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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Melon Local team members posing together in the office to celebrate company culture, teamwork and a positive workplace environment

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

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Smartphone displaying the Google Business Profile app with tips for optimizing a Google Business Profile

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,

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Portrait of insurance agent Dennis Holland featured in Melon Local's Interview with an Agent series

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

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Woman holding a laptop while comparing search advertising and display advertising strategies for insurance marketing

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

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Man holding an Instagram like icon to represent social media engagement and audience interaction on Instagram

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

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Portrait of insurance agent Dave Christy featured in Melon Local's Interview with an Agent series

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

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Man holding an Instagram like icon to represent social media engagement and audience interaction on Instagram

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

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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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Latest Blog Posts

Megan Murphy, Senior Director of Paid Search, featured in an Interview with a Melon discussing paid search strategy, digital marketing trends, and client success

Interview with Melon Local’s Senior Director of Paid Search

Meet Megan Murphy, Melon Local’s Senior Director of Paid Search — or as our paid search team affectionately refers to her, “Fearless Leader.” Despite starting off as a Client Success Manager (a role in which she also excelled), Megan’s real passion was in driving change for our clients behind the scenes. Upon joining our paid search department, it didn’t take long for her to establish her fearless persona and earn

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Melon Local team members sharing strategies to help insurance agents generate more home insurance leads during National Homeownership Month

Celebrating National Homeownership Month as Insurance Agents

June is National Homeownership Month, a special time to celebrate the dream of owning a home and the stability it brings. Originally starting as a one-week celebration in June 1995, it eventually evolved into a month-long celebration in 2002 and recognizes not only the 66 percent of Americans who currently own homes but also those in the home buying process. In honor of this special month, let’s delve into some

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Man giving two thumbs up beside the headline “Digital Marketing Rooted in Results” on a Melon Local blog graphic.

Real Numbers and Results with Melon Local

Why get “melon-choly” about your insurance agency’s digital marketing when you can get Melon Local? Agents like you deserve a partner like us who knows how to make your agency the talk of the town. At Melon Local, we specialize in market-proven strategies that yield fruitful results. Whether it’s Paid Search, Organic Growth or Social Media, your business won’t just reach your local market — it will captivate them! Paid

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Melon Local team member sharing paid search best practices and common mistakes businesses should avoid to improve advertising performance

4 Do’s and Don’ts of Paid Search

No matter the size of your insurance agency, mastering paid search can dramatically boost your digital presence and bring in fresh, quality leads. In fact, 45 percent of page clicks go to pay-per-click (PPC) ads in search results​ and visitors are 50 percent more likely to convert through paid search than those who come through organically. Paid search requires investing more than dollars — it takes strategy and time. But

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The Long-Term Benefits of Being on Social Media

We all know social media is everywhere — it’s where people connect and get their daily fix of everything from breaking news to silly dog videos. But if you’re not tapping into this vast digital world to grow your insurance business, you have to ask yourself: why not? While you may not become a viral sensation overnight, let’s dive into the long-term benefits of using platforms like Facebook, Instagram and

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Stephan Penczek, Executive Assistant at Melon Local, featured in a “Melon of the Month” spotlight graphic.

Melon Spotlight: Stephan Penczek

For our May 2024 Melon Spotlight, we’re diving in behind the scenes with Stephan Penczek, our one and only Executive Assistant. Stephan may not always be front and center, but his impact is felt all across Melon Local. From managing several blocked-out calendars to organizing high-level presentations like our Melon University workshops, it’s safe to say we wouldn’t be One in a Melon without his ability to juggle a myriad

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Portrait of insurance agent Eva Hurley featured in Melon Local's "5 Things I Love About Melon Local" interview series

5 Things I Love About Melon Local – Feat. Eva Hurley

From managing policies across multiple states to overseeing her family’s beef cattle farm, it’s safe to say Greenville, SC insurance agent Eva Hurley stays busy. After opening her agency in 2014, she knew she needed an extra hand managing her digital marketing. She tried going with several different marketing groups, yet no one could ever deliver the results she needed — until she found Melon Local! Read more about why

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Man speaking into a microphone beside the headline “Common Insurance Marketing Scare Tactics” on a Melon Local blog graphic.

How Organic Search and Paid Search Work Together

Some things have proven better together throughout the course of history: peanut butter and jelly, Lennon and McCartney, and, in the digital marketing world, organic and paid search. Sure, both of these approaches can be effective on their own, but when properly used together, they can offer your business a wide range of unique benefits and insights. The Distinct Roles of Organic and Paid Search Although organic and paid search

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Headshots of Jeff Burtis and Karen Michaels featured in Melon University workshop on systems and processes that drive agency success

Meet Insurance Power Couple Jeff Burtis and Karen Michaels

In the heart of the insurance world, Jeff Burtis and Karen Michaels stand out not just as partners in life but as trailblazers redefining the industry through a shared dedication toward spreading positivity. When their paths first crossed at an Agents Hosting Agents event in 2018, it was immediately clear that they shared more than just professional interests. Despite managing their agencies from different states — with Jeff in Illinois

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