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

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Whitney Green-Olson reflects on Melon Local's third year in business during a year-in-review recap

Highlights from Melon Local’s Third Year in Business

Wow, where do I even start with all the amazing things we accomplished at Melon Local last year?  As CEO of Melon Local, I can definitely say 2022 was a milestone year for our company. Reflecting on 2022, some of our most notable highlights include: Celebrating three years of fruitful partnerships  Adding 600+ individual agents & offices as clients Achieving Google Premier Partner status (top 3% in the U.S.) Reaching

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Portrait of insurance agent Chasidy Murphy featured in Melon Local's Interview with an Agent series

Interview with an Agent: Chasidy Murphy

If you live in Trophy Club, TX, chances are you’ve probably seen insurance agent Chasidy Murphy cruise around in her agency-branded Jeep.  After spending years working in corporate roles, Chasidy felt the urge to carve a new career path for herself and opened her Trophy Club insurance agency in 2016.  When it came to marketing her insurance agency, she originally signed up with a marketing company that didn’t quite get

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Woman using a smartphone with a Google Maps location pin, representing Google Maps' new Neighborhood Vibe feature

Google Maps to Embrace New ‘Neighborhood Vibe’ Feature

Google is bringing some new ‘vibes’ to Google Maps. During its recent annual ‘Search On’ event, Google announced a new feature called “Neighborhood Vibe,” which will highlight the most popular and hottest destinations across different neighborhoods. The new addition to Google Maps will be made possible by combining AI with local content from Maps users, including info taken from Google.  “When you’re looking at the map of an area, we

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Professional using a laptop and digital marketing tools to manage social media and online marketing efforts

Organic Search vs. Paid Search in Insurance Marketing

When marketing your insurance agency, you may ask yourself if it’s better to get leads through organic search or paid search. While 68 percent of online experiences begin with a search engine, the results from organic and paid search can vastly influence people’s purchasing decisions in different ways.  Not sure where to start? Here are the benefits of going with either an organic or paid search campaign: Organic Search Benefits

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Graphic highlighting 15 reasons insurance agents choose Melon Local for digital marketing services

15 Reasons Melon Local Can’t Be Beat

We’re not like other digital marketing agencies. We’ve planted roots, gained expertise, and established fruitful partnerships in the insurance industry – and only the insurance industry.  While it might be convincing enough to hear we are in the top three percent of Google Partners in the United States as a Google Premier Partner, there are plenty of reasons why we’re your one-stop shop for insurance marketing needs.  In fact, we’re

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Frustrated business owner working on a laptop after experiencing a Google Business Profile suspension issue

How to Address Google Business Profile Suspensions

While having a Google Business Profile (GBP) is a must for boosting your insurance agency’s search engine rankings, having an account can come with complications.  Your GBP can become suspended if you’re not adhering to Google’s guidelines. It is also possible for your account to face suspension due to an internal problem at Google. Even more frustrating is that Google often won’t provide any clear reason for why your account

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Portrait of Joe Nguyen, President of the Asian Hustle Network Association (AHA), featured in a Melon Local interview

Melon Local Interviews AHA President Joe Nguyen

Insurance agent Joe Nguyen and a group of 30 agents came together in Las Vegas, NV for the first-ever Agents Hosting Agents conference in 2005.  Realizing the value agents could gain from in-person networking events like AHA, Nguyen decided to turn the conference into a non-profit organization that has since hosted over several thousand attendees. Now with their fifth conference planned for April 19-21, 2023 in Anaheim, CA, we caught

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Connected profile icons illustrating LinkedIn networking and professional relationship building for insurance marketing

20 Ways to Use LinkedIn in Your Insurance Marketing Strategy

LinkedIn is more than just an online resume — it can be a useful tool for diversifying your insurance marketing strategy.  LinkedIn has over 850 million users and 58 million companies listed on its site, making it a great way to connect with potential customers and business partners. Check out our 20 marketing tips on how to effectively use LinkedIn as an insurance agent! 1. Build Your Brand As an

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Portrait of insurance agent Chris Ferraro Jr. featured in Melon Local's Interview with an Agent series

Interview with an Agent: Chris Ferraro Jr.

The Ferraro name is well known in the insurance world, with over 19 family members working as agents across the country. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Chris Ferraro Jr. is seeking to make a name for himself as a third-generation insurance agent in San Clemente, CA.  Originally starting as a team member for his dad’s office in Mission Viejo, Chris fell in love with the industry before opening

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Latest Blog Posts

Kris Plaat, Paid Search Manager at Melon Local, featured in a “Melon of the Month” spotlight graphic.

Melon Spotlight: Kris Plaat

Meet Kris Plaat — one of our dedicated Paid Search Managers! From optimizing bids to refining targeting, Kris ensures our campaigns deliver high-quality leads. We asked Kris about his behind-the-scenes role and what — besides coffee — fuels his passion for paid search. Ready to see how Kris and the rest of our paid search team can elevate your business? Schedule a demo today and experience a fresher approach to

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Juan Calix, insurance agent, sharing five things he loves about working with Melon Local and its marketing services

5 Things I Love About Melon Local – Feat. Juan Calix

Altamonte Springs, FL insurance agent Juan Calix built his agency from the ground up during one of the most uncertain times — June 2020, in the middle of the COVID pandemic. But instead of seeing obstacles, he saw opportunity. With a mindset rooted in growth and an unwavering commitment to his community, Juan quickly turned challenges into wins, proving that success is about perspective and persistence. Five years later, Juan’s

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Melon Local team member sharing updates on missing Google reviews and the Google Business Profile review count issue affecting local businesses

What to Know About Google Review Count Issue

If you’ve noticed that some of your Google reviews have vanished, you’re not the only one. Businesses across multiple industries have voiced concerns about missing or delayed reviews on their Google Business Profiles. Although some have lost only a few, others have seen dozens of reviews seemingly disappear from their profiles. Some businesses have also noticed their review count isn’t adding up correctly, even though the reviews themselves are still

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Professional magician Robert Strong performing a card trick during a team-building workshop at Melon Local.

Business Meets Magic: Robert Strong Visits Melon Local

Recently, Melon Local welcomed Robert Strong — magician, author and keynote speaker — to inspire our team with his unique blend of magic and business insight. With over 30 years of experience captivating audiences worldwide, Robert isn’t just about sleight of hand — he’s about creating moments that leave lasting impressions. His philosophy aligns perfectly with what we do at Melon Local: delivering extraordinary experiences that delight and inspire. During

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Melon Local team member sharing digital marketing best practices and common mistakes businesses should avoid in 2025

Digital Marketing Dos and Don’ts for 2025

While there are many approaches to digital marketing in 2025 that will elevate your brand to the next level, others may hinder your progress. With the new year in full swing, it’s time to focus on strategies that deliver results and leave outdated practices behind. From mastering local optimization to leveraging data, let’s dive into the dos and don’ts that will keep your business fresh and relevant. Do Focus on

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Sarah Levitz, Client Success Manager at Melon Local, featured in a “Melon of the Month” spotlight graphic.

Melon Spotlight: Sarah Levitz

Since joining our Melon Patch, Client Success Manager Sarah Levitz has proven herself to be an invaluable part of our team. Known for her positive attitude and her knack for “mom jokes,” she’s not just winning people over with her personality — Sarah’s delivering quality results. Curious about what keeps Sarah motivated and how she helps agents achieve their digital marketing goals? Stay tuned to discover why she’s passionate about

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Whitney Green-Olson raising a glass beside a microphone during Melon Local’s 2025 Fireside Chat graphic.

Fireside Chat with Melon Local’s CEO: 2025 Edition

We already know the bar was set high, but it’s safe to say 2024 was no ordinary year for Melon Local. Despite a challenging landscape filled with fluctuating market conditions, we proved once again that we’re leaders in the digital marketing space. Notably, our journey last year was highlighted by some incredible “Melonstones” for our Patch and leadership: We maintained our Google Premier Partner status for another year, reinforcing our

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Woman pointing to a smartphone beside the headline “New Year, New Feed” on a Melon Local social media strategy blog graphic.

How to Strategize Your Social Media for Success in 2025

Is refreshing your social media part of your 2025 resolution?  With a new year right around the corner, now’s your chance to reimagine how your business resonates across people’s feeds. From refining your content calendar to embracing cutting-edge trends, this is your moment to hit “refresh” on your social media. Let’s talk about what you need to do to ensure you’re relevant and top-of-mind in your local market! Look Back

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Melon Local team members discussing the FCC's new lead generation rule and its impact on marketing compliance and customer outreach

What to Know About the FCC’s New Lead Generation Rule

A new federal rule tightening regulations on lead generation, as well as robocalls and robotexts is set to go into effect January 27, 2025. The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) new rule — originally adopted in December 2023 — aims to protect consumers from scam communications by closing loopholes in the lead generation industry and strengthening text messaging regulations. According to the FCC, these changes address vulnerabilities in robotext defenses, making

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