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

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Customer using a smartphone to leave a five-star review for a business

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

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Person using a tablet to perform a Google search, representing search engine optimization and online visibility

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

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Portrait of insurance agent Kira Schnell-Harrison featured in Melon Local's Interview with an Agent series

Interview with an Agent: Kira Schnell-Harrison

Before she became an insurance agent, Kira Schnell-Harrison was a competitive synchronized figure skater. Kira grew up ice skating in Wisconsin and, at one point, qualified for Team USA. After her skating career, she worked in various roles in the consumer goods industry before opening her Chicago-area insurance agency in 2019.  Although she doesn’t compete anymore, she still coaches ice skating and applies the same experience to managing her insurance

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Woman holding a magnifying glass and laptop to represent organic search optimization and SEO research

What is Organic Search Optimization?

You’ve likely heard of Search Engine Optimization, but have you ever heard of Organic Search Optimization? If not, we’d love to explain! Melon Local offers an exclusive Organic Search Optimization (OSO) insurance marketing package which can boost your web presence by focusing on your organic content.  There are many ways your insurance agency can benefit from this package, including being listed in the most popular business directory listings and having

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Woman reacting to Facebook notifications on a smartphone, representing audience engagement and social media interaction on Facebook

20 Ways to Use Facebook in Your Insurance Marketing Strategy

If there’s any social media that’s necessary for your insurance marketing strategy, it’s Facebook.  With over 2.45 billion monthly users, Facebook is a great platform for making fun and engaging insurance social media posts. It also has the power to boost your agency’s visibility, drive leads, add value to your customers and strengthen your relationship with them and your local community.  Whether you’re just starting off or you’ve been using

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Portrait of insurance agent Kevin Hayward featured in Melon Local's Interview with an Agent series

Interview with an Agent: Kevin Hayward

Kevin Hayward originally envisioned himself as a newspaper writer. He studied communication and was an active freelance writer for his local newspaper, but soon realized he had a passion for the insurance industry.  After earning his bachelor’s degree, Kevin entered the insurance world as a claims agent in 2007. He worked his way up the company ladder and became a public affairs specialist and wrote articles for the insurance company’s

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Business professional holding a computer keyboard to represent choosing an SEO-friendly domain name for a website

7 Tips for Choosing an SEO-Friendly Domain Name

Having an SEO-friendly domain name can make a huge difference in the overall success of your insurance agency’s marketing strategy. So, why is it so crucial for your insurance agency to choose the right domain name? Well, it helps:  Define your brand Increase your click-through rate Generate more leads Boost your traffic Give credibility to your agency If your domain is too long or complicated, chances are it will be

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Smiling customer expressing appreciation for a positive business experience

10 Ways Your Insurance Agency Can Show Customer Appreciation

Just because your insurance agency sells someone a new policy doesn’t mean that things end there. The insurance industry is all about nurturing long-term relationships, and like any healthy relationship, there needs to be a balance of mutual appreciation between you and your customers.  Reciprocity is crucial to your agency’s long-term success and, in turn, makes your customers more likely to return the favor through additional sales, reviews and referrals.

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Google Premier Partner graphic featuring the Google logo and Melon Local branding celebrating Melon Local's 2022 Premier Partner status

Melon Local Named 2022 Google Premier Partner

All of us at Melon Local are ecstatic to announce that our insurance marketing agency has achieved 2022 Google Premier Partner status in the Google Partners program! Okay, so what does this mean exactly? It means Google now ranks Melon Local in the top 3% of all Google Partners and distinguishes us as a top industry performer. That’s a pretty big deal! This February, Google recognized the achievements of Melon

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Latest Blog Posts

Chad Stevens, Melon Local Software Engineering Manager, is featured with a headshot for a Melon Spotlight about his career with Melon Local.

Melon Spotlight: Chad Stevens

Even though he’s usually working remotely 400 miles away from our Las Vegas HQ, Chad’s behind-the-scenes impact on The Patch has made him an invaluable part of Melon Local’s success. As our Software Engineering Manager, he helps transform big ideas into scalable solutions that keep our systems running smoothly. Thoughtful, steady and always focused on finding the best path forward, his work may happen behind the scenes, but its impact

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Melon Spotlight: Michael Long

Meet our latest Melon Spotlight, Michael Long, our Principal of Paid Search Analytics & Optimization. After previously being featured as a Melon Spotlight during his time as Director of Client Success, Michael has continued to grow alongside Melon Local, stepping into a role where his strategic mindset and passion for performance help drive stronger results for our clients. Today, his expertise in paid search analytics and campaign optimization plays an

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A frustrated business owner holding a laptop contemplating if they gave the right access to their GBP.

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 around 70 percent more in-store visits. Because of its importance, it’s not uncommon to receive emails or notifications asking you

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Insurance Agent and Melon Local Business Development Specialist Katie Olson shares four tips for better lead follow-ups.

4 Lead Follow-Up Strategies From Insurance Agent Katie Olson

When lead performance starts to slow down, it’s easy to assume the leads are the problem. But after working with thousands of insurance agencies across the country, we’ve found the best opportunities come from improving what’s done with a lead after it comes in. That’s exactly what Melon Local Business Development Specialist and experienced insurance agency owner Katie Olson discusses in our latest Melon Minute. As the owner of her

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A portrait of Melon Local Executive Assistant Cassidy Fehr.

Melon Spotlight: Cassidy Fehr

From rolling out the green carpet as a CSM to helping keep The Patch running smoothly as Executive Assistant, Cassidy has continued to grow alongside Melon Local. Known for her organization, positivity and attention to detail, she’s become a go-to resource for keeping projects on track, supporting leadership and adding thoughtful touches that make Melon feel like home. Whether she’s coordinating behind the scenes, helping elevate the client experience or

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Whitney Green-Olson featured on a blog image regarding the GREEN Prompt Framework for strong AI Prompts.

How to Write Better AI Prompts with the GREEN Framework

Artificial intelligence has changed the way businesses create content, brainstorm ideas and solve problems. With nearly 75 percent of companies adopting AI for at least one business function, its use will inevitably increase over time. But here’s something many people overlook: the quality of AI’s output depends on the quality of your input. Two people can ask the same AI platform the same question and walk away with completely different

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Melon Local team members enjoying quality time together at Melon Local's 2026 Open House.

Melon Local Hosts Successful Open House for 2026

For two days in May, Melon Local opened its doors and welcomed hundreds of clients, partners, sponsors and friends at our Las Vegas-based Melon Patch. Yes, there were live demos. Yes, there were even tacos, drinks and a dunk tank. But the biggest takeaway from Melon Local’s 2026 Open House wasn’t found in any activation station or presentation. It was the people. Throughout the event, we had the opportunity to

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Promotional graphic featuring the message "When Times Become Uncertain, Don't React. Adapt." alongside a woman in a thoughtful pose looking upward. The design uses green, cream, and yellow abstract shapes with highlighted text emphasizing the words "Uncertain" and "Adapt."

The Importance of Staying Visible During Uncertain Times

If you’ve been in business long enough, you know how market shifts can make you rethink everything. Maybe AI is changing how your customers find your business. Maybe it’s rising costs of operations. Or perhaps it’s your own ROI not keeping pace with your business’s needs. But after years of working with our clients across the country, we’ve seen one thing consistently hold true: The businesses that stay visible during

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Melon Local announcing its recognition as a 2026 Quantum Certified Workplace with the national certification badge displayed

Melon Local Named a 2026 Quantum Certified Workplace

Melon Local is proud to be recognized as a 2026 Quantum Certified Workplace, a designation awarded to organizations that demonstrate a consistent commitment to building strong workplace cultures and high-performing teams. The recognition reflects Melon Local’s ongoing investment in its people and the belief that a thriving internal culture directly drives better outcomes for clients. The certification, awarded by Quantum Workplace — a leader in employee experience and workplace culture

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