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

Read More »
Insurance agent learning how to guide prospects from awareness to conversion through a strategic marketing funnel

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

Read More »
Aaron Chu, Social Media Designer, recognized as Melon Local's Melon of the Month employee spotlight

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

Read More »
Melon Local team member explaining Google Ads visibility updates and how policy changes can impact insurance marketing campaigns

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

Read More »
Melon Local team member sharing tips to help insurance agents increase Instagram engagement without spending money on ads

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

Read More »
Andrew Blevins, insurance agent, featured in a Melon Local Interview with an Agent spotlight

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.

Read More »
Melon Local team member sharing strategies to help businesses improve their Google Business Profile with high-quality photos

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

Read More »
Melon Local proudly sponsoring The Chair Project art charity to support community engagement and local causes

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

Read More »
Melon Local team member visiting Google's headquarters to explore digital marketing insights and industry innovations

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

Read More »
Melon Local team member highlighting common digital marketing scams and how insurance agents can avoid misleading marketing tactics

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

Read More »

Latest Blog Posts

Business professional thoughtfully planning keyword strategies to improve search visibility and insurance marketing results

What’s SEO Got To Do With It

You’ve likely heard the term “SEO” more times than you can count. While it may be common insurance marketing jargon, many of our clients ask us, “Okay, so what does SEO have to do with me and my business?” The short answer is: a lot, if you play your cards right.  Let’s break down the basics of this popular insurance marketing strategy and explain how you can use it to

Read More »
Woman holding a carved jack-o'-lantern to represent common insurance marketing mistakes and pitfalls to avoid

Scary Insurance Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

It’s time for a scary story. There once was an insurance marketing agent who owned a local business. While they were trying to grow their agency, they made a dire mistake. They didn’t invest in digital marketing! Marketing your local insurance agency can be hard, but Melon Local is here to help make things a little easier. We work with agents all over the country, so when it comes to

Read More »
Woman smiling while using a smartphone, representing social media engagement and communication for insurance agencies

Should Your Insurance Agency Use Social Media?

We get a lot of questions about social media for insurance agents. Is social media marketing really that important? What platforms should I be using? What kind of content should I post? The list goes on and on. Many insurance agencies forgo social media marketing because they think it won’t make an impact on their business. That’s just not the case! Social media has the power to increase your agency’s

Read More »
Business professional using a laptop to research and manage pay-per-click advertising campaigns

What is PPC Advertising?

In marketing, we sure do love our acronyms, but at Melon Local, there is one that reigns above the rest: PPC. While we hate to play favorites, we can’t help ourselves on this one. PPC continues to be one of the most effective insurance marketing strategies we use to help our clients generate quality leads. If you’re like many of our clients, you’re probably thinking, “Okay, I’ve heard of PPC,

Read More »
Business professional using a laptop to improve an insurance agency's online presence through digital marketing and website optimization

How to Maximize Your Agency’s Online Presence

These days, just about everyone is searching for products and services online. Need a handyman? Just Google it. Looking for a new taco spot? Head to Yelp. The same goes for customers looking for a new insurance agency. When customers are on the hunt for a new agency, whether they’re new to town or looking to bundle deals at a competitive rate, they’re likely to take to the internet. So,

Read More »
Portrait of insurance agent Kaan Inceoglu featured in Melon Local's Interview with an Agent series

Interview with an Agent: Kaan Inceoglu

Prior to setting down roots in Greeley, CO, insurance agent Kaan Inceoglu was a man on the go. After graduating from Ohio State with a finance and international business degree, Kaan was drawn to the insurance industry. He became a claims adjuster and eventually joined the catastrophe team, a role that took him all over the country. During his years traveling from state to state, Kaan also earned a master’s

Read More »
Donation jar with cash and a heart symbol representing community involvement, charitable giving and local outreach efforts

How Community Involvement Impacts Your Agency

While digital insurance marketing is a great way to help customers find your agency, it’s not the only way to make a name for yourself in your city. As a small business owner, one of the most important things you can do to market your agency is become involved in your community. Big city or small town, people like to create connections and put down roots where they live. By

Read More »
Business professional using a laptop to review and organize marketing strategies during a campaign refresh

Insurance Ads for Your New Agency

New to your market? Insurance ads can help you alert your community that your agency is open for business! The goal of insurance advertising is to get your agency in front of potential policyholders when they’re searching for services like yours. Following these tips, you can make the most out of your insurance ads. 1. Set attainable goals. Before creating ads, you first need to decide what your goals are

Read More »
Business professional reviewing marketing strategies on a laptop and identifying opportunities for improvement

Guide to Google’s Search Engine Results Pages

When you plug a search query into Google, millions of results populate in the blink of an eye. Depending on your query, the format of the search engine results page, or SERP, can vary. If you were to submit a search for a local restaurant, then you’re likely to see Google Business Profile listings at the top of the page. If you search for a pair of leather boots, then

Read More »