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

Melon Spotlight: Liz Anguiano
Since joining our team as a Social Media Content Creator, Liz has brought fresh ideas, creativity and a true team spirit to everything she does. Her passion for crafting scroll-stopping content, hopping on calls to ensure our clients’ social presence is always on point and helping agents shine online as local legends made her an essential part of the Melon Patch. We caught up with Liz to talk about her

Soaring Eagle Agent Study Group Coming Back Stronger in 2026
The Soaring Eagle agent study group isn’t just back for 2026 — it’s bigger than ever. More than 400 agents and team members from across the U.S. are already set to attend from January 28–30 at the Soaring Eagle Resort & Casino in Mt. Pleasant, MI, making this the largest gathering the study group has hosted yet. Founder and insurance agent David Arce says even as the room expands, Soaring

Melon Local Wins Best Service Award at BizX North America 2025
At this year’s BizX North America conference sponsored by ActionCOACH, more than 400 entrepreneurs and business coaches gathered from Oct. 26–28 in Houston, TX to talk about leadership and what it really means to grow. And in the middle of it all, Melon Local proved once again that it’s possible to build a digital marketing agency around quality hospitality over hype. In a full-circle moment, we’re proud to announce that
Melon Spotlight: Ernie Ron
From guiding clients as a CSM to now leading a full team as Director of Client Success, Ernie’s journey at Melon has been inspiring, to say the least. Over the past four years, he’s helped shape how we connect with clients, drive leads and deliver results that truly matter.Whether he’s coaching his team, educating our clients on Melon Max or stepping into the spotlight during live demo videos, it’s safe to

What Our Team Loves About Melon Local: 5 Perspectives
At Melon Local, we believe our greatest strengths come from our people and the forward-thinking strategies we develop together because that’s what keeps our clients ahead of the game. Every relationship is an opportunity to embrace fresh ideas, adopt new technologies and build momentum in a digital space that’s constantly evolving. But beyond the tools, it’s the community that we’ve built — the support, collaboration and encouragement — that makes

Black Hat SEO Tricks That Can Come Back to Haunt You
Black hat SEO might look like a treat at first — a quick fix promising fast rankings, sudden traffic boosts and easy wins. But just like a haunted house, those misleading shortcuts are filled with hidden traps that can spook your business for years to come. At Melon Local, we’ve seen firsthand how these rule-breaking tactics may give businesses a temporary boost but almost always ends in penalties, lost visibility

Meet Melon Local’s Marketing Team
At Melon Local, our marketing team’s first priority is telling Melon’s story — making sure our brand, content, and resources stay fresh, consistent, and impactful. Every ad we create, every Melon University webinar we host, every blog we write and every piece of branded content we design has a purpose: to showcase what makes us different and to keep clients connected with the latest best practices in digital marketing. While

How to Connect with Gen Z Social Media Users
Gen Z — generally defined as those born between 1997 and 2012 — is the first generation to grow up entirely online with social media at their fingertips. From catchy TikTok dances to viral memes, this is how they connect. They value authenticity, speed and connection — they’ll “highkey” scroll past content that doesn’t resonate. And if your content doesn’t pass the “vibe check” in the first few seconds, it’s

Beyond Keywords: How ChatGPT-5 Redefines Search
OpenAI’s recent launch of ChatGPT-5 marks a significant shift in online search behavior. Even this blog’s feature image was created using ChatGPT-5 — a fitting example of how AI is no longer just a tool we talk about, but one we actively use to create and communicate. Originally kicking off the AI revolution with its previous large language model (LLM) ChatGPT-4 in 2023, OpenAI will likely continue to shape how
Latest Blog Posts

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

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
