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
Latest Blog Posts
The Power of Positivity at Melon Local
From earning our Google Premier Partner status in early 2022 to increasing the number of our clients from 200 to 1,500 over a two-year period, we owe the majority of our success to creating a positive environment inside and outside our office! “Our culture is what has set Melon Local apart during and after the Covid remote work era,” says our CEO Whitney Green. “I have always been passionate about
Utilizing Your Google Business Profile as an Insurance Agent
Having a fully optimized Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the most important things you can do as part of your insurance marketing strategy. There’s no reason not to have a GBP, considering Google is the most visited website and search engine in the world, and it’s free to create. Think of your profile as a Yellow Pages listing that features everything people need to know about your business,
Interview with an Agent: Dennis Holland
Before becoming an insurance agent, Dennis Holland had a rewarding 10-year career in credit lending. However, when the owners decided to shut things down, Dennis found a new career working for a friend and insurance agent in Alpharetta, GA. Three years later, he was given the opportunity to take over a retiring agent’s office in nearby Cumming, GA. Since opening his agency on June 1, 2021, Dennis has been able
Search Ads Versus Display Ads in Insurance Advertising
When it comes to incorporating online ads in your insurance advertising campaigns, having the right display and search ads can make a difference in growing your agency. While both of these ad formats should be utilized by your agency, they each have specific advantages for different types of campaigns. You can also waste a decent chunk of your advertising budget if you’re not using the right ad types for your
20 Ways to Use Instagram in Your Insurance Marketing Strategy
With over 1 billion users across the globe, Instagram is one of the most popular social media networks in the world and one of the best social media platforms to implement your insurance marketing strategy. Besides being a popular outlet for sharing video and photo content, it’s one of the biggest platforms for digital marketing, with over an outstanding 25 million active business accounts. If that’s not convincing enough for
Interview with an Agent: Dave Christy
Washington insurance agent Dave Christy is a “numbers guy” at heart. Originally from Columbus, OH, Dave moved to Washington during high school and graduated from Washington State University with a focus in Math and Communications. After graduation, he put his skills to the test as a stockbroker for several years before becoming a licensed insurance agent in 1994. Following the success of his first agency in Spokane Valley, WA, he
4 Do’s and Don’ts of Using Insurance Keywords
Using the right insurance marketing keywords can make a difference in how well your agency’s website ranks in search engines and can impact your leads. If you’re not familiar with what keywords are, think of them as GPS coordinates for your Search Engine Optimization or Organic Search Optimization campaigns that help people reach your content online. Having the right keywords can determine how popular your website is in search algorithms. Search
6 Ways You Can Generate Reviews for Your Insurance Agency
As part of your insurance marketing strategy and online reputation management, generating and encouraging online reviews is essential. Online review statistics have shown over 54 percent of online shoppers read at least four product reviews before purchasing a product. Having a substantial number of positive reviews is crucial for adding credibility to your agency’s reputation. On the other hand, negative reviews can also help you determine any unmet needs of
What to Know About Google’s Responsive Search Ads
Google will no longer serve new expanded text ads starting June 30, 2022 The world of paid advertising is constantly evolving, especially with Google, which is continuously updating how it runs its ad programs. If your business revolves around insurance marketing – let alone any kind of marketing – you should be aware of Google’s plans to scrap expanded text ads to instead focus on responsive search ads on June