Weekly Training

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 11, 2025 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! In this issue, we discuss Meta's latest Ads Manager Update, Europe's latest data privacy law enforcement, a potential WhatsApp alternative and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Everything Is a Plus + Meta has begun rolling out additional Advantage+ updates to Ads Manager—relabeling settings and tools, and changing their locations. While functionality remains the same, the changes are intended to align tool names with the newer Advantage+ campaign system. For Mission Teams: Team can can keep using the same targeting and budget tools—just look for the new Advantage+ labels and settings locations. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/advantage-changes-to-advantage-plus/ Europe Faces a Free Speech Crisis Under New Online Rules A growing wave of concern is sweeping across Europe regarding new digital laws, like the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which critics argue threaten freedom of expression. National courts in the UK, Germany, and Finland have seen prosecutions over speech online—from political critiques to quoting Scripture—and ADF International warns that overbroad definitions of “hate” or “misinformation” could silence religious and conservative viewpoints. For Mission Teams: Europe has lead the world in data privacy and social media regulations. As social media companies respond to these laws teams should be prepared to adapt. Teams should monitor evolving regulations and build strategies that remain flexible and compliant or face content removal, restrictions or even litigation. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/morning-wire/id1576594336?i=1000715806244 https://adfinternational.org/commentary/europe-free-speech-crisis Jack Dorsey Launches Bitchat: Offline Messaging via Bluetooth Twitter co‑founder Jack Dorsey has introduced Bitchat, a novel peer‑to‑peer messaging app that operates entirely over Bluetooth mesh networks—no internet, servers, phone numbers, or email needed. Messages are encrypted, stored only on users’ devices, and disappear by default. As users move, their phones relay messages across distances, with future plans to add Wi‑Fi Direct for extended range. The app is currently in testing. For Missions Teams: Bitchat could be a powerful tool for secure communication in regions with internet blackouts or surveillance. Its offline, censorship-resistant design can support discreet outreach and community connection. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/07/jack-dorsey-whatsapp-bluetooth.html?utm_source=tldrnewsletter We have a YouVersion Reading Plan! Jon Ralls, CEO of Kavanah Media, just launched a powerful 8-day devotional on YouVersion called "Living in Tension." This eight day discovery bible study explores the profound biblical concept of the "now and not yet" Kingdom of God. Through scripture, reflective questions, and short devotionals, this study will guide you in understanding how we can live as citizens of God's Kingdom in the present while eagerly anticipating its full and final consummation at Christ's return. Read it via the YouVersion App or website here: http://bible.us/r/FO2 Meta: EU Ruling Weakens Digital Markets Act Goals The European Commission has ruled that Meta’s model offering users a choice between personalized ads or a paid ad-free subscription doesn’t meet DMA standards. Meta argues this decision ignores a prior court ruling and national court decisions that support its business model, forcing the company to offer less personalized ads for free—an approach Meta says harms user experience and advertiser effectiveness . For Mission Teams: For mission teams using Meta platforms in Europe, this shift could mean less relevant ad targeting and higher costs. As ad performance may decline under a one-size-fits-all model, teams should monitor updates carefully, test ad effectiveness, and consider strategic alternatives such as balancing paid campaigns with organic strategies to maintain outreach impact. https://about.fb.com/news/2025/07/why-the-commissions-decision-undermines-the-goals-of-the-dma/ Turkey Bans Grok Over Erdoğan Insults A Turkish court has blocked access to Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok after it produced offensive content about President Erdoğan, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and religious figures. Authorities also launched a criminal investigation, marking a strong response to what they consider disrespectful and harmful speech. For Missions Teams: This highlights the sensitivity around political and religious content. AI tools can unintentionally cross cultural red lines, so teams should be cautious when using them in content creation or communication. https://www.politico.eu/article/turkey-ban-elon-musk-grok-recep-tayyip-erdogan-insult/ Meta Tests New AI Enhancements for Ads Meta is rolling out several experimental AI tools in its Advantage+ Creative suite, available to a small percentage of advertisers. The three newest features include: Comments Keywords: Automatically extracts positive/neutral phrases from ad comments (e.g., “Easy to assemble”) and displays them under your ad. Creative Call-to-Action Sticker: Adds interactive stickers in Instagram and Facebook Stories, like a shopping cart above “Learn More.” Video Highlights: Pinpoints and surfaces the best parts of your video to capture attention quickly. For Mission Teams: These AI tools can help teams enhance ad creatives. Comment-driven keywords and stickers draw attention, and video highlights focus viewers on key messages. These features are still in testing and may appear in less than 5% of impressions. Opt into specific enhancements and monitor performance and outputs carefully. Keeping a human in the loop ensures content stays on-message and maintains trust. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/new-test-features-for-ai-generation/ Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: Intentional Newsletter – Be encouraged each month with stories of transformed lives, ministry milestones, and the latest updates from our team. Subscribe here. 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. Christian Media Marketing Podcast – Tune in for weekly deep dives with CEO Jon Ralls on everything from digital strategy to cybersecurity. Subscribe here or on your favorite podcast app. Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: July 11, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 4, 2025 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! In this issue, we cover direct messaging coming to Threads, a major social media ruling in Brazil, the growing trend of faceless content creators, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Threads Adds Direct Messaging Threads now supports direct messages for users 18 and older, allowing one-on-one chats between followers or mutual Instagram users. Group chats and more features are coming, but messages are not end-to-end encrypted. For Mission Teams: This adds a new way to connect with potential contacts all within Meta's systems. As the platforms continues to develop, teams could consider adding Threads to their Meta based digital strategies. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/threads-rolls-out-dms-to-all-users/752128/   Brazil Holds Platforms Liable for Harmful Posts Brazil’s Supreme Court now holds platforms like Facebook, X, and TikTok, legally responsible for harmful user posts—such as hate speech or incitement to violence—even without a court order. Users can sue if flagged content isn’t removed quickly. For Mission Teams: For teams working in Brazil, this means tighter content rules and potential takedowns. Teams should review moderation strategies and stay updated on local regulations to avoid disruptions. https://archive.ph/uxAoc   Big Tech Pours Billions into AI Meta, Amazon, and OpenAI are investing heavily in AI, with projected spending around $280 billion this year. Meta alone is raising $29 billion to expand AI data centers, and backing Scale AI with $15 billion. For Mission Teams: This means more advanced digital tools ahead—but also more dependence on changing tech. Teams should stay alert, test tools carefully, practice good cybersecurity hygiene, and keep human connection central. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/technology/ai-spending-openai-amazon-meta.html   The Rise of Faceless Creators A recent article explores why “faceless creators” — online personas that don’t show their faces — are becoming popular. These creators often use voiceovers, text and visuals, instead of personal video. The rise is driven by easier content-making tools, privacy concerns, and an appetite for story-focused content without personality-driven drama. For Mission Teams: This trend reflects what many digital strategies already use—relying on content like the Jesus Film or other pre-made videos to grow audiences. For smaller teams with limited budgets, pre-made content is often a practical choice because it’s more cost-effective and efficient. While there’s ongoing debate about custom content versus pre-made material, the rise of the faceless creators trend may make that distinction less critical. For mission teams, faceless formats offer creative ways to share testimonies, Bible stories, or reflections, while protecting privacy and keeping the focus on the message. Still, it’s important to ensure the content remains authentic and trustworthy. Teams should experiment with both custom and pre-made content in their context while prioritizing simplicity. https://digiday.com/media/wtf-is-behind-the-explosion-of-faceless-creators   Ads Live on Threads Several marketers are reporting getting ad impression from the Threads platform. The numbers are not high by any stretch, but this may be an indicator of things to come. For Mission Teams: As mentioned before, if Threads continues to grow in popularity, it's preexisting integration with Meta Ads Manager makes it an easy platform for missions teams to expand their digital strategies. Though, as of now the apps popularity is not as large outside of the West. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/ad-impressions-in-threads-feed/   Meta Adds Centralized Ads and AI to WhatsApp Meta now lets businesses run ads across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram from one place. New AI tools also help manage WhatsApp chats, offer product suggestions, and even handle video calls. For Mission Teams: As mentioned with the Threads app, this makes outreach through all of Meta's platforms that much easier. As this integration rolls out globally, teams could easily manage ads and messaging apps much more efficiently. https://about.fb.com/news/2025/07/centralized-campaigns-ai-support-businesses-whatsapp/   Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: Intentional Newsletter – Be encouraged each month with stories of transformed lives, ministry milestones, and the latest updates from our team. Subscribe here. 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. Christian Media Marketing Podcast – Tune in for weekly deep dives with CEO Jon Ralls on everything from digital strategy to cybersecurity. Subscribe here or on your favorite podcast app. Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: July 4, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 27, 2025 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! In this issue, we’re diving into Meta's latest updates to Advantage+ Campaigns, the U.S. government's restriction of WhatsApp on official devices, a new phenomenon called 'alert fatigue,' and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Advantage+ Campaign Creation: Simplified but Not Revolutionary Meta’s new Advantage+ campaign setup streamlines ad creation for Sales/Conversions objectives. It automatically applies default settings—like lowest-cost bidding, Dynamic Creative, automatic placements, and preset attribution windows. For Mission Teams: For mission teams this means faster campaign setup and less manual tweaking. However, all of the previous settings available for Adv.+ Creatives, Budget, Placements, Original Audience controls and more, are still present. The interface is different and many settings are simply more difficult to locate, but this is not necessarily bad. Meta has recognized, as has the Kavanah Media Team, that the AI tools often lead to better ad performance, so Meta has buried the settings more in order to encourage marketers to utilize the Advantage+ systems. Kavanah Media recommends using Advantage+ whenever possible for best performance when targeting and placements can be broad. However, if more control is necessary, such as when targeting specific genders or age groups- teams can and should turn off Adv.+ settings. https://www.jonloomer.com/advantage-plus-campaign/   Meta Ads Campaign and Opporunity Score Revisited Meta’s new Opportunity Score and Campaign Score help advertisers evaluate how closely their ad setup follows recommended best practices. Both scores (from 0 to 100) offer guidance on improving things like creative quality, audience targeting, and signal strength. For Mission Teams: These scores can be a helpful diagnostic tool. If your ads aren’t performing well, a low score may highlight weak spots like poor tracking or missing creative types. While you don’t need to chase a perfect score, the automated suggestions—such as adding Reels placements, improving data signals with the Conversions API (often not possible with religious data sources- i.e. evangelism websites), or enabling Advantage+ Audience—can make ads more effective. You can even set up recommendation adoption rules to automatically apply changes that meet your criteria. However, a low score on a successful ad can be ignored. Treat the scores like a coach’s feedback: potentially helpful guidance for improving your outreach, especially when you’re unsure what to fix, but not as Gospel Truth. Meta's algorithms are designed for business goals and often do not align with the goals of missions teams utilizing digital engagement strategies.  https://www.jonloomer.com/opportunity-score-campaign-score/   Iran Pushes Citizens to Delete WhatsApp and So Does U.S. House Iran urged users to delete WhatsApp, accusing it of sharing data with Israel—a claim Meta denies. Additionally, U.S. House staff have been ordered to remove WhatsApp from all official devices due to security concerns flagged by the Office of Cybersecurity, citing poor data transparency and limited encryption protections. For Mission Teams: This underscores the need for alternative communication channels, clear messaging around privacy protections, and contingency plans for sudden platform restrictions. It also highlights the importance of strong cybersecurity hygiene. Teams are advised not to use WhatsApp for secure messaging. https://time.com/7295424/iran-urges-residents-delete-whatsapp-israel-privacy/ https://www.axios.com/2025/06/23/whatsapp-house-congress-staffers-messaging-app   YouTube Goes Full AI as Shorts Explode to 200B Daily Views YouTube Shorts now see 200 billion views per day, tripling since 2024, and YouTube is leaning further into AI with tools like Veo 3, which creates videos from text prompts. With 1 billion daily hours watched on TV, 1 billion monthly podcast viewers, and over 20 million videos using auto-dubbing, YouTube is positioning itself as a dominant, AI-powered video platform. For Mission Teams: Teams should leverage these tools and short video formats in their digital strategies. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-expands-ai-powered-tools-shares-trend-insights/751149/   Too Many Alerts? Users Tuning Out A new study shows that frequent news alerts—sometimes up to 50 per day—are overwhelming users, leading to “alert fatigue.” Nearly half of non-recipients say they disabled notifications, and publishers risk app deletions if they don’t find a better balance. For Mission Teams: Understanding the reality of ‘alert fatigue’ is important—both for online responders who are constantly bombarded with notifications and for the potential contacts who see our ads. Managing multiple online channels can become overwhelming, so teams should prioritize regular offline time and accountability. Likewise, when messaging contacts, teams should be mindful of alert fatigue and send only timely, relevant updates to avoid overwhelming them. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/jun/20/increase-alert-fatigue-phone-users-disable-news-notifications-study-finds   Massive Password Breach Puts Billions at Risk A newly discovered breach compilation exposes 16 billion leaked credentials tied to major companies like Google, Meta, and Apple. Though not a fresh hack, this archive fuels mass cyberattacks, especially through infostealer malware. For Mission Teams: Experts urge immediate use of multi-factor authentication, passkeys, and secure password storage. https://www.axios.com/2025/06/20/data-breach-passwords-leaked-google-apple-meta   CapCut’s Terms Spark Privacy Concerns for Creators and Newsrooms CapCut’s latest policy update gives ByteDance broad rights over user content, raising serious concerns for creators. Uploaded footage—including raw, embargoed, or geotagged clips—can be reused or monetized, and creators may be publicly identified in ads by face, voice, or username without consent. For Mission Teams: This poses a huge risk to missions teams, especially those serving in more secure locations. If possible, teams utilizing CapCut should consider an alternative platform. https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/capcut-s-policy-update-raises-major-red-flags-for-newsrooms/s2/a1257632/   Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: Intentional Newsletter – Be encouraged each month with stories of transformed lives, ministry milestones, and the latest updates from our team. Subscribe here. 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. Christian Media Marketing Podcast – Tune in for weekly deep dives with CEO Jon Ralls on everything from digital strategy to cybersecurity. Subscribe here or on your favorite podcast app. Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: June 27, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 20, 2025 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! In this issue, we’re diving into Ads on WhatsApp, ManyChat's Privacy Policy Update, Meta.ai's data leak issue and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta Advises to Post Links in Comments A new strategy for Facebook posts suggests that adding links in the comments section rather than the post caption can improve engagement and reach. This approach is based on the observation that Facebook's algorithm may prioritize posts with fewer external links in the caption, potentially leading to better visibility and interaction. For Mission Teams: Placing links on organic posts can potentially increase the engagement of their posts, but not if it hurts reach. By posting those same links in the comment section mission teams can help avoid unnecessarily hurting reach and engagement. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/facebook-advice-suggests-adding-links-in-comments-not-post-caption/750754/   Ads in WhatsApp WhatsApp has launched advertising directly within the app. This new tool helps businesses reach audiences on WhatsApp by showing ads in the new Status Screen- using signals like location, language, followed channels, and ad interactions. For Mission Teams: By utilizing WhatsApp's ad features, mission teams can tap into the app's extensive user base and scale their digital engagement strategies even further. https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/16/whatsapp-is-adding-ads-to-the-status-screen/   Meta.AI Exposes User's Private Chats Meta's new AI app has a feature allowing users to share their creations and prompts with other users within the app. Unfortunately, the entire previous conversations users had with Meta.ai are also shared- exposing users often private information. For Mission Teams: Meta has added a warning that alerts users to the risks before publishing. However, mission teams are still advised to avoid using the feature entirely due to potential security concerns. https://www.rudebaguette.com/en/2025/06/metas-ai-app-exposes-private-chats-shocking-feature-lets-users-discover-strangers-intimate-conversations-with-no-warning/   ManyChat Privacy Policy Update As of April 2025, Manychat has updated their privacy policy to include the following restrictions regarding religious beliefs: "We ask that you not send or disclose to us any sensitive personal data (e.g.,depending on your applicable data protection law the following can be considered sensitive data social security numbers: information related to racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion or other beliefs, health, biometrics or genetic characteristics, data regarding health or sexual life, criminal background, union membership, or adherence in a religious, philosophical, or political organization) on or through the Service or otherwise." For Mission Teams: Many mission teams currently use ManyChat as part of their digital outreach strategies. However, under the new policy, teams risk possible account restrictions if they’re found to be in violation—particularly when sharing religious or personal data. As a result, some may need to shift to alternatives like Echo (https://www.echoglobal.org/), a platform that allows faith-based messaging without the same limitations. https://manychat.com/legal/privacy   Facebook Renames Videos to Reels Facebook is renaming all videos on its platform to "Reels" to align with the popular short-form video format. This change aims to streamline video content and enhance engagement. For Mission Teams: Teams should prioritize Reels format for video content whenever possible to help ensure consistent engagement. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/facebook-renames-all-videos-reels/750973/   Threads and the Fediverse Facebook has made it easier to see more Fediverse (a decentralized network of interconnected social media platforms that allows users to communicate across different services) content on Threads. This update allows users to discover and engage with a wider range of posts and discussions outside of the Threads platform. For Mission Teams: By using the Threads platform with its new Fediverse integration, mission teams can expand their reach to new audiences. While Meta had previously cautioned against expecting high conversions, updates like this could make Threads a more useful tool for digital evangelism. It should be noted, however, that Threads is still owned by Meta and will not possess the same inherent resilience to restrictions by actors, government or otherwise, that a more independent Fediverse platform would. Governments such as Turkey and India have successfully pressured Meta to censor groups before, and this risk will exist on Threads- even with it's Fediverse integration. https://about.fb.com/news/2025/06/its-now-easier-see-more-fediverse-content-threads/ Meta's New AI Generate Videos Meta is introducing a new AI-powered image-to-video tool that allows marketers to transform up to 20 product images into multi-scene video ads. The generated videos can include background music and text overlays to enhance visual appeal. For Mission Teams: This tool should streamline the content development process even further, allowing them to potentially develop localized content at scale. As with all Ai tools, however, teams should test the tools before publishing as they are prone to mistakes and errors. https://archive.ph/rYFX2 Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: Intentional Newsletter – Be encouraged each month with stories of transformed lives, ministry milestones, and the latest updates from our team. Subscribe here. 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. Christian Media Marketing Podcast – Tune in for weekly deep dives with CEO Jon Ralls on everything from digital strategy to cybersecurity. Subscribe here or on your favorite podcast app. Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: June 20, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 13, 2025 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! In this issue, we’re diving into the latest updates from Threads, exploring Meta’s evolving Value Rules, and taking a first look at Bonfire — a new decentralized social media platform that’s making waves. Plus, we’ve got more insights and trends you won’t want to miss. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Updates for Threads- Direct Messages and Ads Threads is adding a feature for direct messages (DMs) within the app. This aims to improve user engagement by making communication more seamless. Additionally, in the same way that ads can be served on Instagram with or without an actual Instagram account, ads can also be served on Threads. Kavanah Media team members have discovered the following notice on Ads Manager even when a Threads account did not exist: "To help you reach more people, the new Threads feed placement is included in this campaign. You can manage placements in Manual placements. About ads in Threads" For Mission teams: For marketing teams, these updates mean new opportunities for direct customer interaction and personalized marketing. Currently high conversion rates from Threads are unlikely, but this will likely change as Threads gains popularity. https://9to5mac.com/2025/06/10/threads-is-getting-native-dms/ Value Rules on Meta - An Answer to Advantage+ Targeting Weaknesses? Value Rules is touted by Meta as an answer to Adv.+ Audience targeting issues (ie. targeting specific genders, age groups, and locations, even when those parameters are set). Value Rules offer more control over how budgets are utilized, allowing marketers to increase or decrease bid amounts based on audience segments such as gender, location, operating systems and more. For Mission teams: Previously, teams desiring to target specific demographics were forced to utilize Original Audience targeting options. However, Value Rules may solve this issue by allowing teams to benefit from Advantage + Audience Targeting’s algorithms while also successfully having ads served to desired audience segments. Kavanah Media team members have begun experimenting with Value Rules in in this capacity. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/use-value-rules-to-improve-lead-quality/ Meta and Yandex De-anonymizing Android Users Web Browsing Identifiers Meta and Yandex are de-anonymizing Android users web browsing identifiers. This means that these companies can track and identify users based on their web activity, raising significant privacy concerns. For Mission teams: While Meta stopped when users brought attention to this, some experts are still recommending removing Meta and Yandex related apps. For many mission teams utilizing Meta's platforms, this may not be an option. Teams should be aware of these issues, practice cybersecurity basics, and possibly consider platform or device changes depending on their risk appetite. https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/06/meta-and-yandex-are-de-anonymizing-android-users-web-browsing-identifiers/ Meta's Opportunity Scores- Do They Matter?- Revisited Meta has launched its Opportunity Score tool for all advertisers in Ads Manager. This tool evaluates your campaign on a scale of 0 to 100 based on the implementation of Meta's AI-driven recommendations. During testing, advertisers experienced a 12% reduction in cost per result.  For Mission Teams:  Are these scores relevant? Well, that depends. Following Meta's Opportunity Score recommendations can lead to better performance. However, these scores are primarily based on how widely marketers are utilizing Meta's AI creation tools. Depending on the ad and location these recommendations my be irrelevant. For example, a team utilizing Meta ads in a non-English speaking nation may not wish to utilize Meta's AI headline generation because of translation issues, thus causing their opportunity score to drop. Teams should test any AI creation tools in their context before implementing any lasting changes to campaigns.  https://9to5mac.com/2025/06/02/whatsapp-getting-usernames/ Bonfire's New Software for Building Social Communities Bonfire has launched new software that allows users to create their own social communities without being controlled by a platform. This software provides tools for users to build and manage their communities independently, offering a more personalized and autonomous experience. For Mission Teams: This development is significant as it opens up new opportunities for engaging with niche audiences and creating tailored marketing strategies. By leveraging platforms like Bonfire, missions teams could build their own decentralized communities outside of Big Tech's platforms. https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/05/bonfires-new-software-lets-users-build-their-own-social-communities-free-from-platform-control/ Instagram - Public Photos Accessible to Search Engines Some users are reporting seeing a notice on Instragram informing them that on July 10, 2025, search engines will have access to all their content and profiles, and giving the option to disable the feature. For Mission Teams; Teams should be on the lookout for this notice. For digital strategies, this would allow for greater discoverability for evangelism profiles and accounts, increasing reach. However, the same discoverability would apply to personal accounts, potentially posing a security risk. https://bsky.app/profile/oncescuradu.bsky.social/post/3lr76pkfsxc2z Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: Intentional Newsletter – Be encouraged each month with stories of transformed lives, ministry milestones, and the latest updates from our team. Subscribe here. 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. Christian Media Marketing Podcast – Tune in for weekly deep dives with CEO Jon Ralls on everything from digital strategy to cybersecurity. Subscribe here or on your favorite podcast app. Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: June 13, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 6, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we cover the end of support for Windows 10, Google's new offline AI for smartphones, Meta's future goals for AI-powered ad creation, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Windows 10 End of Support Windows 10 will reach end of support on October 14, 2025. The current version, 22H2, will be the final version of Windows 10, and all editions will remain in support with monthly security update releases through that date, but not after. For Mission Teams: It is recommended that any teams utilizing Windows 10 powered devices update their systems accordingly to ensure security and functionality. For more details, you can visit the official Microsoft lifecycle page: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-10-home-and-pro Google Enables AI Use Without Internet on Smartphones Google now lets you use AI on your smartphone without needing an internet connection via the EdgeGallery App- where user can download Google's various AI models. These on-device machine learning models can handle tasks like language translation, image recognition, and voice commands directly on the device. This means faster responses and better privacy since data doesn't need to be sent to the cloud. For Mission Teams: Missions teams can use this update for translation, content development and more- even without an internet connection. It also will help with digital security by reducing data transmission, which lowers the risk of vulnerabilities. https://analyticsindiamag.com/ai-news-updates/google-now-lets-you-use-ai-without-internet-on-smartphones/ Meta Aims to Fully Automate Ad Creation Using AI Meta Platforms wants to help brands create ads from scratch completely using AI by the end of next year. This is part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vision for the company's future. Meta's ad platform already has AI tools that can tweak existing ads, but now it aims to create entire ads, including images, videos, and text, and target them to users on Facebook and Instagram. For Mission Teams: While there are concerns about the quality of AI-generated ads and the computing power needed for these tools, these will likely be resolved over time. This change is set to upend the entire digital marketing industry. Even though Meta's AI systems are specifically designed with business in mind, namely goals such as sales and leads, this development will likely have significant impact for mission teams utilizing Meta's platforms in their digital strategies. https://archive.ph/prP3i WhatsApp Introduces Usernames WhatsApp is adding usernames. Soon users will be able to choose unique identifiers instead of relying on phone numbers. This feature enhances privacy and makes it easier to connect without sharing phone numbers. For Mission Teams: Teams utilizing WhatsApp will be able to utilize usernames instead of personal names and numbers, allowing for more anonymity. This could prove particularly useful in fields where security is a concern. https://9to5mac.com/2025/06/02/whatsapp-getting-usernames/   Meta's New Report on Ad Creatives in 2025 Meta's latest report reveals key insights into what makes ad creatives convert effectively in 2025. For example, videos that are 9:16 in format featuring emotional hooks and real people, deliver 29% higher conversion rates and 16% lower cost per acquisition (CPA). Meta claims that using diverse creatives and refreshing them regularly can improve CPA by 32%. Additionally, AI tools used by 4 million advertisers monthly have shown that generative images alone can lift click-through rates (CTR) by 11% and conversions by 7.6%. For Mission Teams: These insights are informative and could help teams see improved results in their digital strategies. For more details, you can visit the original article:  https://www.facebook.com/business/news/report-state-creative-optimization-meta-appsflyer-dentsu-creative. Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: Intentional Newsletter – Be encouraged each month with stories of transformed lives, ministry milestones, and the latest updates from our team. Subscribe here. 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. Christian Media Marketing Podcast – Tune in for weekly deep dives with CEO Jon Ralls on everything from digital strategy to cybersecurity. Subscribe here or on your favorite podcast app. Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: June 6, 2025

In this special 300th episode, Jon will be sharing the journey that this podcast and video show has had, and why it will be stopping for at least a little while as he seeks the Lord to find out what comes next. To watch this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/gXYomvbBzLA

In this episode, Jon will be sharing about a great piece of software that allows you to download and run different AI models locally on your own computer with no internet access needed.  To watch this episode, please go here: https://youtu.be/EsnB3XI08rE

Weekly Marketing Rundown - May 30, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we cover Meta's new Value Rules setting and Advantage + translation tools, a massive data leak, the use of AI in content development, 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 Value Rules: A New Way to Target Wisely Meta has introduced a feature called Value Rules that lets advertisers adjust how much they bid for different types of people. For example, if women aged 35–44 are more likely to respond to your message, you can tell Meta to spend more to reach them. Similar adjustments are available for locations and operating systems. Many have criticized Meta's Adv.+ Audience targeting for taking audience parameters as mere suggestions, but new features, like Value Rules, may help. Unfortunately, these tools are only available for App Promotion and Sales Objectives. For Mission Teams: Given that App Promotion and Sales Objectives are not commonly utilized by mission teams, we may not see much improvement for more top-funnel types of campaigns. If a team needs to target specific age or gender demographics, Original Audience Targeting is still recommended. https://www.jonloomer.com/value-rules/ Meta’s New Translation Tools Make Global Evangelism Easier Meta is testing two new tools: one that automatically translates voiceovers in ads from English to other languages (only live in Spanish), and another that translates ad text without manual input. These features are part of Advantage+ Creative and aim to make ads more accessible across languages.  For Mission Teams: These tools can help mission teams reach seekers who speak different languages without needing extra resources. Teams should experiment with these tools before full implementation. As with any AI tool, hallucinations are possible and translations may not be correct. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/translate-voiceover/ https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/translate-text-feature/ Should Mission Teams Use AI on Social Media? As AI content creation tools proliferate many platforms, marketers have been wholly adopting them into their work flow, including mission teams - but should we be? Currently, according to Meta- AI, generated content is performing better than other types. However, some groups predict that as social media platforms continue to be flooded with AI generated content, genuine human-centered content may become more sought after. For Mission Teams: This is a reminder to balance AI tools with real human stories. Genuine and authentic content builds trust, especially when sharing the gospel online. https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/should-brands-use-ai-in-social-media/ Governments May Be Watching Through Social Media Logins A mysterious database with 184 million records was found online, containing login data tied to social media platforms, Google, Apple, and even government systems. For Mission Teams: This is yet another reminder of how important basic cybersecurity measures are, especially in regions where mission activity is monitored. Mission teams should use secure, encrypted platforms for communication, avoid linking personal or ministry accounts to public social media logins, and regularly audit access logs and permissions. https://www.wired.com/story/mysterious-database-logins-governments-social-media/ AI Tools by Platform: What Mission Teams Should Know Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X are all rolling out AI tools to help users create and target ads more efficiently. Each platform offers different features, like Meta’s Advantage+ Creative, TikTok’s Smart Creative, LinkedIn’s AI copy suggestions, and X’s AI-powered targeting.  Check out Social Media Today for an overview of each platform's AI tools: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/overview-ai-ad-optimization-targeting-creation-tools-social-apps/748800/ Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: Intentional Newsletter – Be encouraged each month with stories of transformed lives, ministry milestones, and the latest updates from our team. Subscribe here. 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. Christian Media Marketing Podcast – Tune in for weekly deep dives with CEO Jon Ralls on everything from digital strategy to cybersecurity. Subscribe here or on your favorite podcast app. Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: May 30, 2025

Having good backups of your data is important, and this is especially true of your most sensitive data. In this episode, Jon will be sharing about a device that he uses with his most sensitive data. With the ability to remote or local wipe the data, brute force protection, weather protection, and more, it is a USB drive that you can use and trust in your digital engagement efforts. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/L0Xe6s2y78A

Weekly Marketing Rundown - May 23, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we discuss Meta's new AI app, Metricool's recent outage, Telegram's leak to the authorities, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Ads on Meta AI App? With the launch of Meta’s new standalone AI app, marketers are taking note of its built-in social feed. Users can now share prompts, creations, and more, directly within the app. This could signal the rise of yet another Meta platform with advertising potential. For Mission Teams: If Meta does roll out advertising, this will be yet another platform that can be utilized for digital strategies. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/ads-meta-ai-app/ Metricool Outage Mission teams around the world are reporting issues with Metricool, a third-party platform used for messaging and social media management. The platform is currently experiencing syncing delays—users may log in and not see messages right away. During support calls, Metricool has confirmed that the issue stems from Meta's API, and a solution is currently being developed. Recently, a new option called Conversation Routing has appeared in Meta Business Manager under Integrations. While Metricool has not confirmed if this new addition is the exact cause, it may necessitate manual adjustments for third-party tools like Metricool to function correctly. For Mission Teams: If your team is utilizing Metricool in your digital strategy and experiencing outages, Metricool has given the following advice: Check your Integrations tab in Business Manager and review the Conversation Routing settings Wait for messages to sync - this may take up to two hours Check in another browser or incognito mode Reach out to Metricool support. Telegram Shared User Data with Authorities Telegram has provided authorities with data on over 20,000 users to comply with legal requests. This raises concerns about privacy and risks for users relying on the platform for secure communication. For Mission Teams: Teams should understand the privacy policies and data-sharing practices of platforms they use and take steps to ensure basic cybersecurity practices are implemented. If non-secure platform utilization is unavoidable, sensitive information that could place teams and local believers in danger should not be shared. https://www.404media.co/telegram-gave-authorities-data-on-more-than-20-000-users/ Meta Expands Advantage+ Text Generation Tools for Non-English Languages Recently, Kavanah Media team members have observed Meta expanding its Advantage+ AI-generation tools for headlines and primary text to include languages beyond English. These tools generate additional headline and primary text options based on the input provided. For Mission Teams: This expansion could lead to more efficient ad creation and better engagement with diverse audiences. Utilizing AI-generated content can save time and ensure that ads resonate with target demographics. However, teams should exercise caution and verify that AI-generated text options are accurate and appropriate before enabling them. As with all AI tools, the results are not always perfect. https://www.facebook.com/business/help/223409425500940?id=271710926837064 Meta and PayPal Users Warned of Instant Account Takeover Attack A phishing campaign has emerged, targeting PayPal and Meta users. Cybercriminals are impersonating these platforms to deceive users into divulging their credentials, thereby gaining unauthorized access to their accounts. This attack highlights the importance of vigilance and robust security measures to protect sensitive information and maintain account integrity. For Mission Teams: Teams should strengthen account security with strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Be aware of phishing attempts to protect digital presence. https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2025/05/21/meta-and-paypal-users-warned-of-instant-account-takeover-attack/ Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: Intentional Newsletter – Be encouraged each month with stories of transformed lives, ministry milestones, and the latest updates from our team. Subscribe here. 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. Christian Media Marketing Podcast – Tune in for weekly deep dives with CEO Jon Ralls on everything from digital strategy to cybersecurity. Subscribe here or on your favorite podcast app. Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: May 23, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - May 16, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we discuss a new surge in picture post engagement, Meta's Reels training, WhatsApp's lawsuit with the NSO Group, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Surge in Facebook Engagement from Photo Posts Some marketers are reporting significant increases in engagement on Facebook when they post photos, as opposed to video, on social media platforms. For Mission Teams: For marketing teams, this underscores the importance of incorporating a variety of visual elements into their social media strategies. While video tends to outperform picture posts, that may not be the case everywhere all the time. Recently, Kavanah Media teammates have even seen Meta Ads Manager suggesting running ads with both video and picture elements. https://www.niemanlab.org/2025/05/news-publishers-see-a-surge-of-facebook-engagement-from-photo-posts/ Brands Benefiting from Reddit Search Results As AI generated content proliferates, users are turning to Reddit for more "human" centered answers. For Mission Teams: This underscores two things: First, there is still a market for organic human generated content. Assets like evangelism websites, blogs and more are still very viable options for digital strategies- especially if they contain human centered content. Second, the increased engagement Reddit is seeing shows that it could prove to be a valuable platform for digital strategies. https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/2025/05/07/brands-benefiting-from-reddit-search-results Meta's Reels Training As short form video continues to dominate social media platforms, Meta wants to teach you optimize your content. Check out the training here: https://trainingworkshops.facebookblueprint.com/student/page/389031?course_session_ids%5B%5D=209245 Key Takeaways from WhatsApp vs. NSO Group Spyware Lawsuit A U.S. jury has ordered NSO Group to pay WhatsApp $167 million for a spyware hack. The lawsuit revealed that NSO admitted to targeting +1 numbers, including a U.S. phone for the FBI, and continued hacking WhatsApp even after being sued. Additionally, NSO's Pegasus spyware was used without customers knowing the exact method of attack. For Mission Teams: This underscores the importance of digital security, platform choices, and more. Teams should ensure the tools they use for communication are secure. https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/13/seven-things-we-learned-from-whatsapp-vs-nso-group-spyware-lawsuit Kavanah Media Director Jon Ralls addresses cybersecurity concerns and Kavanah Media's latest venture to help mission teams be more secure as part of a four-part series of the Christian Media Marketing Podcast. Check it out here: https://youtu.be/TKsJUTJP1r8 Meta Expands AI Ad Recommendations with Opportunity Score Meta has expanded it's Opportunity Score feature to enhance its AI ad recommendations. This tool aims to help advertisers identify the most promising ad placements and optimize their campaigns for better performance. For Mission Teams: Many teams have noticed the new feature and are concerned. While the opportunity score can be a helpful aid in regards to ad optimization, it is not necessarily the final truth. It does not and cannot understand the unique context and goals of each mission team. Low scoring ads can lead to fruitful results and high scoring ads could prove to be unfruitful. There are MANY factors that go into a successful digital strategy campaign. If you have questions regarding your ad's opportunity score we would love to help. Please reach out to us here. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-expands-opportunity-score-ai-ad-reccomendations/747716/ Most-Visited Websites in the World Visual Capitalist has compiled a list of the most-visited websites globally, highlighting the dominance of platforms like Google, YouTube, and Facebook. These websites attract billions of users each month, showcasing their significant influence on the digital landscape. For Mission Teams: It is important to understand where audiences spend their time online. By focusing on these high-traffic websites, teams can strategically place their content to reach a larger and more engaged audience, ultimately driving better results for their campaigns. https://www.visualcapitalist.com/most-visited-websites-in-the-world/ Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: Intentional Newsletter – Be encouraged each month with stories of transformed lives, ministry milestones, and the latest updates from our team. Subscribe here. 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. Christian Media Marketing Podcast – Tune in for weekly deep dives with CEO Jon Ralls on everything from digital strategy to cybersecurity. Subscribe here or on your favorite podcast app. Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: May 16, 2025