there is hope that Meta will follow it with meaningful functional improvements. Only time will tell. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/i-need-a-specific-audience/ Next Steps Platform - Digital Outreach Platform Launched for World Cup 2026 Next Steps, by Jesus Film Project, has launched a digital outreach platform packed with videos and interactive tools for the 2026 World Cup. This website allows believers to customize sports-themed gospel journeys and easily share them across different global regions. For Mission Teams Mission teams can strategically use these templates in social media ads to maximize engagement and locate seekers during the soccer tournament. When deploying these digital campaigns globally, teams must establish secure communication pathways to protect and safely disciple new believers. https://football2026.nextstep.is/ WhatsApp Testing Auto-Translation in 21 Languages WhatsApp for iPhone is developing an automatic message translation feature, first spotted in a March 2026 beta build, that will translate incoming messages in real time across up to 21 languages. Translations are processed on-device using Apple's language packs, keeping end-to-end encryption intact. For Mission Teams This feature could have significant implications for cross-cultural digital ministry by enabling teams to communicate with people in their native language without leaving WhatsApp. From a security perspective, translations are processed on-device rather than sent to third-party servers, helping preserve end-to-end encryption and reducing privacy risks. https://9to5mac.com/2026/03/20/whatsapp-for-iphone-may-soon-offer-automatic-message-translation-across-21-languages/ Reddit Weighs Identity Checks to Fight Bots Reddit is exploring identity verification methods as it looks for ways to reduce the influence of bots on its platform, according to Engadget. The company has not yet settled on a specific approach but is weighing options that balance authenticity with user anonymity. For Mission Teams While not as widely adopted in digital engagement strategies, Reddit hosts thousands of communities where people seek spiritual guidance, mental health support, and life advice, making it a potential platform to leverage. However, bot traffic remains a challenge both for the platform itself and for AI answer engines, as Reddit is frequently cited by AI tools when responding to user questions. Misinformation from Reddit forums can be surfaced and may lead AI systems to produce inaccurate or misleading responses. This is also a reminder of how easily platforms can be compromised by bots, and why authentic content is becoming increasingly important. Users are growing weary of spam, AI-generated content, and general online noise. Teams managing online communities should take steps to ensure those platforms are not compromised and are populated with genuine users. Additionally, teams using AI tools to engage with seekers should ensure those systems are not drawing information from low-quality or unreliable sources. https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-is-weighing-identity-verification-methods-to-combat-its-bot-problem-195814671.html Federal Oversight Expands Over Frontier Artificial Intelligence and Digital Surveillance The United States government is rapidly increasing its control and regulations over advanced artificial intelligence tools. These new actions include restricting public access to powerful technology and proposing strict laws to monitor AI developers. For Mission Teams Increased government regulation of AI models may limit the availability of innovative tools for social media advertising strategies aimed at reaching seekers. Furthermore, evolving digital surveillance and location data regulations mean ministries must strengthen data privacy practices to protect online disciple-making networks. https://www.techpolicy.press/june-2026-us-tech-policy-roundup/ 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: July 3, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 26, 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 the latest wave of Meta account restrictions, a checklist for reclaiming data privacy, OpenAI UK ads launch and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Proton VPN Uniquely Blocks iOS Tracking Vulnerability Security researchers found that Proton VPN is the only service on iPhone that stops apps from tracking users through internal network addresses. Other VPNs leave digital fingerprints that let apps monitor a user's activity across different platforms. For Mission Teams This security vulnerability makes it easier for hostile entities to track field workers running social media ad campaigns to find seekers. Utilizing Proton VPN on iOS platforms protects operational security and ensures that sensitive digital discipleship strategies remain private. It should be noted that several teams using Proton VPN services in countries such as Türkiye have reported that local ISPs and governments are actively blocking VPN protocols, including Proton's. As more governments move to restrict VPN traffic, teams operating in sensitive environments should be prepared for connectivity issues and consider alternative communication and security strategies. https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-services/security-experts-reveal-proton-is-the-only-vpn-to-avoid-internal-tunnel-ip-fingerprinting-on-ios Unjustified Meta Account Restrictions Recently there has been a reported wave of Facebook account page restrictions based on unusual activity. This not only has happened to members of the Kavanah Media team, but Facebook recently locked an expert's advertising account simply because he shared a link to the company's own official rules. Meta's algorithms can easily block users for no good reason. For Mission Teams This sudden ban highlights the security danger of trusting a single platform to run your social media ads for finding seekers. Teams must create backup strategies to safely continue making disciples and engaging people online when automated filters mistakenly pause their digital outreach. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/meta-restricted-my-account/?utm_source=video_alerts Reclaiming Your Device Privacy Most mobile devices constantly broadcast your personal data and location without your knowledge. You can easily secure your phone by adjusting basic tracking, notification, and network settings. For Mission Teams Protecting your personal devices keeps sensitive conversations with online seekers entirely secure from data leaks. Safe digital habits ensure your outreach platforms and local team members remain hidden from malicious targeting. Use the checklist below to audit your devices and data: The 9-Step Privacy Checklist Review App Permissions Settings → Privacy Check which apps can access your camera, microphone, location, contacts, and photos. Remove anything unnecessary. Disable Ad Tracking iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → toggle off. Android: Settings → Google → Ads → Delete advertising ID. Hide Lock Screen Notifications iPhone: Settings → Notifications → Show Previews → When Unlocked. Android: Settings → Notifications → Hide sensitive content. Use a Real Password Manager One unique password per account. Avoid browser or notes apps. Bitwarden is free, open-source, and cross-platform. Activate 2FA Without SMS Use authenticator apps instead of SMS to prevent SIM swap attacks. Options include Ente Auth or other apps listed in 2FA directories. Turn Off Bluetooth & WiFi When Not Needed These broadcast signals track your location and can connect without consent. Check If You’ve Been Breached Visit haveibeenpwned.com and see which breaches affected your accounts, then change passwords immediately. Enable Remote Wipe iPhone: Settings → Apple ID → Find My → toggle on Erase Device. Android: Settings → Google → Find My Device → toggle on. Set Up Private DNS Blocks your ISP from logging your sites and filters malicious domains. Android: Settings → Network → Private DNS → dns.quad9.net iPhone: Install Quad9 profile from quad9.net Securing Digital Assets Through Visibility and Classification Does your church, mission team, or organization have a complete inventory of all its digital platforms, data, and systems? Are you confident they are all secure? You cannot protect what you do not know exists. To strengthen cybersecurity, organizations should first identify and inventory all of their digital assets, including platforms, systems, devices, and private files. Once identified, these assets can be classified according to their sensitivity and importance, allowing teams to apply appropriate security controls without unnecessarily slowing down day-to-day operations. For Mission Teams Cybersecurity threats are on the rise, and every platform a team utilizes as part of its digital engagement strategy represents a potential attack surface. It is not just about maintaining an inventory—a disorganized digital ecosystem is much more difficult to secure. Where should a team begin? The author recommends establishing an Acceptable Use Policy, implementing asset management and data classification practices, and more. Interested in strengthening your organization's cybersecurity but not sure where to start? The Kavanah Media team can help! Send us a message to learn more. https://www.secjuice.com/asset-management-data-classification-you-cant-protect-what-you-cant-see-2/ Hackers Still Exploiting Meta AI Chatbot Despite Meta's fixes, reports say attackers can still misuse its AI chatbot to gain access to Instagram profiles. The issue highlights larger security risks tied to AI features on social platforms. For Mission Teams Account takeovers could expose the seekers and contacts a ministry account communicates with. Teams should enable strong two-factor authentication and stay alert for unusual activity on ministry profiles. https://www.404media.co/hackers-simply-asked-meta-ai-to-give-them-access-to-high-profile-instagram-accounts-it-worked/ Maximizing Meta Ads Efficiency: Why Fewer Ad Sets Mean Better Results Creating too many ad sets in social media campaigns can spread your money too thin and confuse the system. It is usually best to combine your budget into one ad set so the platform can find the right people efficiently. There are exceptions for situations such as targeting by location, gender, age differences, and even products or sales, but simplicity is usually best here. For Mission Teams Generally speaking, mission teams can better engage online seekers by consolidating their budget into a single ad set. This approach allows the algorithm to utilize a larger budget when identifying contacts, which is particularly effective when considering creative diversity. Rather than splitting creatives and budget across two ad sets targeting the same audience, unifying them can lead to improved performance. As always, exceptions exist, and teams are encouraged to test this strategy within their specific field. https://www.jonloomer.com/active-ad-sets-meta-ads-campaign/? Google AI Tools Help Optimize YouTube Campaigns YouTube is launching new AI-powered tools to help people see what topics are trending right now. These tools will also give smart advice on how to make video ads perform better. For Mission Teams These insights allow ministries to help identify popular topics and create targeted ads that connect with spiritual seekers securely. As always, the availability of these tools may vary by region and teams are encouraged to test both the tool and results before wide-scale adoption. https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/youtube-insights-tools-cannes-lions-2026/ Instagram Expands TV App with Longer Videos and Live Streams Instagram is testing longer-form videos, multi-episode series, and live streams for its TV app as it competes with major streaming services. The app is also expanding to Samsung TVs, making it easier for people to watch this content directly from their living rooms. For Mission Teams This expansion provides ministries with a unique strategic opportunity to broadcast longer form content such as disciple-making series and live worship experiences directly onto family screens. If adoption and usage rates expand globally this could become another format for teams to consider in their digital engagement efforts. However, it is unclear if Reels formatting will still be preferred or if horizontal content will make a comback with the TV screen real estate and how engagement campaigns may work. https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/22/instagram-looks-to-take-on-streaming-services-with-longer-form-episodic-and-live-formats-for-its-tv-app/ OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Ads Manager Beta in the UK OpenAI has launched its new advertising platform for businesses located in the United Kingdom. This tool lets people quickly create ad campaigns without needing to provide bank information upfront. For Mission Teams Ministries can strategically use this platform to deploy targeted advertisements that engage spiritual seekers during their live AI conversations. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-25-adriaan-dekker-axcge/ Signal President Warns AI Chatbots Are Not Trusted Companions Signal president Meredith Whittaker warns that AI chatbots are not real friends or conscious beings. She believes relying too much on these systems can hurt original thinking and create severe privacy risks. For Mission Teams Ministries must recognize that while AI can assist in finding seekers, streamlining administrative work, creating content, conducting research, and more, relying on it blindly can compromise both data security and meaningful personal engagement. AI tools also present real risks, ranging from hallucinations to data privacy and security concerns. All AI-generated outputs should be verified, and teams, churches, and mission agencies are encouraged to regularly audit the AI tools they use for security and privacy risks. For example, many free AI tools use user prompts to help improve or train their models. Sharing sensitive information with these systems could increase the risk of that information being retained or exposed in unintended ways. Paid plans with stronger privacy protections, enterprise-managed AI platforms, or locally hosted AI solutions can help reduce these risks. If you have questions about AI and security, send us a message. We'd love to help! https://thenextweb.com/news/signal-whittaker-ai-chatbots-not-friends-copilot-backdoor-privacy 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: June 26, 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

Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 12, 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 a massive Microsoft Patch Tuesday with three zero-day vulnerabilities, sweeping changes to Google Ads tracking, new guidance on Google's Personalized advertising policy, and new AI-powered tools arriving across TikTok and Facebook that mission teams need to understand. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta Adds Incognito Mode to WhatsApp's Meta AI Chatbot Meta is adding the ability for WhatsApp users to start private, off-the-record conversations with its built-in Meta AI assistant. These incognito sessions will not be tied to a user's account history or conversation logs. For Mission Teams This feature could increase willingness among seekers in sensitive regions to ask spiritual questions through WhatsApp AI without fear of it being recorded. Teams building WhatsApp-based outreach funnels should familiarize themselves with how Meta AI responds to faith-related prompts. https://about.fb.com/news/2026/05/incognito-chat-whatsapp-meta-ai/ TikTok Adds Seedance 2.0 AI Video Model to Ad Suite TikTok has integrated ByteDance's Seedance 2.0 AI video generation model into its TikTok Symphony advertising toolkit, allowing advertisers to produce AI-generated video content directly within the platform. The tool can generate clips from text descriptions or reference images. For Mission Teams This lowers the barrier for producing video ad content, which could benefit teams with limited production budgets. Because TikTok is owned by ByteDance, teams should continue using it only on dedicated devices that do not contain sensitive ministry contacts or communications. https://socialbee.com/blog/tiktok-updates/ TikTok Expands Advertiser Reach Through Vistar Media Partnership TikTok has partnered with Vistar Media to extend advertiser placements to over one million locations beyond the app itself. This means TikTok-based campaigns can now appear across a much broader digital out-of-home and programmatic network. For Mission Teams This expansion could increase the visibility of gospel-focused content beyond TikTok's in-app audience, reaching people in public spaces and third-party digital environments. Teams should weigh whether the broader reach justifies the added cost and reduced audience targeting precision. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/topic/tiktok/ Google Ads Removes Manual Override for Consent and Tracking on June 15 Starting June 15, 2026, Google is removing the ability for Google Analytics settings to override Google Ads data collection behavior. If a website's consent banner is not correctly configured by that date, ad reporting, audience building, and return-on-ad-spend measurement could all be affected without any dashboard warning. For Mission Teams Teams running Google Ads campaigns with consent banners on their ministry websites need to verify their tracking setup before June 15. Misconfigurations could result in lost audience data and inaccurate reporting that silently undermines campaign performance. https://www.thedrum.com/profile/launch-online/article/how-google-s-june-2026-change-could-silently-kill-your-ad-tracking-and-what-to-do-about-i-1 Microsoft Patches 206 Vulnerabilities in June 2026 Patch Tuesday, Including Three Zero-Days Microsoft released its June 2026 security updates covering 206 vulnerabilities across Windows, Office, and other products. Three of these were publicly disclosed zero-days, and the update includes fixes for 37 critical-severity issues spanning remote code execution, privilege escalation, and information disclosure. For Mission Teams Teams managing Windows devices for field staff or administrative work should apply these updates immediately, particularly given the active exploitation of several disclosed vulnerabilities. Delaying patches on devices that handle sensitive ministry data or communications creates unnecessary risk. https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/blog/patch-tuesday-analysis-june-2026/ Hateful Comments on Facebook Have Quadrupled Since 2025 Facebook Hateful Comments Have Quadrupled Since 2025 A new report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate released June 10, 2026, found that hateful comments on Facebook against US congress members have quadrupled since 20250 when Meta rolled back moderation policies. For Mission Teams While the study focuses primarily on political comments in Western contexts, Meta's rollback of moderation tools could contribute to similar increases in hateful comments worldwide- even in the context of digital engagement. Teams should be prepared to ramp up their own comment moderation efforts and consider enabling automatic filters for harmful language. https://counterhate.com/blog/violent-threats-against-members-of-congress-quadrupled-after-meta-rolled-back-moderation-policies/ Google Updates Advertising Rules for Sensitive Topics Google updated its rules to explain how ads reach people when promoting sensitive topics like health or personal problems. This update does not add new rules, but it explains why some ads might reach fewer people than expected. For Mission Teams If your digital engagement strategy is leveraging Google ads, you likely fall under the Religious Beliefs Policy. Your strategies, content, and ads must comply. Click the second link for more information regarding each policy, possible restrictions, details, and mitigation options. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-23-adriaan-dekker-5rfle/ https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/143465?hl=en Yoast AI Content Planner Automates Blog Post Drafts Yoast recently launched an artificial intelligence tool that scans your website to suggest five structured ideas for your next post. This helpful feature saves time and prevents writer's block by automatically building ready-to-write drafts with titles, headings, and notes. For Mission Teams This tool can boost your digital strategy for finding seekers by quickly generating engaging articles that answer common spiritual questions. However, you must carefully review these automated drafts for any sensitive words to maintain strict security while safely making disciples online. https://yoast.com/features/content-planner/ Meta's New Push Delivery Feature Guarantees Ad Views Meta added a new advertising tool that lets you force their system to show a specific ad instead of skipping it. This update gives you direct control over your daily budget to make sure your most important messages are actually seen. For Mission Teams This tool guarantees your digital evangelism ads reach new seekers even when standard social media algorithms try to ignore them. By forcing delivery on specific ads, you can securely test new strategies for making disciples while carefully monitoring audience engagement. https://www.jonloomer.com/hands-on-push-delivery-to-this-ad/ Meta Launches AI Business Agent Globally on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger Meta announced the global availability of its Meta Business Agent on June 3, 2026, at the company's Conversations conference in London. The platform enables businesses of any size to deploy AI-powered agents across WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. These agents are designed to manage customer conversations, qualify leads, and support sales processes with minimal human involvement. The agent's capabilities include fielding customer inquiries, suggesting products from a catalog, scheduling appointments, vetting sales leads, and completing transactions, with a handoff mechanism that lets the agent escalate to a live employee once conversations reach a point that the owner defines. For Mission Teams According to Meta, businesses are already using a Meta Business Agent on WhatsApp and Messenger to respond to customers. It is yet to be extensively tested in a mission digital engagement strategy context, but there is potential it could prove very beneficial. Members of the Kavanah Media team hope to begin testing shortly. Teams are encouraged to test the tool cautiously, as AI can, and still does, hallu https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/03/metas-ai-agent-for-whatsapp-business-is-now-available-globally/ Instagram Hack Highlights AI Security Risks Hackers tricked a new artificial intelligence tool to steal thousands of important Instagram accounts by changing their private email addresses. Even though personal information was stolen, the company plans to fix the mistake without slowing down their new technology. For Mission Teams This security failure shows why your team must carefully protect the social media accounts you use to find seekers online. You must secure your digital evangelism profiles with strong passwords and extra safety steps to safely continue making disciples without losing access to your audience. It also shows how bad actors are leveraging AI to exploit weaknesses at unprecedented levels, and how those same AI tools introduce vulnerabilities. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/09/technology/instagram-hack-ai-bug.html 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 12, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 5, 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 new Paid Subscriptions for it's platforms, Google's work to add a CRM to Google Ads, one final update regarding Instagram's message encryption, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta Launches Paid Subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp Meta launched paid subscription plans for its flagship apps on May 27, 2026, with Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, and WhatsApp Plus rolling out globally. The subscriptions unlock additional features, including enhanced analytics and expanded audience reach. The move comes as Meta faces increased investor scrutiny over its substantial AI investments and seeks to diversify its revenue streams beyond advertising. For Mission Teams Paid subscription tiers that offer expanded audience reach and enhanced analytics could provide business pages with a meaningful boost in visibility, along with improved tools for content creation and management. It is reasonable to assume that mission teams may experience similar benefits. However, teams should carefully evaluate the costs and test the platform's functionality before incorporating it into their digital engagement strategies. https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/meta-launches-paid-subscriptions-instagram-212733317.html Instagram Ends End-to-End Encrypted Messaging Instagram removed end-to-end encryption for direct messages between users starting May 8, 2026, meaning Meta can now potentially see the contents of all messages on the platform. Encrypting messages had been an optional feature in Instagram since 2023, but the platform quietly updated its help page to announce the feature would no longer be available. For Mission Teams Ministry teams using Instagram DMs for sensitive conversations with seekers, new believers, or contacts in restricted-access countries should be aware that those messages are no longer private from Meta. For confidential outreach, switching to WhatsApp or Signal, both of which still offer strong encryption, is strongly recommended. https://www.macrumors.com/2026/05/05/psa-instagram-encrypted-messaging-ends-may-8/ EU Fines Meta Up to $12 Billion Over Children's Safety Failures on Instagram and Facebook On April 29, 2026, the European Commission announced preliminary findings that Meta’s Instagram and Facebook platforms may be in breach of the Digital Services Act for failing to adequately prevent children under 13 from accessing their services. The Commission noted that children can enter false birth dates without verification and that certain reporting tools require up to seven clicks to access. If these preliminary findings are confirmed, Meta could face fines of up to 6 percent of its total worldwide annual turnover, which could amount to as much as $12 billion. For Mission Teams This story is a reminder that digital platforms are beholden to state actors and laws. These tools can change at any time. Teams should review their own platforms and plan for redundancy. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001326801/000121465926006412/o514269px14a6g.htm Apple Tests New iPhone Anti-Theft Security Feature Apple is testing a new safety feature that automatically locks an iPhone if someone steals it from your hand. It uses motion sensors and location checks to quickly protect your personal information from thieves. For Mission Teams This feature improves physical and digital security for ministries running digital engagement projects in secure fields. Automatically locking a snatched device prevents criminals from accessing sensitive disciple-making apps and communication channels. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-apple-iphone-anti-snatching-lock-feature/ Google Is Upgrading All Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max This September Google announced that AI Max for Search campaigns is moving out of beta, and that campaigns using AI Max see an average of 7 percent more conversions or conversion value at a similar cost per acquisition when using the full feature suite compared to using search term matching alone. Starting in September, campaigns using Dynamic Search Ads, automatically created assets, and campaign-level broad match settings will automatically be upgraded to AI Max. For Mission Teams If your ministry uses Google Search ads to connect with people seeking faith-related content, this change is approaching quickly. Teams should review their account settings and prepare their campaigns for the automatic upgrade to help ensure a smooth transition and avoid disruptions to ongoing outreach efforts. https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/dsa-upgrade-to-ai-max-2026/ TikTok Is Quietly Becoming a Super App TikTok launched TikTok GO earlier in May, allowing users to discover and book hotels, attractions, tours, and other experiences directly within the app. The company is also reportedly pursuing a fintech license as it continues expanding its ecosystem and moving more transactions onto the platform. Rather than directing users to third-party websites, TikTok is increasingly positioning itself as a one-stop platform for discovery, decision-making, and transactions. While many users already rely on TikTok as a search tool and, in some cases, an alternative to Google, this latest move places the platform in more direct competition with Google's core Search and Maps businesses. For Mission Teams TikTok’s expansion into travel, shopping, and potentially financial services means more people, especially younger audiences, are spending increasing amounts of time inside the app each day. This presents a growing opportunity for ministries to reach people where they already are, but it also requires a clear, consistent TikTok presence and strategy to remain visible within a rapidly expanding ecosystem. It should be noted, however, that there are significant concerns around scalability, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance when leveraging TikTok for digital engagement. Some teams have experienced ad account restrictions related to religious content, while others have seen success. It is also recommended that TikTok, or any other apps owned by its parent company ByteDance, be installed on separate devices due to these security considerations and broader concerns about data governance. https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/30/tiktoks-road-to-becoming-a-super-app/ Meta Ads Manager Introduces New Campaign Grouping Feature Meta Ads Manager is testing a new Grouping tool that lets advertisers organize campaigns by similar settings or goals. This feature clumps similar choices together to make your advertising reports much easier to read. For Mission Teams This tool improves strategic application by grouping ads to see which funnel stages drive the highest digital engagement with seekers. It also could simplify data management, reducing the security risk of exposing detailed ministry strategies when sharing reports. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-grouping-reports-chatgpt-conversions/ OpenAI Ads Manager Beta and ChatGPT Updates OpenAI has added several new budgeting and targeting tools to its advertising platform. They are also testing grouped ad placements inside ChatGPT to help advertisers connect with interested users. For Mission Teams These updates let ministries safely control daily ad spending while scaling outreach to seekers in new countries. Displaying ads inside active AI conversations offers a strategic new way to build digital engagement. https://ads.openai.com Google Ads Limits Historical Reporting Data Access Starting June 1, 2026, Google Ads will automatically delete detailed hourly, daily, and weekly performance data that is more than 37 months old. Advertisers must manually export and save this granular tracking information if they want to keep it for long-term campaign planning. For Mission Teams Ministries leveraging those data points must proactively archive their detailed ad history to protect valuable strategic insights regarding seeker engagement and digital outreach patterns. https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ads-delete-performance-data-41403.html Google Ads Enhances Lead Tracking and Ad Approval Speed Google Ads added a built-in dashboard to track and organize new leads directly inside the platform, similar to a CRM. It also introduced real-time policy reviews to instantly approve search ads during creation. For Mission Teams This centralized dashboard helps ministry teams securely monitor seeker engagement and train AI to find high-intent contacts. Quick ad approvals also allow strategic outreach campaigns to launch immediately without frustrating delays. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-22-adriaan-dekker-bl6me/ WhatsApp Develops On-Device Scam Alert Feature WhatsApp is creating a new feature that warns users when they receive suspicious messages from unknown accounts. This safety tool checks messages directly on your phone so private conversations stay completely encrypted. For Mission Teams This feature allows users, including mission teams, to spot fraudulent contacts without exposing private conversations with seekers. Strategically training your team to enable this setting protects your disciple-making network from malicious phishing attempts. https://www.androidpolice.com/scam-detection-but-on-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.  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 5, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - May 29, 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 the latest update regarding ChatGPT Ads, a huge Windows Security Update, changes to Canva, Gemini Agents and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Social Media Platforms Block Dissident Accounts in Saudi Arabia Major technology companies, including Meta, X, and Snapchat, are reportedly restricting or censoring accounts belonging to political dissidents in Saudi Arabia. Under pressure from the Saudi government, these platforms are accused of suppressing critical voices while citing compliance with local laws and public morality regulations. For Mission Teams As government regulation increases, social media companies are responding to mounting pressure—often in ways that do not prioritize individual privacy. Ministries should proactively prepare their digital evangelism strategies by assessing the inherent risks they face, determining their risk tolerance, and developing plans to mitigate potential disruptions. This may include establishing backup platforms, moving sensitive communications to more secure channels, and practicing strong cybersecurity hygiene. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/may/22/instagram-x-social-media-platforms-blocking-saudi-dissidents-accounts Meta Systems Penalize Original Audiences in Favor of Advantage+ Members of the Kavanah Media team have observed significantly higher ad delivery costs when using Original Audiences on at least one Middle East account targeting ads by gender. In direct comparisons between gender-targeted Advantage+ Audience campaigns and Original Audience campaigns, Original Audiences averaged approximately $0.50–$0.60 higher per result.  For Mission Teams Meta has consistently stated that marketers using Advantage+ systems should see lower costs and improved engagement rates, but the differences observed in these tests were significant. Teams running Meta ads should strongly consider adopting Advantage+ settings and diversifying creative formats to help avoid increased costs or reduced ad delivery performance. For teams hoping to maintain gender-specific targeting strategies, Value Rules may provide a partial workaround by adjusting bidding priorities based on gender, age, and other demographics. Members of the Kavanah Media team are currently experimenting with Value Rules for this purpose. https://www.facebook.com/business/help/535014515741813 Windows Zero-Day Exploit Bypasses BitLocker Drive Encryption A newly discovered zero-day security flaw allows attackers with physical access to completely bypass Microsoft’s BitLocker disk encryption using a modified USB drive. By booting into the Windows Recovery Environment, an attacker can exploit a vulnerable pre-boot workflow to access encrypted data without a password. For Mission Teams This severe flaw means that stolen or confiscated field devices can be entirely duplicated, directly exposing sensitive databases and communication logs. Mission teams must implement immediate defenses by adding a pre-boot PIN to BitLocker configurations and disabling the vulnerable recovery files on all field hardware. https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/cyber-security/microsoft-bitlocker-protected-drives-can-now-be-opened-with-just-some-files-on-a-usb-stick-yellowkey-zero-day-exploit-demonstrates-an-apparent-backdoor Texas Sues Meta Over WhatsApp Security and Data Privacy Flaws for Apple Devices The state of Texas is suing Meta over allegations that it falsely advertises WhatsApp communications as completely private and inaccessible. Additionally, new security research reveals that WhatsApp stores unencrypted chat databases locally on Apple devices, relying entirely on the operating system's hardware defenses rather than app-level encryption to secure stored messages. For Mission Teams These legal and technical developments indicate that communication via WhatsApp may be vulnerable to platform intrusion, physical device exploitation, or unsecured backups. Digital evangelism teams are discouraged from using WhatsApp for internal or sensitive communications, and should implement immediate endpoint security protocols—such as requiring strong biometric device locks, enforcing local device updates, and strictly limiting the storage of sensitive seeker information. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-whatsapp-local-storage-claim-apple-privacy/ https://news.bloomberglaw.com/privacy-and-data-security/meta-whatsapp-sued-over-privacy-protections-by-texas Anthropic’s Project Glasswing Suggests AI Breakthrough in Cybersecurity Anthropic recently announced Project Glasswing, an initiative showcasing how advanced artificial intelligence models can rapidly uncover major software vulnerabilities. Experts are divided on whether this technology will fundamentally transform digital defenses or if its true capabilities have been exaggerated. For Mission Teams This advanced technology means threat actors could soon use automated AI tools to find and exploit weaknesses in digital outreach platforms within minutes. Mission teams must proactively harden their platforms by continuously updating software, assessing host security, and upgrading outdated hardware to protect seeker and disciple privacy.  If you have questions about assess the risks your team may be facing and how to best respond we would love to help! https://www.esecurityplanet.com/artificial-intelligence/anthropics-project-glasswing-signals-potential-ai-driven-shift-in-cybersecurity/ Google Pushes AI-Generated Ads Further Into Search Results Google is launching new AI-generated ad formats directly inside its conversational "AI Mode" search results to boost its advertising revenue. These interactive, automated ads pull text and images from brand websites to act like virtual sales assistants that converse naturally with users. For Mission Teams This shift means digital evangelism campaigns must adapt to conversational, AI-driven ad platforms rather than relying solely on traditional keyword targeting. Mission teams must also carefully monitor their public web content, as Google's AI will automatically scrape and reconstruct these materials into ads without full human control, presenting unique security and branding risks. https://www.wsj.com/cmo-today/google-pushes-ai-generated-ads-further-into-search-results-6b478d83?st=MQv2Re&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink&utm_source=tldrnewsletter Google Marketing Live Webinar Highlights Google's annual event showcased how its Gemini AI model is being woven into the foundation of its advertising ecosystem. Key updates focus on conversational ad formats in search results, automated asset creation, and AI-driven campaign management tools. For Mission Teams These automation shifts allow ministries to instantly generate diverse creative assets from a single prompt, making it easier to scale gospel-sharing ads. However, the move toward intent-based AI models requires teams to ensure their online content is highly structured so that machine-learning systems correctly interpret their message. Big Example Takeaways: Conversational Ads: Search ads are moving into AI-generated answers to target complex user questions. Automated Asset Generation: Advertisers can paste a URL to instantly generate brand-aligned images, text, and videos. AI Campaign Management: New conversational tools allow users to guide and manage campaign settings using plain language. Readers are encouraged to see the full list of updates at the link below. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-marketing-live-2026-adriaan-dekker-i5m5e/ ChatGPT Shifts Focus Toward Conversational Advertising E-commerce analyst Juozas Kaziukėnas highlights that OpenAI is aggressively scaling its new self-service advertising platform in pursuit of significant future revenue growth. The system increasingly embeds sponsored placements directly into chat conversations and follow-up prompts, introducing a more persistent advertising presence within the user experience. In some cases, these ads may appear only loosely relevant to the conversation while remaining highly visible throughout the interaction. For Mission Teams ChatGPT’s advertising capabilities are still in their infancy, and users are reporting mixed results. It remains to be seen how ads will affect the user experience, what future developments OpenAI may pursue, and whether the platform will prove viable for digital engagement. Teams are encouraged to experiment cautiously as the platform continues to evolve. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-marketing-live-2026-adriaan-dekker-i5m5e/ Meta Launches New Forum App Built Around Facebook Groups Meta has quietly introduced a new app called Forum that functions as a hybrid of Reddit and Quora, designed to build niche communities centered around real human answers. While the platform is powered by Facebook Groups and connected to existing Facebook identities, users can choose to post using anonymous-style usernames. For Mission Teams This new platform creates a strategic hub where digital evangelists can easily engage seekers who are asking specific, real-world questions in niche interest groups. The inclusion of anonymous posting options and AI moderation tools provides crucial security layers for believers discussing sensitive spiritual topics in restricted regions. https://www.engadget.com/2179165/meta-forum-groups-app/ LinkedIn Limits Reach for Generic AI-Generated Posts LinkedIn is deploying advanced detection systems to penalize polished but generic AI-generated content that lacks unique personal perspectives or real professional expertise. The platform is also actively blocking automated comments and fake AI-powered profiles while introducing filters that allow users to view content solely from verified human creators. For Mission Teams This algorithmic change restricts the reach of automated gospel content, requiring teams to ensure their social media strategy prioritizes authentic, human-led storytelling rather than mass-produced text. LinkedIn is the first company to disclose restrictions like this, but it is possible that other social media platforms could follow. Teams are encouraged to experiment with AI generation tools, but not at the complete exclusion of genuine authentic content. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/linkedin-wants-to-limit-the-reach-of-ai-generated-content/820935/ 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.  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: May 29, 2026