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: 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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
2022 Insurance Marketing Trends You Need to Know
Welcome, 2022! Every year, we like to kick things off by examining what’s new in the world of insurance marketing. Digital marketing is always evolving. Technology advances, customer behavior changes, and marketers who stay agile have the best chance of getting ahead. To help you create an insurance marketing strategy for 2022, we’ve rounded up some of the most popular trends for your industry. We made sure that each of
Interview with an Agent: Jason Wade
With a background in education administration, you may wonder how insurance agent Jason Wade found his way to the industry. With a head for business and a desire to find independence, Jason found that an insurance agency was the perfect way for him to flex his entrepreneurial muscles. From the get-go, Jason decided to take on his own marketing efforts, but he knew there was a better way. After some
Latest Blog Posts
Strategize Around the 3 Stages of the Marketing Funnel
A strong brand isn’t built through just a single ad or phone call. It’s built across every step of the customer journey — from the moment a customer first hears your name to the second they decide to choose you over your competition. More often than not, that journey follows the marketing funnel. But today’s funnel demands more touchpoints, faster trust and consistent branding every step of the way. If
Melon Spotlight: Aaron Chu
You won’t often catch Aaron Chu in front of the camera — and honestly, he prefers it that way. However, if you’ve ever scrolled through one of our clients’ social feeds and paused on a design that made you look twice, chances are, he had something to do with it. As one of our talented Social Media Designers, Aaron works behind the scenes to make sure our clients’ content stands
Google Ads Updates Its Unfair Advantage Policy
Google recently changed its rules on how many ads a business can show on a single search results page — and if you want to stay competitive, it’s important for you to understand what’s changed. On April 14, Google updated its Unfair Advantage Policy to allow multiple ads from the same business to appear on the same search engine results page (SERP), so long as they are shown in different
How to Get More Instagram Engagement Without Spending a Dime
If you’ve ever opened Instagram and thought, “Why isn’t this getting more traction?” — you’re not alone! Social media changes constantly. New trends pop up, algorithms shift and it can feel like you’re always trying to catch up. But here’s what hasn’t changed: real connection still drives engagement. And the good news? You don’t need a big budget, a complicated strategy or a perfectly curated feed to start building that
Interview with an Agent: Andrew Blevins
Illinois Insurance Agent Andrew Blevins didn’t take the typical path to insurance, but his path has made all the difference. After more than a decade managing Broadway productions across the country, the COVID pandemic forced Andrew into a new career path as an insurance agent. What started as a pandemic pivot quickly turned into a passion, combining his creative edge and problem-solving mindset with a deep-rooted commitment to his community.
How Quality Photos Can Impact Your Google Business Profile
Uploading stock photos to your Google Business Profile may seem like a tempting idea, but using these images may not truly represent you — at least in the eyes of Google. Swapping out cookie-cutter images for high-quality, authentic photos can do so much more than just polish your profile. It can boost your visibility, your credibility and even your search rankings. In fact, even Google says businesses that add photos
Melon Local to Sponsor The Chair Project Art Charity
Melon Local is proud to announce its sponsorship of The Chair Project, a one-of-a-kind silent art auction dedicated to fundraising for the vital non-profit work of Sanctuary, Inc., in Hopkinsville, KY, on April 18. The event — which was founded by owner and local artist Julie-Anna Carlisle — will take place from 4-8 PM CDT at Milkweed Health and Harmony Emporium in Downtown Hopkinsville. Established in 1982, Sanctuary, Inc. is
Melon Local Visits Google’s Headquarters
At Melon Local, we don’t just keep up with the latest in digital marketing — we go straight to the source. Several members of our Melon Patch, including CEO Whitney Green-Olson, recently had the incredible opportunity to visit Google’s headquarters in California for an exclusive learning experience with some of the brightest minds in digital advertising. As a Google Premier Partner, we’re proud to be recognized in the top three
5 Common Digital Marketing Scams to Avoid
If you’re involved in the digital marketing world, chances are you’ve heard it all. “Your listings are broken.” “We can get you to #1 on Google.” “We’ll wipe those 1-star reviews.” But how many of these bold claims are legit? Spoiler alert: not many. At Melon Local, we’ve seen quite a few of these and the damage they can cause firsthand. Let’s break down five of the most common scams