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
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
Latest Blog Posts
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
Insurance Marketing Trends for 2021
Marketing is anything but static. The way people consume information changes, technology becomes more advanced, and algorithms become more intuitive. To adjust to evolving demands, marketers have to be flexible. So, let’s make a New Years’ resolution together to have an open mind and a willingness to learn! This year, we’re ushering in exciting new insurance marketing trends that aim to drive engagement with your agency and bring more customers
Interview with an Agent: Caitlyn Garlock Knows Insurance
Though it’s been less than a decade since she graduated college, you could say Caitlyn Garlock has been in the insurance industry for more than 20 years. How can that be, you might ask? Caitlyn’s father has been an insurance agent her entire life, and he made sure to teach his daughter a thing or two about hard work, customer service, and growing a business. According to Caitlyn, being an
3 Ways to Stand Out with Insurance Agency Marketing
You know your insurance agency is better than the one down the street, but it’s important your potential customers know it, too. With so much competition in the marketplace, insurance agents need to go above and beyond to stand out. While providing great service at an affordable price is always the goal, it’s not the only thing you can do to put your agency ahead. Using key insurance agency marketing
SEO Basics for Insurance Marketing Strategies
Search engine optimization, better known as SEO, encompasses a variety of strategies that aim to improve a webpage or website’s search engine ranking. The higher you rank for relative searches, the more easily potential customers are able to find your agency. As a local business, SEO can help you increase visibility and attract new leads to your agency. This tactic is known for its long-term effectiveness and relatively low cost,
3 Ways to Increase Customer Retention
While generating new customers is an essential part of growing your agency, it’s equally as important to care for your existing customer base. It’s difficult to keep momentum if you continually lose customers! Nurturing customer relationships and maintaining policies should be a prominent factor in your overarching business and marketing strategy. Luckily, the insurance industry boasts impressive customer retention rates, with the average agency maintaining an 84% retention rate. But
Four Marketing Mistakes You May be Making
Digital marketing for insurance companies can be difficult in an ever-changing online landscape. Consumers’ needs change, new platforms appear, and Google releases yet another new round of Google Ads guidelines. It can be exhausting to keep up! To make sure you’re not falling behind on your marketing efforts, we’ve compiled four of the most common marketing mistakes we see local insurance agencies making. 1. You haven’t set goals. We all
How Customer Reviews Impact Your Business
Chances are, you’ve likely browsed reviews before making a purchase or visiting a new place. Why risk having a bad meal when you can predict the quality with assistance from hundreds of reviews? And you’re not alone. A reported 70% of consumers reference multiple review sites when choosing a local business to patronize. As a local agency, it’s critical that you make review management a part of your insurance marketing