Weekly Training

In this episode, Jon will be sharing examples of new, current phishing attacks happening in SMS and even within Google search results. He will share some tactics and practices to help keep yourself safe. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/-K3zYP_kki4

Weekly Marketing Rundown - January 10, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we will give updates regarding Malaysia's social media restrictions, Meta's AI influencers, Iran's softening stance on social media platforms and more.  Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta’s AI Profiles Draw Criticism Last week we covered how Meta recently rolled out AI-generated profiles on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, but the move drew backlash for resembling the low-quality spam that has long plagued the platform. While these AI profiles aimed to boost engagement, they created confusion and mistrust, as distinguishing them from spam or fake accounts is challenging. Meta shuttered the accounts. For mission teams, this development highlights the importance of transparency and brand authenticity. As AI usage grows, so does the need for genuine human engagement. Teams should prioritize keeping a human touch in their AI and chatbot strategies to maintain trust and meaningful connections. https://futurism.com/the-byte/meta-kills-ai-people#:~:text=As%20404%20Media%20reports%2C%20Meta,of%20the%20company's%20social%20networks. https://www.404media.co/metas-ai-profiles-are-indistinguishable-from-terrible-spam-that-took-over-facebook Malaysia’s New Social Media Licensing Law Malaysia’s new law requires social media platforms to obtain operating licenses. X and YouTube have not applied yet, with X claiming its user base doesn’t meet the eight million threshold. Google has raised concerns about YouTube’s classification under the law. Platforms like WeChat, TikTok, and Meta are already in the application process. Mission teams utilizing these platforms in Malaysia may experience restrictions and difficulty. https://archive.ph/XgCII Instagram Experimenting with Cross-App Engagement Instagram is testing "cross-app engagement" that would allow users to switch between Facebook and Instagram to view and engage with content. https://x.com/ahmedghanem/status/1875614199847788889 Iran Eases Social Media Bans Iran may lift restrictions on platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram, which have been blocked since 2022. While access will come with strict government monitoring, platforms like X and Facebook remain banned. For mission teams, this may make digital engagement possible in Iran, but U.S. sanctions and tight regulations still pose challenges for outreach projects. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-24/iran-takes-first-steps-toward-easing-its-broad-social-media-bans Instagram Best Practices for 2025 Hootsuite outlines 21 Instagram strategies for 2025, emphasizing storytelling, quick engagement, and consistent posting. Here are some of their tips: focus on high-quality reels, use trending and niche hashtags, and analyze engagement data. For mission teams incorporating organic posting in their strategies, these practices can help create relatable, impactful content and build trust with seekers. To see the complete list of tips, check out the full article on Hootsuite’s blog. https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-best-practices/ 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 Article Published: January 10, 2025

In this episode, Jon will be sharing 7 steps that you can take, plus one iPhone specific step, to keep your privacy and security in control when using your cellphone camera. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/6Pdv0_8jrMo

Weekly Marketing Rundown - January 3, 2025 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we will discuss Tiktok's looming ban, Meta's AI Bot push, hashtags and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Trump Appeals to Supreme Court Over TikTok President Elect Trump has asked the Supreme Court to block efforts to ban TikTok in the U.S., arguing it violates free speech rights. The case highlights concerns over data security and ties to China, with potential implications for TikTok’s future. Mission teams using TikTok should prepare for possible restrictions by diversifying their digital outreach strategies. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/trump-files-supreme-court-bid-to-save-tiktok/736234/ Where Ad Dollars Go on Social Media Facebook dominates social media ad spending, followed by Instagram and YouTube, while TikTok is quickly growing in popularity with advertisers. Advertisers choose platforms based a number of variables, but audience reach is one of the most important. With about a 3rd of the world's population utilizing Meta's platforms daily it is clear to see why advertisers are happy to advertise on Facebook and Instagram. It continues to be an effective platform for digital engagement. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/social-media-ad-spend-by-platform-infographic/736103/ Meta’s AI Bots to Boost Engagement Meta is introducing AI-powered bots on Facebook and Instagram to make the platforms more engaging. These bots will have unique personalities and can chat with users, answer questions, give recommendations, and even create content like text or images. The goal is to enhance interaction and keep users on the platforms longer. Meta’s potential use of AI bots could prove to be an intriguing experiment. Some mission teams have seen great results from chatbots and AI tools, while others argue that a live online responder is more effective. This appears to be highly field-dependent. While it remains unclear how Meta’s AI bots will directly impact digital engagement strategies, the engagement these bots generate will be noteworthy and may encourage teams to experiment with integrating AI into their own projects. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/Meta-ai-bot-plan-boost-engagement-facebook-instagram/736242/ Are Hashtags Still Needed? Hashtags are losing their impact on visibility, as platforms now rely on algorithms to recommend content. Elon Musk even stated, “Please stop using hashtags. The system doesn’t need them anymore and they look ugly,” reinforcing their diminished role in boosting reach. While they still help categorize posts and target niche audiences, they don’t directly increase exposure anymore. For mission teams, this means hashtags shouldn’t be relied on for expanding reach. Instead, focus on creating engaging content that algorithms can promote while using hashtags selectively for organization or connecting with specific groups. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/do-you-still-need-to-use-hashtags/735983/ 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 Article Published: January 3, 2025

In this episode, Jon will be sharing some amazing metrics of how has blessed our digital engagement through Kavanah Media in 2024. May you be encouraged and inspired to continuing pressing forward in 2025. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/vIK5GEKq5X8

In this episode, Jon will be challenging us to think through new areas, opportunities, challenges, partnerships, and more in your digital engagement efforts. Instead of just "doing what we have always done", think through some new ways can we learn and grow in this new year of ministry efforts. To watch this episode, go here: https://youtu.be/BYrzh2l5zbQ

Weekly Marketing Rundown - December 27th, 2024 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we will discuss Malaysia's new licensing requirements for social media companies, Apple and Meta's latest feud and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Malaysia Requires Licenses for Social Media Platforms Malaysia has announced that WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Telegram, WeChat, and TikTok all must acquire licensure in order to continue operating. Next year, any platform operating in Malaysia without a license will face legal consequences, signaling stricter government oversight of digital services. Platform restrictions may force mission teams to adjust their digital engagement strategies. https://archive.ph/YlGC7 Apple Pushes Back on Meta’s Requests for User Data Access Apple and Meta are in a dispute over privacy and app access. Meta has repeatedly asked Apple to allow Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp more access to iPhone systems under the new European Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple claims these requests could jeopardize user privacy, accusing Meta of wanting unrestricted access to sensitive device features that could compromise data security. For mission teams, this situation highlights the balance between innovation and privacy. As marketers, access to data is crucial for targeting and measuring success, but for users, privacy is paramount. Apple’s strong stance on privacy complicates how companies like Google and Meta track iOS user behavior, making it harder to accurately assess interactions with ads. For example, in our experience app install ads on iOS devices already often lack precision due to restrictions on tracking. Changes like this will likely continue to impact teams’ ability to measure the effectiveness of their digital engagement projects. https://fortune.com/2024/12/19/apple-meta-facebook-instagram-whatsapp-privacy-digital-markets-act/ Potential TP-Link Router Ban Could Disrupt Internet Access The U.S. government is considering banning TP-Link routers due to security concerns, as the company is linked to cyberattacks and the Chinese government. TP-Link is a major player in the U.S. router market, and the U.S. government is investigating whether these products pose a national security risk. TP-Link denies any wrongdoing, but the situation remains under review. Those using TP-Link routers might want to consider replacing them to reduce the risk of vulnerabilities and ensure secure internet access for digital outreach efforts. https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/possible-tp-link-ban-in-2025-what-it-means-for-your-internet-connection/ FBI Advises Against Using Text Messages for Two-Factor Authentication The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have warned against using text messages (SMS) for two-factor authentication (2FA). SMS messages are not encrypted and can be intercepted by hackers,. Instead, they recommend using encrypted messaging apps like Signal or WhatsApp, or more secure methods like authentication apps, FIDO authentication, and passkeys. If your team uses SMS for 2FA, consider switching to more secure methods to protect sensitive information. https://www.newsnationnow.com/business/tech/fbi-warns-against-using-two-factor-text-authentication/ 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 Article Published: December 27th, 2024

Weekly Marketing Rundown - December 20th, 2024 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we will discuss using the Tiktok ban, Meta's struggles with legal battles and bans of it's platforms, Thread's growth and more.  Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Congress Pressures Apple and Google to Ban TikTok by January Congress Pressures Apple and Google to Ban TikTok by January Congress is urging Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores by January, citing national security concerns. Lawmakers argue the app poses risks due to its ties to China through parent company ByteDance, which could allow user data access by the Chinese government. This demand intensifies ongoing scrutiny of TikTok, particularly as previous efforts to ban the app stalled. While TikTok denies sharing data with China, Congress remains firm, emphasizing that action must be taken to protect U.S. users. Apple and Google have yet to respond publicly to the request. https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2024/12/13/congress-warns-apple-and-google-they-must-ban-tiktok-in-january/ Most Downloaded Apps of the month – November 2024 AppFigures reports the latest global app download trends, highlighting the top-performing apps across iOS and Android. • Top 5 apps overall: Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, Facebook, and ChatGPT continue to dominate. • Emerging trends: CapCut, Meta’s Threads, and WhatsApp maintain steady growth, while utility and AI- powered apps see increased downloads. For mission teams leveraging digital strategies, Meta’s sustained dominance makes it a compelling platform to consider. Read the full article and see the chart here: https://appfigures.com/resources/insights/20241213?f=4 Meta Fined for Security Breach Meta was fined $263 million for a 2018 security breach that exposed personal data of 3 million EU users. The breach happened due to weak protections for sensitive information like phone numbers and emails, highlighting the importance of digital privacy. This underscores the importance of being able to adapt. The platforms we use change frequently and are at the mercy of data laws and regulations. https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/17/meta-fined-263m-over-2018-security-breach-that-affected-3m-eu-users/ Scotland Bans WhatsApp on Government Phones The Scottish government has banned WhatsApp on official phones after an external review revealed that important messages were deleted during the pandemic. Just as with the previous entry - this underscores the importance of being able to adapt as these platforms face scrutiny and the legal environment changes. https://www.politico.eu/article/scotland-uk-bans-whatsapp-on-government-phones Threads Reaches 300M Active Users Threads, Meta’s Twitter alternative, has hit 300 million active users. This rapid growth highlights its popularity as a platform for sharing short posts, images, and videos, as it gains traction in the wake of Twitter’s changes. While Threads currently doesn’t have paid advertising, there are plans to introduce it in the future, providing new opportunities for paid digital engagement strategies. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/threads-twitter-clone-reaches-300-million-users/735724/ 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 Article Published: December 20th, 2024

In this episode, Jon will be sharing his observations and thoughts around the concept of "speed" in ministry. Is it rabbits or elephants? Can we have urgency and not bow down to the cult of speed? Hear his thoughts and applications to digital engagement. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/Ihsyf7XLQ8E

In this episode, Jon will be sharing about some major changes that Meta is starting in January of 2025 that "may" have a major impact on your digital engagement efforts. He shares about the changes and what he thinks you can do to prepare. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/5nqH7sBF_aw

Weekly Marketing Rundown - December 6th, 2024 Hi everyone! In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown we will discuss using Youtube's new creative tools, WhatsApp dropping of older devices, Reddit's international goals and more.  YouTube’s New AI Tools Aim to Beat Creative Blocks YouTube is testing AI-powered tools to help creators brainstorm video ideas, draft scripts, and generate image or voice assets. These features aim to streamline the content creation process and assist creators who may struggle with creative blocks or need to speed up production. For mission teams, these tools could be a game-changer for producing their own engaging, Gospel-centered content efficiently. By using AI to generate ideas and assets, teams can maintain a steady flow of content, especially when inspiration runs low. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/youtube-previews-ai-tools-to-overcome-creative-blocks/533862/   WhatsApp to Drop Support for Older iPhones in May 2025 Starting May 2025, WhatsApp will no longer work on iPhones running iOS 14 or earlier. Users with older devices like the iPhone 6 or earlier models will no longer be able to utilize WhatsApp. Mission teams that have integrated WhatsApp into their digital engagement efforts may see a large drop in messages from users with older devices. If older devices are common in the field they are serving, strategies may have to be adjusted. https://www.macrumors.com/2024/12/02/whatsapp-drop-support-older-iphones-may-2025/   Meta Shares How AI Tools Improve Ad Performance Meta’s data claims that ads using its AI-powered tools perform significantly better. For example, campaigns using Advantage+ shopping ads saw a 32% increase in return on ad spend. Additionally, advertisers using AI-powered creative tools noted a 7% boost in conversion rates. These features optimize ad placement and designs, making them more engaging and effective. In our own testing Advantage+ Audiences has indeed led to lower costs and better performance. It is possible that these Advantage+ creative tools could bring similar performance increases. However, we have yet to be able to confirm this in our testing. It should also be noted that tools such as the text improvements could heavily alter your ad copy and do not always perform well in languages other than English. Teams should test these tools before rolling them out at scale. Several of these tools were addressed in episode 270 of our Christian Media Marketing Podcast. You can watch/listen to that here. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-shares-insight-into-the-performance-of-its-ai-based-ad-elements/734328/   Reddit Targets Global Growth in Key Markets Reddit is expanding in the UK, India, Brazil, and the Philippines to grow its international user base. It’s focusing on localizing content and increasing language support to better engage users in these regions. As Reddit improves accessibility with translations, it could be a valuable platform to test for digital engagement strategies, especially in regions with growing online communities. https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/28/reddit-looks-to-uk-india-brazil-and-the-philippines-to-spur-international-growth/ Meta Expands Traffic Campaign Options Meta now allows advertisers to target Facebook, Instagram, or both, in Traffic campaigns as a conversion location. Previously, one could only select an Instagram profile. This update is being rolled out slowly. https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/facebook-conversion-location-for-traffic-campaigns/ 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 Article Published: December 6th, 2024

In this episode, Jon will be sharing about a few different options on how to leverage AI in your online responding within Digital Engagement. From ChatGPT, Gemini, Chatbase.co, FaithCoPilot, etc. there are many options and ways we can leverage these tools to increase the quality and quantity of our online responding. To watch this training, go here: https://youtu.be/7pDMx7ajba0