Weekly Training

Weekly Marketing Rundown - April 11, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we discuss weak PIN codes, social media restrictions in Türkiye, Meta's new GA4 integration, and more.  Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Avoid Using Common PIN Codes for Enhanced Security A recent cybersecurity study has identified the most commonly used four-digit PIN codes, highlighting potential vulnerabilities for users. The top 10 most frequently used PINs are: 1234 1111 0000 1342 Repeating numbers: 2222, 4444, 7777, 5555, 9999, 6666, 8888, 3333, 1212, 1122, 1010, 1313 Years: Ex. 1986, 2004 4321 2580 (straight line of buttons) 2468 6969 It is estimated that 1 in 10 people have the same pins. Using such easily guessable PINs significantly increases the risk of unauthorized access to personal accounts and devices. Cybersecurity experts advise selecting unpredictable, non-sequential PINs, and avoiding personal information like birthdates. Employing password managers can also assist in generating and securely storing complex PINs. https://www.aol.com/security-pin-codes-never-151500658.html Turkey Tightens Control on Social Media and Messaging Apps Turkey is increasing its restrictions on digital communication platforms. X (formerly Twitter) recently suspended accounts belonging to opposition voices in Turkey following a government order. Meanwhile, the Turkish government has moved to make it easier to block major platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, YouTube, and TikTok during times of political unrest or crisis. For mission teams working in Türkiye and similar fields, this highlights the need for caution and adaptability when using digital media. As government pressure mounts, platforms can become unreliable or inaccessible without notice. It’s critical to diversify platforms, take cybersecurity precautions, and even develop local, offline disciple-making efforts that can continue even if digital tools are temporarily lost. https://www.politico.eu/article/elon-musk-x-appeal-turkish-government-court-over-dissidents-account-suspensions https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/turkey-wants-to-make-it-easier-for-authorities-to-block-social-media-and-messaging-apps How to Set Up GA4 Partner Integration in Meta Events Manager Meta has released a new partner integration with Google Analytics 4 (GA4), making it easier to connect your website activity data directly into Meta Events Manager. This setup helps track user behavior more precisely, offering better insights and improving conversion tracking. The integration uses your GA4 pixel to pass important events like purchases, leads, and page views into Meta, helping optimize ad delivery and reporting. It should be noted, it is unlikely that this will bypass Meta's religious data source restrictions preventing things like retargeting. Jon Loomer has released a guide on how to set it up here: https://www.jonloomer.com/ga4-partner-integration-with-meta-events-manager-setup-guide/ Impact of Facebook’s Evolving Algorithm on Digital Evangelism Facebook’s 2025 algorithm prioritizes personalized content based on user interaction, content type, recency, and engagement predictions. Recent changes have increased the visibility of suggested content and short-form videos, like Reels, while emphasizing authentic engagement over clickbait. Content that encourages meaningful interaction is now favored in the algorithm. For mission teams using digital media, this means creating engaging, shareable content—particularly short-form videos—will help reach new audiences. See buffer.com's full write up here: https://buffer.com/resources/facebook-algorithm/   Meta Struggles with Non-English Disinformation Groups are accusing Meta of not curbing misinformation for Swahili, Amharic, and other non-English languages. Experts say the company doesn’t have enough fact-checkers or tools for non-English content. Instead of expanding professional fact-checking, Meta is leaning more on user-driven systems like Community Notes, which may not work well in other languages. This is a reminder of the importance of policy compliance. While these languages currently face minimal moderation, this will change as more focus is given to these language groups. As AI moderation tools continue to improve, Meta’s systems are likely to flag more content as misinformation, even if it does not violate any policies. The Kavanah Media team has witnessed this issue in several countries worldwide with compliant ad comments being incorrectly flagged, leading to ad account restrictions. To prevent disruptions, teams should ensure their content always aligns with Meta’s policies and avoid content that could be construed as inflammatory or derogatory, especially concerning other religions and/or governments, due to the potential increase in user reporting of pages. https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2025/meta-disinformation-non-english-languages/ Intentional - Kavanah Media's Newsletter Subscribe to Intentional, Kavanah’s monthly newsletter, and stay inspired by stories of lives transformed, ministry milestones, and the latest business updates on how we’re intentionally leveraging digital platforms to make God known across the globe. Join us on this journey of purposeful digital engagement and global impact! For more on this, click the link below: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/sign-up  Christian Media Marketing Podcast Looking for more in depth information regarding all things digital engagement? Look no further than the Christian Media Marketing Podcast. For 5 years Kavanah Media CEO Jon Ralls has gone in depth on everything from websites to online messaging. Subscribe here ( https://www.kavanahmedia.com/podcast) or wherever you listen to your podcasts. 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 Adams and Cherry Messimer Article Published: April 11, 2025

In this multi-part series, Jon will be sharing best practices from GRC (Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance) for how to handle risk in the work of Christian Missions. Ministry and life is filled with risks and rewards, and this training will give you specifics on how to think and serve through it all. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/TKsJUTJP1r8

  Navigating Negative Messages on Facebook: What the Algorithm Might Be Telling You April 8, 2025 by Amanda G. When you’re running Facebook ads and managing a message-based outreach strategy, it’s natural to wonder how your responses—or lack thereof—impact what the algorithm does next.   The Question: “If we respond to negative messages, will Meta start sending us more of them? Should we only engage with the positive ones?” Great question. Let’s break it down.   1. Meta Is Always Learning — But It’s Not Always Interpreting Meta’s algorithm learns from the behavior of people who respond to your ad. It gathers data points about them—language, location, interests, tone of engagement—and then tries to find more people like them. But here’s the catch: Meta doesn’t know whether the conversation is “positive” or “productive” by your standards. It just sees engagement. So if you get into a lengthy apologetic exchange, Meta may think, “Ah! People like this love to talk with this page,” and deliver your ad to more users with similar profiles.   2. Engagement Is Rewarded — Even If It’s Brief Another important factor: your page’s responsiveness. Meta favors pages that reply to messages quickly and consistently. But that doesn’t mean you have to get pulled into every theological debate or unproductive conversation. Best practice? Respond briefly. A simple message like, “Thanks for reaching out. You can find more information here: [link]” gives you the responsiveness boost without encouraging deeper engagement that doesn’t serve your goals.   3. You Can’t Outsmart the Algorithm, But You Can Guide It There’s no perfect formula here. Some engagement from people outside your target group is inevitable—especially if you’re running content in spaces that overlap with complex religious or cultural dynamics. The key is to stay curious. Ask yourself: What kind of people are showing up in the inbox?   Are there trends in language, tone, or belief systems?   Are these people adjacent to your target audience (e.g., same region, language, or cultural background)?   Sometimes, the “wrong” message is still coming from the right demographic.   4. Your Digital Reality Reflects Your Real-World Ministry If you engage with resistant or hostile individuals offline, you’ll likely see the same digitally. That’s not necessarily a bad sign—it’s just the nature of working in spiritually complex contexts. What matters is how you steward those interactions and guide the algorithm toward more fruitful ones.   In Summary: What Should You Do With Negative Messages? Here’s a simple decision tree: Is it respectful but not open? → Send a short response and link to more resources. Get your “engagement credit” and move on.   Is it hostile or spammy? → You can archive or mark as spam. No need to engage.   Is it potentially open, even if challenging? → Consider a thoughtful reply. It may still reach people who need it.     Final Thoughts Meta’s algorithm is a powerful tool, but it isn’t omniscient. As digital ministers and marketers, we need to help it work for us—not against us—by staying engaged, staying curious, and steering the conversation toward people who are ready for it. Have you seen patterns in your inbox you’re unsure how to handle? Drop them in the comments or message me—I’d love to help you make sense of them.  

Weekly Marketing Rundown - April 4, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we discuss Meta's targeting systems, rogue VPN apps, Echo Global's new features 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 AI Ad Targeting System: Lattice, Andromeda, and GEM Meta has shared more details about its AI-driven ad targeting, which relies on three key models: Lattice, Andromeda, and GEM (Generative Experience Model). Lattice predicts user behavior using vast engagement data, Andromeda optimizes ad delivery at scale, and GEM enhances personalization by generating ad variations based on user interactions. These systems work together to refine targeting and improve ad performance automatically. To make a long story short, with these updates Meta's targeting systems are constantly improving and are becoming VERY good at understanding target audiences. Teams should not be afraid to experiment with things like Advantage+ Audience because, due to extensive amount of data these tools have access to, Meta's targeting AI systems likely surpass a human in understanding target audiences, even reflecting subtle cultural nuances from actual user activities. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-ai-ad-targeting-system-overview-lattice-andromeda/743763/ Facebook Introduces “Friends Only” Feed Tab Facebook is testing a new “Friends Only” feed tab, allowing users to see posts exclusively from their friends, without recommendations or content from pages and groups. This update is a response to feedback about unwanted algorithm-driven content, and gives users more control over their feed. For mission teams, this change could limit organic reach if users shift to the Friends Only tab, reducing visibility for ministry pages and group content. Paid ads and direct engagement (comments, shares, DMs) will be even more critical in order to stay in front of audiences. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/facebook-udpated-friends-only-content-feed-tab-og/743758/ Five VPN Apps on App Store Linked to Chinese Military A recent report uncovered that five VPN apps available on Apple’s App Store have ties to the Chinese military, raising concerns over data privacy and security. These apps allegedly collected extensive user data and potentially shared it with Chinese authorities. While Apple has removed some questionable VPNs in the past, these findings highlight ongoing risks in the VPN market. Here are the VPN apps removed: Turbo VPN VPN Proxy Master Thunder VPN Snap VPN Signal Secure VPN (not associated with the Signal messaging app) For mission teams and organizations handling sensitive communications, using a trusted, audited VPN provider is essential to prevent data leaks or government surveillance. Avoid free or unknown VPNs and prioritize security-first solutions. https://9to5mac.com/2025/04/01/five-vpn-apps-in-the-app-store-had-links-to-chinese-military/ New Echo Global Features Enhance Communication Efficiency Echo Global has rolled out two key updates to improve workflow and response times: Permission Set Groups: Users can now organize permission sets into groups, making them easier to manage and locate. This update also lays the groundwork for a new reporting feature coming soon. Auto-Reply for Live Chat: Teams can set up a one-time auto reply message based on chat filters, ensuring immediate responses to urgent inquiries. For example, a message can be triggered if a user mentions a crisis situation, offering immediate guidance before a live agent steps in. For mission teams using Echo, these updates can streamline communication, improve response times, and enhance organization. https://echoglobal.org Meta Ads May Reach Users Outside Targeted Locations Meta’s location targeting isn’t as precise as many advertisers assume. Even when targeting specific regions, ads may still reach people outside those areas due to factors like device IP variations, travel data, or Meta’s broader interpretation of user locations. For mission teams using Meta ads, this means campaigns might reach audiences beyond intended geographic regions. While this could expand reach unexpectedly, it also highlights the need to monitor ad placements and adjust strategies accordingly. https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-reach-people-outside-of-the-targeted-location/ Intentional - Kavanah Media's Newsletter Subscribe to Intentional, Kavanah’s monthly newsletter, and stay inspired by stories of lives transformed, ministry milestones, and the latest business updates on how we’re intentionally leveraging digital platforms to make God known across the globe. Join us on this journey of purposeful digital engagement and global impact! For more on this, click the link below: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/sign-up  Christian Media Marketing Podcast Looking for more in depth information regarding all things digital engagement? Look no further than the Christian Media Marketing Podcast. For 5 years Kavanah Media CEO Jon Ralls has gone in depth on everything from websites to online messaging. Subscribe here ( https://www.kavanahmedia.com/podcast) or wherever you listen to your podcasts. 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 Adams and Cherry Messimer Article Published: April 4, 2025

In this episode, Jon will be sharing about Meta's new Peer Approval. He will share the options, the ones that Kavanah is using, and why.  To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/BV5q5rkE0F4

In this episode, Jon will be comparing and contrasting Apple vs Google Maps in regards to privacy and security for mission teams serving overseas. He will also share another option that has robust privacy and security included. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/P11fhOqyGL4

Weekly Marketing Rundown - March 28, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we discuss WhatsApp's security flaw, Meta's new branding tools for Ads Manager, important metrics for advertiser to monitor and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM WhatsApp Patches Critical Security Flaw WhatsApp has fixed a serious vulnerability that allowed hackers to install spyware on devices remotely. The flaw, which involved specially crafted video calls, could have exposed users to surveillance and data theft. Meta has urged all users to update their apps immediately to stay protected. https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/whatsapp-patches-security-flaw-which-let-hackers-install-spyware Facebook Stops Using Personal Data for Ad Targeting After Lawsuit A UK woman, Tanya O’Carroll, successfully sued Meta to stop Facebook from using her personal data for targeted ads. She argued that Meta’s advertising practices violated direct marketing laws under GDPR, allowing individuals to object to their data being used this way. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office supported her stance, disagreeing with Meta’s claim that its ads target groups, not individuals. For mission teams using Facebook ads, this case signals growing scrutiny over personalized advertising. It may lead to stronger privacy regulations and more user control over data, impacting how ads reach specific audiences. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1en1yjv4dpo Meta Introduces Branding Definition in Ads Manager Meta is rolling out a feature allowing brands to define brand colors, fonts, and even upload logos. Previously, this was possible through Overlays, but the system was buggy and often did not function at all. For mission teams, this could make adding branding to ads a much more efficient process, potentially replacing burning logos onto creatives prior to uploading them into ads manager. https://www.jonloomer.com/define-branding-in-ads-manager/ Why Brand-Owned Communities Are the Future of Growth Some brands are shifting toward building their own online communities rather than relying solely on social media platforms. These owned communities allow direct engagement, better data control, and long-term customer loyalty without the risks of algorithm changes or platform policies. Companies are using forums, apps, and exclusive groups to nurture deeper connections. For mission teams, this highlights the importance of creating dedicated online spaces for seekers and disciples rather than relying only on social platforms. Private groups, websites, or apps could provide more stability, deeper engagement, and better discipleship pathways. It is worth some experimentation. https://martech.org/why-brand-owned-communities-are-the-future-of-growth/?utm_source=tldrmarketing   CPM, CTR, and CPC- What Metrics Are the Most Important? Metrics like cost per mille (1000 impression), click through rate, and cost per click are important metrics in digital marketing, but marketers should be careful to not ONLY focus on those metrics. It is very easy for these metrics to look good, but not reflect reality. In the world of sales, your most important stats are actual conversions, or sales. It is possible to have an incredibly high click through rate, for example, but have no sales. Even though mission teams may not have sales, they do have conversions such as messages, leads forms and more. It is a reminder that we need to look deeper when trying to determine if an ad was successful. If a team's goal is messages, and their ad has a high CTR or lower CPC, it still may not be considered successful if it brings no messages or all negative messages. Teams should look beyond their ads metrics to determine if an ad strategy or campaign is successful, and let that data drive adjustments. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/the-most-important-ads-metrics/ Intentional - Kavanah Media's Newsletter Subscribe to Intentional, Kavanah’s monthly newsletter, and stay inspired by stories of lives transformed, ministry milestones, and the latest business updates on how we’re intentionally leveraging digital platforms to make God known across the globe. Join us on this journey of purposeful digital engagement and global impact! For more on this, click the link below: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/sign-up  Christian Media Marketing Podcast Looking for more in depth information regarding all things digital engagement? Look no further than the Christian Media Marketing Podcast. For 5 years Kavanah Media CEO Jon Ralls has gone in depth on everything from websites to online messaging. Subscribe here ( https://www.kavanahmedia.com/podcast) or wherever you listen to your podcasts. 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 Adams and Cherry Messimer Article Published: March 28, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - March 21, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we discuss Facebook's new Google Analytics integration, Meta's community notes, the best time to post on Facebook and more.  Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Facebook and Instagram Ads Now Integrate with Google Analytics Meta has added a new integration that allows advertisers to track Facebook and Instagram ad performance directly within Google Analytics. For mission teams running social media ads, this integration could help track how seekers interact with websites after clicking on an ad. This feature is slowly being rolled out to different accounts. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/facebook-instagram-ads-google-analytics-integration/742393/ Best Time to Post on Facebook in 2024 Buffer analyzed engagement data to determine the best times to post on Facebook. While results vary by industry, location and more - posts generally perform best on weekdays. Monday- Friday, 9 AM – 12 PM: Best post performance Saturday and Sunday: Lower engagement overall For mission teams, these general recommendations may be helpful, but the main point is to focus on when their audience is most active rather than following generic timing trends. Using analytics tools to test different posting schedules can help teams maximize engagement and reach seekers more effectively. https://buffer.com/resources/best-time-to-post-on-facebook/ Meta Tests Community Notes on Facebook and Instagram Starting in the US, Meta is rolling out “Community Notes” on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Similar to X’s system, users can add context to posts. For mission teams, this could impact content visibility, especially for religious topics. As this feature rolls out it will be important to monitor how notes affect engagement world-wide. Monitoring comments on posts and ads is essential. https://about.fb.com/news/2025/03/testing-begins-community-notes-facebook-instagram-threads/ YouTube Shorts Grows as a Key Platform for Brand Campaigns YouTube Shorts is becoming a major focus for brands, with more marketers shifting ad budgets toward short-form content. eMarketer reports a rise in influencer marketing campaigns on Shorts, following trends seen on TikTok and Instagram Reels. For mission teams, this highlights the importance of short-form video in digital evangelism. YouTube Shorts, with it's ever increasing popularity, could be a very viable platform for digital engagement projects, including both paid and organic strategies. https://www.tubefilter.com/2025/03/13/youtube-shorts-brands-influencer-marketing-campaigns-emarketer/ Digital Minimalism: Why Quality Matters More Than Quantity As digital minimalism grows, people are cutting back on screen time and prioritizing fewer, more meaningful interactions online. Instead of bombarding audiences with frequent posts, some brands and creators are focusing on delivering thoughtful, engaging material that truly resonates. For mission teams, this could mean shifting strategies from high-volume posting to crafting impactful content that captures attention and fosters deeper connections with seekers. In a world where people are consuming less, what you share needs to matter more. These trends are mainly happening in the western world, but teams should experiment in their context for best results. https://www.popsugar.com/tech/digital-minimalism-49433077 Intentional - Kavanah Media's Newsletter Subscribe to Intentional, Kavanah’s monthly newsletter, and stay inspired by stories of lives transformed, ministry milestones, and the latest business updates on how we’re intentionally leveraging digital platforms to make God known across the globe. Join us on this journey of purposeful digital engagement and global impact! For more on this, click the link below: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/sign-up  Christian Media Marketing Podcast Looking for more in depth information regarding all things digital engagement? Look no further than the Christian Media Marketing Podcast. For 5 years Kavanah Media CEO Jon Ralls has gone in depth on everything from websites to online messaging. Subscribe here ( https://www.kavanahmedia.com/podcast) or wherever you listen to your podcasts. 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 Adams and Cherry Messimer Article Published: March 21, 2025

In this third part of the series on AI and Christian Missions, Jon will be sharing about potential future uses of AI, ways we need to balance the power and the risks, as well how we can steward AI for the Kingdom. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/yA-1t66j5LY

Weekly Marketing Rundown - March 14, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we discuss the rise of AI based hacks, the FCC's response to Europe's pressure on Meta, TikTok's uncertain future and more.  Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM AI-Powered Cyber Attacks on the Rise A recent report reveals that 87% of security professionals have encountered AI-driven cyber-attacks in the past year. These attacks include deepfake phishing, automated hacking attempts, and AI-enhanced malware. While organizations are also using AI for defense, the rapid evolution of attack methods makes staying ahead a constant challenge. Missions organizations often face staffing and funding challenges, making cybersecurity a lower priority. However, AI-powered threats increase the risk, making strong security measures essential. Teams should focus on multi-factor authentication, regular security training, and active monitoring for suspicious activity. https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/majority-of-orgs-hit-by-ai/ FCC Supports Meta’s Pushback Against EU Rules The U.S. FCC is backing Meta in its resistance to the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which enforces stricter regulations on content moderation and user data handling. Meta argues these rules unfairly limit its ability to personalize experiences, while European regulators see them as essential for user privacy and online safety. This legal battle could impact how platforms operate globally. For mission teams using paid ads, this could affect audience targeting in the EU and possibly set a precedent for other regions as more changes are expected. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/fcc-backs-meta-pushback-eu-rules-dsa/741563/ Meta AI Expands Customer Support tools for Small Businesses Meta is rolling out AI-powered customer support tools for small businesses on Facebook and Instagram. These AI agents can answer customer inquiries, assist with orders, and automate responses, reducing the need for direct human involvement. While most missions teams are not selling products, there is still potential that this AI could streamline engagement with seekers by handling initial conversations, providing automated responses to common questions, and directing users to Gospel resources. This could free up time for deeper, more personal follow-ups while maintaining a constant digital presence. https://www.fastcompany.com/91290233/meta-ai-customer-support-agent-for-small-businesses-instagram-facebook Instagram Shares Tips for Maximizing Reels Engagement Instagram has released insights on how to make Reels perform better, based on recent trends and algorithm updates. Key takeaways include keeping content engaging within the first few seconds, using on-screen text, and leveraging trending audio. The platform also recommends creating Reels that are between 30 and 90 seconds for the best engagement. For mission teams using Instagram, this means focusing on short, engaging videos that quickly capture attention. Using subtitles, eye-catching visuals, and relevant audio can increase reach. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-reels-tips-3-minutes-unfiltered-nyc/741722/   TikTok’s Future in the U.S. Remains Uncertain Negotiations between TikTok and U.S. lawmakers have stalled, leaving the platform’s fate unclear as a potential ban deadline approaches. While TikTok has made efforts to address security concerns, including storing U.S. user data domestically, regulatory pressure remains. For mission teams, this uncertainty underscores the importance of diversifying digital strategies. Relying solely on one platform for outreach could be risky and teams should explore alternative platforms. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/tiktok-us-deal-stalls-ban-deadline/741816/   Intentional - Kavanah Media's Newsletter Subscribe to Intentional, Kavanah’s monthly newsletter, and stay inspired by stories of lives transformed, ministry milestones, and the latest business updates on how we’re intentionally leveraging digital platforms to make God known across the globe. Join us on this journey of purposeful digital engagement and global impact! For more on this, click the link below: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/sign-up  Christian Media Marketing Podcast Looking for more in depth information regarding all things digital engagement? Look no further than the Christian Media Marketing Podcast. For 5 years Kavanah Media CEO Jon Ralls has gone in depth on everything from websites to online messaging. Subscribe here ( https://www.kavanahmedia.com/podcast) or wherever you listen to your podcasts. 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 Adams and Cherry Messimer Article Published: March 14, 2025

In part one, Jon explored AI’s rapid rise and its impact on missions. In this episode, he will focus on how AI is reshaping human perception, cognition, and interaction—and how we must be prepared to help shepherd AI and resources for solid Biblical truth and sharing. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/yXCMGT7YNqo

Weekly Marketing Rundown - March 7, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we discuss Youtube as a podcast platform, Meta's potential Reels app, scaling Meta ad budgets, Meta's Algorithm and more.  Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM A Separate Reels App Meta is reportedly considering launching a separate dedicated Reels app to compete with TikTok. If launched, this could prove to be a viable platform for mission teams and digital engagement strategies. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgwwd09vwzo?utm_source=tldrnewsletter YouTube Hits 1 Billion Monthly Podcast Viewers YouTube now has over 1 billion people watching podcasts each month, solidifying its dominance in video-based audio content. For mission teams that have the creative capacity, podcasts (particularly podcasts with video) could be worth experimenting with. https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/26/youtube-surpasses-1-billion-monthly-podcast-viewers/?utm_source=tldrnewsletter Approach to Scaling Facebook Ads- 5%, 10%, or 20%? Advertisers used to increase budgets cautiously to avoid restarting the learning phase. Now, Meta allows larger budget increases without necessarily resetting learning. However, higher budgets can still lead to rising costs and varied results. Adjust as needed while monitoring performance closely. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/scaling/ The Digital 2025 Global Snapshot Here are some takeaways for missions teams: • Global social media users have reached 5.24 billion, a 4.1% increase from last year. • Daily social media usage has dropped slightly to 2 hours and 21 minutes, down 2 minutes (-1.4%). • Users engage with an average of 6.8 platforms monthly, a 2.3% increase. • YouTube is the most used platform in early 2025, followed by WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. • Instagram is the top favorite among adult users (16.6%), followed by WhatsApp (16%) and Facebook (13.1%). TikTok ranks fifth (8.1%), and X is seventh (3.2%). • YouTube accounts for more than twice as much user time as TikTok, its closest competitor. • WhatsApp and Facebook rank third and fourth in total time spent. • The average TikTok user opens the app every 90 minutes and spends nearly 6 minutes per session. • YouTube still holds a greater share of time spent than TikTok and Instagram combined. https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-global-overview-report The Algorithm is Literal: Why Meta Ads Require Clear Inputs Meta’s ad algorithm follows instructions exactly as given—it doesn’t interpret your intent. If you optimize for link clicks, it will get you the cheapest clicks, even if they are accidental or low-quality. If you optimize for conversions, it will find people likely to complete that action, regardless of whether they are a good fit for your offer. Video views often bring people that just like watching videos. For mission teams using digital engagement strategies, this is often a challenge. For example, optimizing for engagement will bring users who like, comment, message, or share often—sometimes even from irrelevant audiences. This leaves a lot of filtering for online responders to find people that are genuinely interested in Jesus. However, not interacting with poor quality leads and moderating comments can help the algorithm fine-tune the types of leads it brings. It is also recommended to allow ads to serve as long as possible to give the algorithm more time to learn. https://www.jonloomer.com/common-sense-playbook-to-meta-advertising/ Intentional - Kavanah Media's Newsletter Subscribe to Intentional, Kavanah’s monthly newsletter, and stay inspired by stories of lives transformed, ministry milestones, and the latest business updates on how we’re intentionally leveraging digital platforms to make God known across the globe. Join us on this journey of purposeful digital engagement and global impact! For more on this, click the link below: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/sign-up  Christian Media Marketing Podcast Looking for more in depth information regarding all things digital engagement? Look no further than the Christian Media Marketing Podcast. For 5 years Kavanah Media CEO Jon Ralls has gone in depth on everything from websites to online messaging. Subscribe here ( https://www.kavanahmedia.com/podcast) or wherever you listen to your podcasts. 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 Adams and Cherry Messimer Article Published: March 7, 2025