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

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Kris Plaat, Paid Search Manager at Melon Local, featured in a “Melon of the Month” spotlight graphic.

Melon Spotlight: Kris Plaat

Meet Kris Plaat — one of our dedicated Paid Search Managers! From optimizing bids to refining targeting, Kris ensures our campaigns deliver high-quality leads. We asked Kris about his behind-the-scenes role and what — besides coffee — fuels his passion for paid search. Ready to see how Kris and the rest of our paid search team can elevate your business? Schedule a demo today and experience a fresher approach to

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Juan Calix, insurance agent, sharing five things he loves about working with Melon Local and its marketing services

5 Things I Love About Melon Local – Feat. Juan Calix

Altamonte Springs, FL insurance agent Juan Calix built his agency from the ground up during one of the most uncertain times — June 2020, in the middle of the COVID pandemic. But instead of seeing obstacles, he saw opportunity. With a mindset rooted in growth and an unwavering commitment to his community, Juan quickly turned challenges into wins, proving that success is about perspective and persistence. Five years later, Juan’s

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Melon Local team member sharing updates on missing Google reviews and the Google Business Profile review count issue affecting local businesses

What to Know About Google Review Count Issue

If you’ve noticed that some of your Google reviews have vanished, you’re not the only one. Businesses across multiple industries have voiced concerns about missing or delayed reviews on their Google Business Profiles. Although some have lost only a few, others have seen dozens of reviews seemingly disappear from their profiles. Some businesses have also noticed their review count isn’t adding up correctly, even though the reviews themselves are still

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Professional magician Robert Strong performing a card trick during a team-building workshop at Melon Local.

Business Meets Magic: Robert Strong Visits Melon Local

Recently, Melon Local welcomed Robert Strong — magician, author and keynote speaker — to inspire our team with his unique blend of magic and business insight. With over 30 years of experience captivating audiences worldwide, Robert isn’t just about sleight of hand — he’s about creating moments that leave lasting impressions. His philosophy aligns perfectly with what we do at Melon Local: delivering extraordinary experiences that delight and inspire. During

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Melon Local team member sharing digital marketing best practices and common mistakes businesses should avoid in 2025

Digital Marketing Dos and Don’ts for 2025

While there are many approaches to digital marketing in 2025 that will elevate your brand to the next level, others may hinder your progress. With the new year in full swing, it’s time to focus on strategies that deliver results and leave outdated practices behind. From mastering local optimization to leveraging data, let’s dive into the dos and don’ts that will keep your business fresh and relevant. Do Focus on

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Sarah Levitz, Client Success Manager at Melon Local, featured in a “Melon of the Month” spotlight graphic.

Melon Spotlight: Sarah Levitz

Since joining our Melon Patch, Client Success Manager Sarah Levitz has proven herself to be an invaluable part of our team. Known for her positive attitude and her knack for “mom jokes,” she’s not just winning people over with her personality — Sarah’s delivering quality results. Curious about what keeps Sarah motivated and how she helps agents achieve their digital marketing goals? Stay tuned to discover why she’s passionate about

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Whitney Green-Olson raising a glass beside a microphone during Melon Local’s 2025 Fireside Chat graphic.

Fireside Chat with Melon Local’s CEO: 2025 Edition

We already know the bar was set high, but it’s safe to say 2024 was no ordinary year for Melon Local. Despite a challenging landscape filled with fluctuating market conditions, we proved once again that we’re leaders in the digital marketing space. Notably, our journey last year was highlighted by some incredible “Melonstones” for our Patch and leadership: We maintained our Google Premier Partner status for another year, reinforcing our

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Woman pointing to a smartphone beside the headline “New Year, New Feed” on a Melon Local social media strategy blog graphic.

How to Strategize Your Social Media for Success in 2025

Is refreshing your social media part of your 2025 resolution?  With a new year right around the corner, now’s your chance to reimagine how your business resonates across people’s feeds. From refining your content calendar to embracing cutting-edge trends, this is your moment to hit “refresh” on your social media. Let’s talk about what you need to do to ensure you’re relevant and top-of-mind in your local market! Look Back

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Melon Local team members discussing the FCC's new lead generation rule and its impact on marketing compliance and customer outreach

What to Know About the FCC’s New Lead Generation Rule

A new federal rule tightening regulations on lead generation, as well as robocalls and robotexts is set to go into effect January 27, 2025. The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) new rule — originally adopted in December 2023 — aims to protect consumers from scam communications by closing loopholes in the lead generation industry and strengthening text messaging regulations. According to the FCC, these changes address vulnerabilities in robotext defenses, making

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Latest Blog Posts

Sati Soulakhian, insurance agent, sharing five things she loves about working with Melon Local and its digital marketing services

5 Things I Love About Melon Local – Feat. Sati Soulakhian

Motivated by her passion for helping others and shaped by her upbringing in a hard-working immigrant family from Armenia, Sati Soulakhian knew she was on the right path when she opened her insurance office in Glendale, CA, in 2022. Her journey hasn’t been without its challenges—especially when it came to finding a digital marketing agency that truly understood her needs and local market. Fortunately, Sati found a fruitful partnership with

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Man speaking into a microphone beside the headline “Don’t Let Your Leads go to Waste!” on a Melon Local follow-up strategies blog graphic.

Converting Insurance Leads to Customers: Follow-Up Best Practices

You’ve invested in your paid search leads, but are they actually paying off? As Ernie said in our Melon Minute video above, you may not realize it, but quality leads may be hiding in plain sight, including places like day-to-day conversations with customers, your social media and Yelp. Let’s take a deeper dive into our lead follow-up tips so you can start closing more leads than ever before! Tip 1:

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Melon Local team member explaining the timeline for improving organic search rankings through SEO and long-term digital marketing strategies

How Long Does it Take to Improve Organic Search Results

Have you wondered how long it takes to grow your business’s organic search ranking? The truth is, there’s no clear consensus on this. Typically, it can take anywhere between 3–12 months to notice an improvement in your organic search results, but this can be contingent on a number of different factors — some in your control, others not so much. Let’s explore what factors influence your organic ranking and dispel

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Kieran Taylor, Client Success Assistant at Melon Local, featured in a “Melon of the Month” spotlight graphic.

Melon Spotlight: Kieran Taylor

Say hello to our August 2024 Melon Spotlight, Kieran Taylor! As our first-ever Client Success Assistant, Kieran has played an instrumental role in providing additional support for our agents and Client Success team, including helping with the onboarding process, optimizing Google Business Profiles, resolving map issues and assisting with reputation management. Watch our conversation with her to learn more about what she most enjoys about working at Melon Local and

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Man giving a thumbs-down gesture beside the headline “How Are You Handling One-Star Reviews?” on a Melon Local blog graphic.

How to Address One-Star Online Business Reviews

As a business owner, feedback should always be welcomed, but what should you do when you get a negative review? Digital feedback can be very influential for your business, considering over 75.5 percent of consumers put their trust in online reviews. We talked about what to do in the video up above, but now let’s debunk some common myths, as well as what it takes to remove unwanted negative reviews.

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Bryan Nowlin, insurance agent, featured in Melon Local's Interview with an Agent series discussing agency growth, leadership, and business success

Interview with an Agent: Bryan Nowlin

After spending four years learning about the ins and outs of insurance while working for his cousin’s agency, Bryan Nowlin fell in love with the industry and felt compelled to open his Fort Worth, TX agency in 2022. Having seen firsthand the success and results Melon Local was able to deliver while working as an insurance representative, he knew it only made sense to go with us for his own

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Christina Shields, Director of Client Success at Melon Local, featured in a “Client Success Story” graphic.

Client Success Story with Christina Shields

From delivering results for her clients to managing her own team’s marketing strategies, Director of Client Success and Client Relations Christina Shields plays a crucial role in forming fruitful relationships with all our clients at Melon Local. We caught up with Christina to learn more about how she “ex-seeds” expectations across the board. Need someone in your corner like Christina? Schedule a demo today!    

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Melon Local team member sharing key strategies to help insurance agents increase social media engagement and connect with customers online

How Insurance Agents Can Maximize Social Media Engagement

Social media isn’t just about posting content — it’s about engaging with your audience to build relationships, trust and, ultimately, your business. But what does engagement look like on different platforms? Let’s dive into what engagement looks like across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. Community Building and Interaction on Facebook Facebook’s engagement is driven by likes, comments, shares and group interactions. It’s a platform where community building is not just

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Melon Local team member sharing key strategies to help insurance agents increase social media engagement and connect with customers online

How Social Media and Organic Search Benefit Each Other

The intersection of social media and organic search optimization isn’t just a crossroad — it’s a digital superhighway to growing your business. Leveraging the strengths of both these digital realms can propel your online visibility to new heights, drive more traffic and, ultimately, help you dominate your local market. Let’s explore how these two powerful forces can be utilized together to grow your business! How Social Media Enhances Organic Search

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