Weekly Training

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

In this episode, Jon will start a 3 part series about the role of AI in missions work. From the opportunities, challenges, ethical and theological issues, and more, he will explore how we can walk the line of proper use and containment for greatest Kingdom impact. To watch this training, go here: Video Training

Weekly Marketing Rundown - February 28, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we discuss ad quality and it's affects on engagement, Meta AI's new updates, YouTube's untapped potential and more.  Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta AI Expands to the Middle East and Africa Meta AI is now available in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, the UAE, and Yemen, supporting Arabic for the first time. This expansion brings Meta AI to 42 countries and 13 languages, with 700 million users across WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook. Many missions teams have integrated AI tools into their digital strategies, ranging from full chatbots to custom GPTs that assist online responders. With Meta AI’s recent expansion into the Middle East and North Africa, offering Arabic language support, teams operating in these regions now have enhanced opportunities to integrate these tools into their strategies. For more details, visit Meta AI’s expansion. Ad Copy Quality and Engagement In this post, Jon Loomer discusses ads with poor conversion rates. One key area is ad quality. Poor quality ads will not lead to conversions, messages, etc. Here are Jon's examples contextualized for Digital Engagement: 1. No Clear Call to Action – If people don’t know what to do next, your ad fails. 2. Clear and Effective Offer – - Make sure your ad clearly shows what you’re offering, whether it’s prayer, hope, or encouragement. Would you click it? 3. Sloppy Copy – Typos and poor wording hurt credibility and trust. 4. Poor Visuals – Blurry or unpolished images make your ad look unprofessional. 5. Bad Formatting – Ads should fit platform specs to avoid awkward cropping. 6. Ignored Negative Comments – Unaddressed feedback can damage conversions.   https://www.jonloomer.com/ads-arent-converting/?utm_source=cornerstone&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cornerstone&inf_contact_key=b81f45ce87637612b942c69d8e418242cc0558ed5d4c28cbfab114022b1ec50d Meta Introduces Community Notes for Fact-Checking Meta will soon roll out Community Notes, a crowdsourced fact-checking system similar to X (Twitter). This feature allows selected users to add context to posts, aiming to reduce misinformation. Notes will only appear if contributors from different perspectives agree on their accuracy. This new systems has potential to effect digital engagement in many ways, including: - Potential for bias – Christian content could be flagged depending on the reviewing users. - Opportunity to provide clarity – Ministries can engage by adding well-sourced, truthful notes to counter misinformation. - Impact on ads – Misinformation flags could affect outreach campaigns. It is unclear at what pace Community Notes will be rolled out in other languages and countries. Mission teams should be prepared to adjust strategies as its effects become clearer. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-community-notes-overview/740592/ YouTube's Untapped Potential YouTube remains a powerful yet underutilized tool for digital outreach. For example, in the US 90% of teens use YouTube, far surpassing TikTok (63%) and Instagram (61%). The platform is experiencing similar impact globally as well. Key insights: - YouTube Shorts are highly engaging (5.91% engagement rate), outperforming TikTok and Instagram Reels. - YouTube Ads are taking over TV, with 39% of ads now viewed on TV screens, up 13% in a year. - Despite its high ROI (25%), only 51% of marketers use YouTube for ads, compared to Facebook (86%) and Instagram (79%). YouTube offers a lot of potential for digital engagement. As with all platforms, usage may vary greatly based by country, and teams should experiment with it in their context. https://www.stackedmarketer.com/data-stories/is-youtube-an-underrated-marketing-channel-right-now/ 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: February 28, 2025

In this episode, Jon will be sharing about the need (still) for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and how you can leverage your content for multiple ways and strategies. To watch this content, go here: https://youtu.be/HZ7qN-1BTVE

In this episode, Jon will be sharing about word choice and different phrases and concepts that Meta is sharing that can get your ads denied. He will walk through several examples straight from Meta's help page including the use of the word "You". To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/EHaIdN8sB-I

Weekly Marketing Rundown - February 21, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we discuss retargeting ad strategies on Meta, data leaks, Signal's latest update and more. Thanks for reading! Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Rethinking Remarketing in Meta Ads A few years ago, Meta’s remarketing tools were a game-changer. Missions groups around the world, including Kavanah Media, utilized and coached others on multi-level marketing funnels using audience segments and retargeting. However, things have changed significantly since then. Here are two major shifts we have seen: 1) The algorithm used by Meta’s Advantage+ systems now prioritizes retargeting your audiences automatically. 2) Meta's new restrictions on religious data sources prevent retargeting through the Meta Pixel and website traffic. Technically, remarketing is still possible using original audience targeting. However, with these changes, separate ad sets or campaigns for remarketing may no longer be necessary or easy to implement. Mission teams should test what works best in their context but may need to adjust their strategies accordingly.” https://pubcast.jonloomer.com/the-new-role-of-remarketing/ 20 Million OpenAI Accounts Hacked A recent breach exposed credentials from 20 million OpenAI users, with stolen logins being sold on the dark web. The data was gathered through malware, not a direct OpenAI hack, highlighting the dangers of poor password management and weak security practices. For mission teams using AI tools, this reinforces the need for strong cybersecurity habits. Use unique, complex passwords, utlize physical security keys, enable two-factor authentication (2FA), and avoid logging in from compromised devices to protect sensitive data. https://www.pcworld.com/article/2602780/20-million-openai-users-hacked-heres-how-to-stay-safe.html DeepSeek AI Raises Safety Concerns Researchers found major safety issues with DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot, exposing vulnerabilities in handling harmful prompts. Unlike OpenAI and Google, DeepSeek struggles with filtering sensitive content, raising ethical and security concerns. For mission teams using AI tools, this highlights the importance of selecting platforms with strong safety measures. Poorly moderated AI could pose risks, especially in sensitive regions where digital security is critical. Kavanah Media CEO Jon Ralls discussed this same topic on the Christian Media Marketing Podcast. Listen here. http://gizmodo.com/deepseek-gets-an-f-in-safety-from-researchers-2000558645?utm_source=tldrai Meta’s 50,000 km Undersea Cable Project Meta announced Project Waterworth, a massive undersea cable network connecting the U.S., India, Brazil, and more. This $10B+ investment aims to boost global internet speed and support AI services, with completion expected by the decade’s end. Meta already subsidizes data usage in many countries around the world. Many ISP's offer free social media usage to users because of these subsidies. Meta's move to build this cable will undoubtedly strengthen it's position in the social media world and it's viability as a platform for digital strategies. https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/14/meta-confirms-project-waterworth-a-global-subsea-cable-project-spanning-50000km/ Signal Adds Security Against QR Code Phishing Russian hackers have used fake QR codes to hijack Signal accounts. In response, Signal now requires user verification when linking new devices to prevent unauthorized access. Mission teams using Signal should update their apps and avoid scanning unverified QR codes. Verifying device links is crucial for secure communication. https://www.wired.com/story/russia-signal-qr-code-phishing-attack Foundations of Digital Engagement Strategy Enroll in this 5-week course by Missions Media U to strengthen your digital engagement strategy whether you are just beginning or have been doing digital for years. Each week will have a one hour live class session via Zoom as well as resource material and practical application tasks tailored to your specific context and mission. The Spring cohort begins February 27. https://www.missionmediau.org/foundations-of-digital-engagement-strategies/ 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: February 21, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - February 14, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we discuss Meta's Advantage+ Audience targeting, ad restrictions, the world's most downloaded apps, and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta Expands Advantage+ Sales for App Leads and Conversions Meta has announced a new "streamlined Advantage+ campaign creation," automating audience targeting and optimizing conversions for sales, app install, and leads ads. Advantage+ audience targeting has existed for some time, but now will be on by default for these ad objectives. This type of optimization has been expected. For now, not many missions teams utilize sales, app install, or leads ads, but Meta is likely to make Advantage+ audience targeting optimizations for traffic, engagement, and awareness in the future. https://www.jonloomer.com/advantage-plus-sales-app-leads-campaigns/ The Pronoun "You" and Advertising Restrictions A recent wave of Meta advertising restrictions has affected missions teams. Kavanah Media team members suspect that some of these restrictions have occurred because of AI moderation flagging ads based on Facebook's policy related to prohibited personal attributes in advertising. Ads cannot imply personal attributes or ask questions related to age, religion, gender identity, disability, physical or mental health, financial status, voting status, criminal record, and more. Recently, Meta's AI advertising moderations systems have become more robust and are flagging ads in both English and other languages as violations that are not, in fact, violations. Caution is urged when using the word "You" in combination with these prohibited personal attributes in your ad copy in order to mitigate the risk of getting an ad rejected by the AI moderation. Even if an ad is not violating the policy, if it gets flagged in error it can lead to significant delays. Meta's policy on personal attributes can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2557868957763449?id=434838534925385 Meta’s Advantage+ Audience Targeting Not Following Gender Settings Some teams using Meta’s Advantage+ audience targeting have noticed that their audience preferences, such as gender or age, are not being followed. For example, even when ads are set to show only to men or women, Meta’s system still delivers ads to the excluded group. This issue affects campaign efficiency and can lead to wasted ad spend. Advantage+ audience controls are merely suggestions. The algorithm initially follows targeting settings but adjusts if it predicts better engagement elsewhere. For mission teams using Meta ads, extra caution is needed when setting targeting parameters. If an ad must be shown to a specific age bracket or gender group, using original audience targeting is recommended. Read the article below for more information on Advantage+ Audience targeting and its weaknesses: https://www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-targeting-and-optimizations-fatal-flaw/ The Most Downloaded Apps in the World in January 2025 The top 10 downloaded apps globally for both iOS and Android: 1. Tiktok 2. Instagram 3. Facebook 4. Whatsapp 5. ChatGPT 6. Temu 7. Telegram 8. Capcut 9. Threads 10. Snapchat With four of the ten slots claimed by Meta's platforms, it's dominance continues to make it an excellent option for digital strategies. https://appfigures.com/resources/insights/20250207?f=5 How The Instagram Algorithm Works  Instagram’s algorithm determines which posts users see based on several key factors. These include how long users watch your content, the number of likes, and how often your posts are shared. The algorithm prioritizes content that keeps users engaged and encourages interaction.  Posts are analyzed to see if they break Instagrams standards in the following categories: Posts are analyzed to see if they are clickbait, have a low quality picture, are watermarked or spam/ scam. Compliant posts are shown to 20% of a pages followers. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-algorithm-infographic/739633/ Foundations of Digital Engagement Strategy Enroll in this 5-week course by Missions Media U to strengthen your digital engagement strategy whether you are just beginning or have been doing digital for years. Each week will have a one hour live class session via Zoom as well as resource material and practical application tasks tailored to your specific context and mission. The Spring cohort begins February 27. https://www.missionmediau.org/foundations-of-digital-engagement-strategies/ 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, Cherry Messimer, AJ Article Published: February 14, 2025