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

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
Latest Blog Posts

California’s Insurance Market – What’s Really Going On?
California’s top insurance provider sent shockwaves through the insurance world when they announced they would no longer accept new lines of business for home and commercial policies in California, effective May 27, 2023. State Farm cited “historic increases in construction costs outpacing inflation, rapidly growing catastrophe exposure, and a challenging reinsurance market” as motivating factors for its decision to pull out of the state, according to a company press release.

5 Things I Love About Melon Local: Feat. Meredith Baldridge
North Carolina insurance agent Meredith Baldridge has served her community of Brevard, NC for the past 20 years. Initially starting her career as an insurance claims representative, her agency now oversees the coverage needs of over 5,500 households. After being misled by other digital marketing companies promising more than they could deliver, she eventually found Melon Local in 2021 and has only seen her agency grow since establishing her fruitful

Smart Business Partnerships for Insurance Agents
As an insurance agent, it can take a village — or rather, community — to boost your visibility. Wherever you’re located, you should always partner with other types of businesses and industries to increase your leads and customer base. By forming strategic alliances with related businesses, you’re more likely to gain access to prospective clients you may never before have reached. Let’s take a look at some potential partnerships that

Melon Local Supports Mental Health Awareness Month
Melon Local is proud to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month this May. According to a recent study, about 1 in 5 adults experience at least one type of mental health illness each year. As a Nevada Top Workplace honoree, we understand the importance of creating a workspace that empowers our team members and facilitates growth and emotional wellness. In case you need some ideas on ways to make your workspace

Melon Local Named a Nevada Top Workplaces 2023 Winner
We are proud to announce Melon Local was recognized by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Las Vegas Business Press as a Nevada Top Workplaces 2023 honoree. “When we built this company and culture during the beginning of COVID, we knew it would be a challenge to find people, much less the people we wanted to embody this company,” said Melon Local CEO and Co-founder Whitney Green. “We wanted to make

5 Remarketing Strategies for Insurance Agents
Increasing traffic to your website may be top-of-mind for your insurance marketing strategy, but what about those potential customers who don’t engage with you past the first click? Instead of letting those fresh leads spoil, try incorporating ad remarketing into your strategy. Also known as ad retargeting, remarketing targets people who have already interacted online with your agency but never converted from lead to customer. Whether it’s visiting your website,

AHA & Melon Local Host Successful Conference
In case you missed it, Melon Local helped rock the house as the official Title Sponsor of this year’s Agents Hosting Agent Conference V! We were happy to join around 900 insurance agents from all over the country in sunny Anaheim, CA from April 19-21 for three incredible days of workshops from some of the nation’s highest-performing agents. Being a leading voice in the insurance marketing world, we brought 16

5 Things I Love about Melon Local: Feat. Kirk Baker
Santa Clarita insurance agent Kirk Baker has been an industry pro since 1989. Having obtained Lifetime Million Dollar Round Table and President’s Club statuses, as well as helping 10 of his former team members open their own agencies, Kirk knows what it takes to run a successful agency. In 2019, he even co-founded Team by the Minute — a phone-answering service that provides customer support for other businesses with a

6 Ways To Set Your Agency Apart from Insurtechs
Insurtech companies are startups or established insurance companies that use technology to provide innovative and efficient insurance solutions. Typically, these companies target younger, tech-savvy customers. These companies often use data analytics, AI and other new technologies to streamline their insurance processes and provide customers with personalized and cost-effective insurance products. Similar to traditional property & casualty providers, insurtech companies offer a wide range of services, including digital insurance underwriting, policy
