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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Business professional smiling while reviewing marketing campaigns and planning improvements on a laptop

How to Respond to Reviews at Your Agency

We probably don’t have to tell you that reviews are important to your business, but just in case you missed it, we’ll say it again. Reviews are important to your business! In fact, an incredible 93% of people say that online reviews have impacted their purchasing decisions. To capture the attention of an increasingly online crowd, you’ll need to wow on review sites. Getting reviews isn’t the only factor necessary

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Business professional evaluating marketing strategies and identifying areas for improvement during a campaign review

What is the Google Algorithm, Anyway?

Our Las Vegas roots tell us it’d be a smart bet to put money on where your insurance agency’s clients come from. Primarily, you’re getting word-of-mouth referrals from previous happy clients. And the second-largest group is from Google searches for “insurance agency” or “insurance agent near me”, right? If so, you’re doing something right. If not, it’s probably time for some adjustments to your insurance agency marketing plan. Either way,

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Business professional reviewing marketing performance and organizing campaign improvements on a laptop

Interview with an Agent: Mike Paffhausen

Prior to becoming an insurance agent, Mike Paffhausen lived another life as a civil engineer working in water resources and environmental services. However, with a family full of agents, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the insurance industry was his calling. Flashforward, Mike is a captive agent with six years under his belt at his Butte, Montana agency. Throughout his years in the industry, Mike has counted himself lucky to

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Cleaning supplies arranged on a surface to represent refreshing and improving marketing campaigns

Spring Cleaning for Your Marketing Campaigns

It’s official! We’re now in Q2 of 2021. Where has the time gone?! Now that quarter one is behind us, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the performance of insurance marketing campaigns past. Here at Melon Local, we provide our clients with monthly updates on their insurance marketing campaigns. However, it’s important to remember that some campaigns take a little more time than others to yield results (such as

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A man smiling with his arms folded

5 Business Tips for New Insurance Agents

Our expertise may be in digital marketing for insurance agents, but we know there’s more to building your business than gaining new leads. So, we caught up with multi-office insurance agent Chris Jones from Bothell, WA to pick his brain about growing a new insurance agency. With years of experience, a large team, and multiple offices, Chris knows a thing or two about what it takes to thrive in the

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Google Business Profile listing

How to Optimize Local Directory Listings

Online local directory listings are essentially an advanced, tech-age version of the Yellow Pages. These websites help people find business information, compare companies, and browse reviews so they can get the goods or services they need. If you’ve searched for a local business using a query like “Thai food near me” or “plumbing services in Bend, OR”, then you’ve likely come across local business directory listings. As a local business,

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Woman smiling while holding a laptop

What Makes a Good Advertisement?

We’re surrounded with advertising every day. Between logos on t-shirts, social media ads, and mailers from our favorite fast-food chains, they’re almost impossible to avoid! As someone who comes across various types of ads on a daily basis, you probably have opinions about what is and isn’t effective. But have you thought about the why behind this interest or aversion? While there isn’t a fool-proof formula for creating great ads,

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Woman smiling while holding a heart

How to Get Customers to Fall for Your Agency

Marketing is a little like dating. The goal is to attract new leads in hopes that the connection turns into a long-time customer relationship. While digital marketing is an ever-evolving landscape of strategies, there are a few time-tested industry truths that can help you bolster your business online. Let’s go over some essential insurance marketing ideas that can help you win the hearts of new customers. Attract customers with your

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What Are Keywords?

What are Keywords and Why do They Matter?

If you’ve looked up how to improve your Google ranking, how to market locally, or how to attract more leads to your business, you’ve probably seen one concept come up time and time again… keywords. But what exactly is a keyword anyway? Today we’re going back to basics to dissect the meaning of keywords in marketing and how they impact your insurance marketing efforts. What are Keywords? Keywords are words

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Latest Blog Posts

Alisha and Judy featured in a “Know Your Melon” graphic for a blog about what to expect on a Melon Local demo call.

Get to Know Melon Local on a Demo Call: What to Expect

Alisha and Judy may have had a few surprises for each other in the video above, but, as our Directors of Business Development, they do know a lot about what it takes to level up your agency with Melon Local! So, what can you expect when you schedule a demo call with them? Let’s break it down! Tailoring the Demo to Your Interests After a warm introduction from one of

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Melon Local team member sharing emerging social media trends to help businesses stay competitive and grow their online presence

Social Media Trends to Keep You Growing This Season

Just like sweater weather and pumpkin spice, social media trends change just as quickly as the seasons, so it’s essential for insurance agents not to “fall” behind on the latest digital happenings across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. Let’s explore some of the latest social media trends that should be a part of your strategy, such as taking advantage of trending audio, video ideas and authentic storytelling. Sound Off with

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Mario Giraldo, insurance agent, featured in Melon Local's Interview with an Agent series discussing agency growth, customer relationships, and business success

Interview with an Agent: Mario Giraldo

Growing up in an immigrant household in the U.S., Mario Giraldo became well aware of the obstacles Spanish speakers face trying to navigate the insurance world. He often served as his family’s translator for official matters and found it frustrating how his parents would often be dismissed or left without answers due to their language barrier. This ultimately drove his passion to become an insurance agent in Kansas City, MO,

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Man speaking into a microphone beside the headline “Navigating the Noise” on a Melon Local insurance marketing blog graphic.

Navigating Market Fluctuations in the Insurance Industry

Are you staying competitive in the ever-changing insurance landscape? Melon Local can help! The truth is that the insurance industry has faced an unprecedented wave of market fluctuations driven by factors such as the lingering aftermath of the pandemic, persisting inflation, disruption in supply chains, natural disasters, evolving consumer trends and changing government regulations and laws. As you are familiar with, not only has the insurance industry been impacted, but

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Man speaking into a microphone beside the headline “Navigating the Noise” on a Melon Local insurance marketing blog graphic.

Melon Spotlight: Richard Viado

Paid Search Manager Richard Viado often works behind the scenes, but his impact is always front and center. From creating lead-generating Facebook ad campaigns to diving deep into data, Richard’s expertise drives quality results for Melon Local.  We caught up with him to learn more about his typical day and what updates may be in store with Facebook! Ready for your paid search to pay off? Book a demo today!

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Scott Grates, insurance industry speaker and agency leader, promoting his Melon University workshop on building referral-driven growth

Meet Melon University Speaker Scott Grates

Following the 2007–2008 Financial Crisis, insurance agent Scott Grates found himself in a tight spot. As a brand new agency owner with a wife and two babies at home, he had to make every dollar count. So, he tested every marketing strategy he could — Yellow Pages, direct mail, telemarketing and newspaper ads. A year later, he reviewed his various marketing efforts and realized there was one clear outlier that

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Participants holding illuminated lanterns during the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night event, supporting patients and families affected by blood cancer

How to Help Melon Local Support Light the Night

Melon Local is excited to once again participate in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Light the Night walk in Las Vegas on November 2. Since 2021, we’ve been proud supporters of this cause, raising over $5,000 to help fund the LLS’s life-saving work. For us, it’s more than just a walk — it’s an opportunity to stand with survivors, remember those we’ve lost, and contribute to the fight against

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Kirsten Nguyen, Senior Director of Client Success at Melon Local, featured in a “Client Success Story” blog graphic.

Client Success Story with Kirsten Nguyen

As an endless encyclopedia of SEO knowledge who’s always up to date on the latest digital marketing trends, it’s safe to say Senior Director of Client Success Kirsten Nguyen knows what it takes to deliver results. Listen to our conversation with her about how she helps our clients improve their online reputation, rank higher on Google through strategic organic search optimization and overcome hurdles with their digital presence — of

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Melon Local team members sharing marketing strategies to help insurance agents grow their life insurance business during Life Insurance Awareness Month and beyond

How to Grow During Life Insurance Awareness Month and Beyond

National Life Insurance Awareness Month may be in full swing, but there are plenty of opportunities to grow your business year-round — especially when you have a fruitful partner like Melon Local in your corner! Let’s discuss how you can empower your customers with knowledge and how we can help them make informed decisions about their life insurance needs during September and beyond. The Numbers Behind Life Insurance: Why It

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