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
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
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,
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
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
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
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,
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,
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
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
Latest Blog Posts
Interview with an Agent: Peyton Pettus
A lot has changed with insurance marketing since Georgia-based agent Peyton Pettus entered the agency world 30 years ago — but one thing has stayed consistent: the need to adapt. Peyton has seen it all, from the days of cold calls and direct mail to today’s competitive digital landscape. Now, he’s one of the nation’s Top-10 agents and leveraging tools like Melon Max live transfer calls and prioritizing smart hiring
Meet Melon Local’s Social Media Team
At Melon Local, we believe that every client has a unique story to tell on social media, whether through lifestyle snapshots, educational posts or simple day-in-the-life moments. Of course, none of this happens by accident. It takes a village — or rather, a team — and at the center of that village is someone making sure every piece of content reflects purpose and personality. Now’s your chance to meet the
Melon Spotlight: Cassidy Fehr
From rolling out the green carpet as a CSM to now building stronger connections behind the scenes in her hybrid role as an Administrative Operations Specialist, Cass has built a reputation for “ex-seeding” expectations. She brings structure, organization, positivity and heart to everything she does, from coordinating smooth systems to adding a thoughtful touch to team events and client gifts. Cass tackles every task with calm confidence and a commitment
How to Prepare Your Business for Instagram’s SEO Update
As of July 10, Instagram is now allowing search engines like Google and Bing to index public content from professional accounts. Essentially, this means the content you share — whether it’s photos, carousels or Reels — from eligible accounts can now appear in search engine results pages (SERPs) — even for users who aren’t logged into Instagram. Not only is this a major shift for a social platform that’s traditionally
How Google’s AI Overviews Are Affecting SEO
Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just changing how businesses create content — it’s changing how their customers find them. Depending on the search, Google may now present an AI Overview at the top of your organic results — and sometimes above or below paid ads. This new feature provides AI-generated summaries based on your search results. Here’s what your business should know about Google’s ongoing AI rollout and how to set
Melon Spotlight: Matt McCracken
This time, we’re flipping the script. Meet Matt McCracken — Melon Local’s Director of Marketing and the usual mastermind behind the spotlight videos. Matt began his journey at Melon as a Client Success Manager, where he quickly developed a passion for solving client pain points. With a background in photography and videography, he soon stepped behind the lens to craft engaging content that hit home with our audience. Since joining
Understanding How Google Local Service Ads Work
Chances are, you’ve probably noticed these at the top of your search results — those clean, professional-looking boxes showing nearby service providers with a shiny green Google Guaranteed checkmark. Let’s talk about Google Local Service Ads (LSAs), which are a type of paid ad designed to help local service providers connect with customers in their area. Unlike your traditional Google Ads, which charge per click, LSAs operate instead on a
5 Tips for Strong Live Transfer Calls
You’ve got a live transfer call to your agency — the lead is hot, the intent is high and your window to make a lasting impression is small. But the difference between a call that converts and one that misses the mark? It all comes down to how prepared you and your team members are to lead the conversation. Here are five tips to help you make the most of
Why Enroll Your Agency in Melon University
At Melon Local, we’re not ones for a “set it and forget” type of approach to digital marketing — and we believe the same goes for continued education. If you’ve seen Melon University mentioned in your inbox or on your social feed and wondered what it’s all about, here’s your answer. Whether you’re a seasoned insurance agency owner or a team member looking to level up, Melon University is here