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
How to Respond to Reviews at Your Agency
We probably don’t have to tell you that reviews are important to your business, but just in case you missed it, we’ll say it again. Reviews are important to your business! In fact, an incredible 93% of people say that online reviews have impacted their purchasing decisions. To capture the attention of an increasingly online crowd, you’ll need to wow on review sites. Getting reviews isn’t the only factor necessary
What is the Google Algorithm, Anyway?
Our Las Vegas roots tell us it’d be a smart bet to put money on where your insurance agency’s clients come from. Primarily, you’re getting word-of-mouth referrals from previous happy clients. And the second-largest group is from Google searches for “insurance agency” or “insurance agent near me”, right? If so, you’re doing something right. If not, it’s probably time for some adjustments to your insurance agency marketing plan. Either way,
Interview with an Agent: Mike Paffhausen
Prior to becoming an insurance agent, Mike Paffhausen lived another life as a civil engineer working in water resources and environmental services. However, with a family full of agents, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the insurance industry was his calling. Flashforward, Mike is a captive agent with six years under his belt at his Butte, Montana agency. Throughout his years in the industry, Mike has counted himself lucky to
Spring Cleaning for Your Marketing Campaigns
It’s official! We’re now in Q2 of 2021. Where has the time gone?! Now that quarter one is behind us, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the performance of insurance marketing campaigns past. Here at Melon Local, we provide our clients with monthly updates on their insurance marketing campaigns. However, it’s important to remember that some campaigns take a little more time than others to yield results (such as
5 Business Tips for New Insurance Agents
Our expertise may be in digital marketing for insurance agents, but we know there’s more to building your business than gaining new leads. So, we caught up with multi-office insurance agent Chris Jones from Bothell, WA to pick his brain about growing a new insurance agency. With years of experience, a large team, and multiple offices, Chris knows a thing or two about what it takes to thrive in the
How to Optimize Local Directory Listings
Online local directory listings are essentially an advanced, tech-age version of the Yellow Pages. These websites help people find business information, compare companies, and browse reviews so they can get the goods or services they need. If you’ve searched for a local business using a query like “Thai food near me” or “plumbing services in Bend, OR”, then you’ve likely come across local business directory listings. As a local business,
What Makes a Good Advertisement?
We’re surrounded with advertising every day. Between logos on t-shirts, social media ads, and mailers from our favorite fast-food chains, they’re almost impossible to avoid! As someone who comes across various types of ads on a daily basis, you probably have opinions about what is and isn’t effective. But have you thought about the why behind this interest or aversion? While there isn’t a fool-proof formula for creating great ads,
How to Get Customers to Fall for Your Agency
Marketing is a little like dating. The goal is to attract new leads in hopes that the connection turns into a long-time customer relationship. While digital marketing is an ever-evolving landscape of strategies, there are a few time-tested industry truths that can help you bolster your business online. Let’s go over some essential insurance marketing ideas that can help you win the hearts of new customers. Attract customers with your
What are Keywords and Why do They Matter?
If you’ve looked up how to improve your Google ranking, how to market locally, or how to attract more leads to your business, you’ve probably seen one concept come up time and time again… keywords. But what exactly is a keyword anyway? Today we’re going back to basics to dissect the meaning of keywords in marketing and how they impact your insurance marketing efforts. What are Keywords? Keywords are words