The Latest News From Melon Local
Stay in the know with the latest news in digital marketing, best practices and updates from Melon Local.
How AI Determines Which Business Is the Best
You know your business is the best. But when someone asks AI (Artificial Intelligence) for the best business nearby, does your name come up? And if another business gets recommended, what made AI choose it over yours? Let’s look at how ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity find business information and
Interview with an Agent: Julie Hahn
North Carolina Insurance Agent Julie Hahn always understood the necessity of smart marketing when she opened her first agency in 2009 — whether it be through internet leads, organic search optimization or social media. Fast-forward to 2022, and Julie has opened another successful agency with a new company in the competitive Charlotte-metro area — but something was missing. She had the drive, but what she really needed was the right
Melon Spotlight: Natalie Nunez
From the moment she joined our team as a Social Media Content Creator, Natalie Nunez has been a valuable force for helping not only our agents establish and elevate their social media game, but Melon Local’s as well. Always in the know with the latest social media trends, her creative eye and knack for helping our clients stand out in their local markets have made her a truly One in
How AI Is Changing Insurance Consumer Behavior
With predictive algorithms and personalization tools, artificial intelligence (AI) is more than a buzzword. This emerging tech is redefining the behaviors and expectations of today’s digital shoppers. For business owners, staying ahead in the digital marketing space means adapting to these shifts while understanding where the industry is heading. What AI Platforms Are Leading the Way? From OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Co-Pilot, these advanced AI platforms are
Year-Over-Year Strategies for 2025 and Beyond
The start of a new year is the perfect time for fresh ideas, new goals and taking note of what’s worked and what hasn’t. The truth is, reviewing your year-over-year performance can feel like comparing apples to melons. So how can you measure success and set yourself up for a thriving 2025? Understand the Shifting Market Dynamics Competition is heating up in the insurance industry, it’s no longer enough to
FTC’s New Rule for Fake Reviews Officially in Effect
How New Federal Rule Affects Business Reviews In case you missed it, a federal rule banning fake reviews recently went into effect. The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) new rule — originally issued in August 2024 — officially went into effect in October. According to the FTC, this new rule now holds businesses accountable for posting or purchasing fake reviews, including those from people who don’t exist or have never engaged
Soaring Eagle Founder Shares Excitement About 2025 Event
As the COVID-19 pandemic redefined the professional landscape in 2020, Michigan insurance agent David Arce realized a significant void in networking and educational opportunities for agents. His recognition of the need for in-person connection and shared growth among insurance agents inspired Arce to found the Soaring Eagle Agent Study Group to continue fostering agency growth. “The core of it was just about agents sharing with each other,” says Arce. “Being
5 Things I Love About Melon Local – Feat. Trevor McBride
Portland, OR-area insurance agent Trevor McBride had already been running his agency for nearly seven years before coming across Melon Local. Previously, he’d tried working with other marketing companies but didn’t quite find the fruitful partnership he needed for his digital presence. Despite only joining us in February, Trevor has grown to love Melon Local for a number of reasons, including our personalized approach to digital marketing and transformative workshops.
Melon Spotlight: Cian Murphy
As one of our Paid Search Managers, Cian Murphy’s impact on Melon Local’s digital ad campaigns is tremendous. He’s a go-to expert for fine-tuning budgets, optimizing ads and implementing strategic adjustments to keep thousands of campaigns delivering fresh, quality leads for our agents. We took some time to speak to Cian to learn more about his meticulous approach to paid search, the rewarding challenges of his role and what he
Beware of These 13 Digital Marketing Scare Tactics
The digital marketing world is filled with hidden traps and misleading claims designed to exploit your fears. But the reality is that most of these claims aren’t just exaggerated — they can be misleading. Let’s unmask some of these spooky scare tactics used by other marketing companies and talk about how Melon Local uses facts over fear in our approach to digital marketing. 1. Guaranteed Placement On Google Ranking If
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5 Things I Love About Melon Local – Feat. Sati Soulakhian
Motivated by her passion for helping others and shaped by her upbringing in a hard-working immigrant family from Armenia, Sati Soulakhian knew she was on the right path when she opened her insurance office in Glendale, CA, in 2022. Her journey hasn’t been without its challenges—especially when it came to finding a digital marketing agency that truly understood her needs and local market. Fortunately, Sati found a fruitful partnership with
Converting Insurance Leads to Customers: Follow-Up Best Practices
You’ve invested in your paid search leads, but are they actually paying off? As Ernie said in our Melon Minute video above, you may not realize it, but quality leads may be hiding in plain sight, including places like day-to-day conversations with customers, your social media and Yelp. Let’s take a deeper dive into our lead follow-up tips so you can start closing more leads than ever before! Tip 1:
How Long Does it Take to Improve Organic Search Results
Have you wondered how long it takes to grow your business’s organic search ranking? The truth is, there’s no clear consensus on this. Typically, it can take anywhere between 3–12 months to notice an improvement in your organic search results, but this can be contingent on a number of different factors — some in your control, others not so much. Let’s explore what factors influence your organic ranking and dispel
Melon Spotlight: Kieran Taylor
Say hello to our August 2024 Melon Spotlight, Kieran Taylor! As our first-ever Client Success Assistant, Kieran has played an instrumental role in providing additional support for our agents and Client Success team, including helping with the onboarding process, optimizing Google Business Profiles, resolving map issues and assisting with reputation management. Watch our conversation with her to learn more about what she most enjoys about working at Melon Local and
How to Address One-Star Online Business Reviews
As a business owner, feedback should always be welcomed, but what should you do when you get a negative review? Digital feedback can be very influential for your business, considering over 75.5 percent of consumers put their trust in online reviews. We talked about what to do in the video up above, but now let’s debunk some common myths, as well as what it takes to remove unwanted negative reviews.
Interview with an Agent: Bryan Nowlin
After spending four years learning about the ins and outs of insurance while working for his cousin’s agency, Bryan Nowlin fell in love with the industry and felt compelled to open his Fort Worth, TX agency in 2022. Having seen firsthand the success and results Melon Local was able to deliver while working as an insurance representative, he knew it only made sense to go with us for his own
Client Success Story with Christina Shields
From delivering results for her clients to managing her own team’s marketing strategies, Director of Client Success and Client Relations Christina Shields plays a crucial role in forming fruitful relationships with all our clients at Melon Local. We caught up with Christina to learn more about how she “ex-seeds” expectations across the board. Need someone in your corner like Christina? Schedule a demo today!
How Insurance Agents Can Maximize Social Media Engagement
Social media isn’t just about posting content — it’s about engaging with your audience to build relationships, trust and, ultimately, your business. But what does engagement look like on different platforms? Let’s dive into what engagement looks like across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. Community Building and Interaction on Facebook Facebook’s engagement is driven by likes, comments, shares and group interactions. It’s a platform where community building is not just
How Social Media and Organic Search Benefit Each Other
The intersection of social media and organic search optimization isn’t just a crossroad — it’s a digital superhighway to growing your business. Leveraging the strengths of both these digital realms can propel your online visibility to new heights, drive more traffic and, ultimately, help you dominate your local market. Let’s explore how these two powerful forces can be utilized together to grow your business! How Social Media Enhances Organic Search