The Latest News From Melon Local
Stay in the know with the latest news in digital marketing, best practices and updates from Melon Local.
4 Questions to Ask Before Granting GBP Access
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the most valuable digital assets your business owns. It’s often the first thing potential customers see when they search for your business, making it a key driver of organic calls, website visits and foot traffic. In fact, a fully optimized GBP gets
RECAP: Melon Local Celebrates Bring Your Child to Work Day
Bring Your Child to Work Day officially took over the Melon Local office on April 23, and for a few hours, our usual crew of marketers, strategists and Client Success pros shared the spotlight with some very important guests — the future generation of Melon leaders! Throughout the morning, 14 kids ages 4–11 got a behind-the-scenes look at life at Melon Local, starting with an office tour where they met
What to Know About Google’s Review Response Update
Did you know you may be replying to Google business reviews without realizing your responses never went live? Google has quietly introduced a new moderation layer for business review replies — meaning responses can now be delayed, filtered or rejected before ever appearing publicly on Search or Maps. Here’s what’s changing, and what your business should do about it. How is Google Now Moderating Reviews? Before this update, Google review
You’re Invited to Melon Local’s Open House
Heading to Las Vegas during the week of May 11? You don’t want to miss Melon Local’s Open House! Don’t think of this as just another stop on your trip — it’s a chance to experience Melon Local up close and personal. From May 11-12, we’re opening our doors just minutes from the Strip and giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how everything comes together. The strategies, the people and
Melon Spotlight: Raya McCracken
As a Client Success Manager, Raya McCracken brings positivity, consistency and a genuine commitment to helping her clients succeed every day. She thrives in the day-to-day, balancing communication, strategy and support to ensure each client feels confident and taken care of. From managing accounts to building strong relationships, Raya plays a key role in delivering the Melon experience with care and intention. We caught up with Raya to talk about
Why Your Business Needs to Be on Social Media
There was a time when social media felt like a “nice to have.” Something you’d get to after your website was polished, your ads were running and your referrals were steady. These days, however, it’s no longer optional for businesses to be present on social media. Social media isn’t competing with your marketing strategy — it is your visibility strategy. And if you’re not showing up consistently, you’re handing opportunities
Melon Spotlight: Edgar Serrano Ramos
As a Director of Client Success, Edgar brings strong leadership, steady focus and a genuine commitment to both his team and the clients he supports every day. He leads with intention, working closely with Client Success Managers to refine processes, strengthen communication and ensure every account is set up for long-term success. From guiding strategy to supporting day-to-day wins, Edgar helps keep the entire client experience running smoothly while continuing
Inc. Ranks Melon Local at No. 15 in Rocky Mountain Regionals
Melon Local is proud to announce it’s been ranked No. 15 on Inc. Magazine’s 2026 Regionals: Rocky Mountain list of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the region. An extension of the national Inc. 5000, the Regionals list offers a data-driven look at the independent businesses driving growth across the Rocky Mountain economy. This year’s list includes 69 companies across Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah and Colorado, with each selected
AIO vs. GEO: What’s the Difference in AI Search?
SEO is no longer just about ranking on Google. Today, businesses also need to appear in AI-generated summaries, map results, voice search answers and generative responses that may not show traditional search listings at all. That shift has introduced two important strategies businesses need to understand: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO). While the terms sound similar, they serve different roles in helping businesses stay visible in
Website Traffic but No Leads? Here’s What’s Going On
If your website traffic is going up but calls, form fills, or bookings aren’t following, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common frustrations we hear from local service businesses. And it’s usually extra confusing because on the surface, it feels like things should be working. People are finding your site and clicking through pages. So why aren’t the leads pouring in? Let’s break down what’s actually
Latest Blog Posts
Photo Best Practices for Google Business Profile
A picture can really be worth a thousand words, especially when it comes to the photos you choose to upload on your Google Business Profile (GBP). Well, at least according to the search engine, businesses that add photos to their GBPs receive 42 percent more requests for directions on Google Maps and 35 percent more clicks through to their websites than businesses that don’t. Although images don’t directly influence your
10 Strategies for Higher Performing Google Ads
In the fiercely competitive digital insurance marketing space, the secret to making your Google ads stand out isn’t just a hefty budget — it’s through strategic planning and understanding the search engine’s Quality and Optimization Score system. Let’s dive into how Google measures the quality and optimization of an ad and some strategies you can incorporate into your paid search campaigns. How Google’s Quality & Optimization Score System Works Think
Gemini vs. ChatGPT: Which AI Program is Better?
The tech world witnessed an “artificial intelligence (AI) spring” in 2023 with the rise of OpenAI’s ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4. Amid this wave of innovative language models, Google’s Gemini AI launched as a formidable contender to ChatGPT, sparking a debate on which AI titan holds the crown in the digital marketing space. Leveraging cutting-edge technology is key to staying ahead for insurance agents, raising the question: Will ChatGPT or Gemini reign
6 Ways to Leverage Community Involvement for Backlinks
In the competitive world of insurance, fostering connections within your community goes beyond handshakes or sponsoring local sports teams. Picture transforming these personal, face-to-face interactions into powerful tools that enhance your online visibility through strategic backlinks. Let’s take a dive into how active participation in your community can open doors to numerous backlinking opportunities and potentially level up your Google ranking! Why Do Backlinks Matter? Think of backlinks — hyperlinks
Inc. Ranks Melon Local at No. 5 in Rocky Mountain Regionals
Melon Local is proud to announce we were ranked No. 5 on Inc. Magazine’s fourth annual Regionals: Rocky Mountain list for the fastest-growing privately owned businesses in the region.This is among 72 other regional companies from Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. “It’s incredibly rewarding and a bit surreal to see our team’s effort and innovation recognized by Inc. Regionals,” said Melon Local CEO and Co-founder Whitney Green-Olson. “From our
Interview with an Agent: Michael Popwell
Before opening his own agency in 2020, Michael Popwell honed his skills for six years under the mentorship of an experienced agent. One pivotal lesson he absorbed was the critical role of digital marketing in the modern business landscape. As he prepared to launch his insurance office in Suwannee, GA, Michael recognized that a well-crafted marketing strategy was essential for standing out in the competitive environment of the Atlanta metro
How Melon Local Leverages Artificial Intelligence
If you’ve sat through a sales demo with an insurance marketing agency in the past year, you might have listened to them touting the extra edge they have through utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). With the global AI insurance market on track to hit nearly $46 billion by 2031, AI will become just as necessary to our industry as any other technology. But here’s the thing: while many agencies are just
5 Things I Love About Melon Local – Feat. Joey Eades
Joey Eades began his professional journey as an insurance team member in West Virginia in 2013, where he discovered his true passion for forging connections and a desire to open his own agency. In August 2017, his dream came to fruition when he was presented with the chance to establish himself as an agent in the quaint town of Appomattox, VA — an opportunity he has cherished every day since.
Fireside Chat with Whitney Green-Olson, CEO
We already know the bar was set high, but it’s safe to say last year was truly One in a Melon. Our journey through 2023 was marked by phenomenal growth and accolades that underscored our commitment to excellence: Our community of agents grew to nearly 2,000 agencies, a milestone that speaks volumes about the trust and confidence in our services. We managed a whopping $20 million in client ad spend,