August 7, 2025 - Summer’s heating up, and so is the competition! Whether you’re running a local mom-and-pop coffee shop or a multi-location insurance agency, keeping up with the latest trends in SEO is essential to long-term growth and success. And now with the latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) search and Instagram’s integration in search engine result pages (SERPs), it’s more important than ever to apply the latest SEO best practices to your digital marketing strategy.
Unsure if your business can survive the rising temperatures? Let’s break down five ways to keep your SEO hot and fresh this summer!
Keep Your Google Business Profile Current
With over 80 percent of consumers searching for a local business weekly, keeping your Google Business Profile (GBP) current ensures customers have access to the most important information about your business, like your name, address, phone number and hours of operation. It’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to manage your visibility across Google Search and Maps.
Remember, you may risk hurting your business’s credibility and visibility in local search results if your business info isn’t accurate and consistent.
Optimize for AI Search Results
As AI continues to evolve, it’s reshaping how people search for specific information and discover local businesses. And now with Google’s AI Overviews becoming a commonplace fixture in traditional search results, it’s especially crucial for your organic content — whether it be GBP, website copy or blogs — to be clear and locally relevant, so both users and search engines can understand it.
To show up in these AI overviews, consider ways you can leverage organic content to answer specific, nuanced questions on top of traditional SEO best practices.
Boost Your Visibility Through Instagram
Instagram is becoming more search-friendly by the day, thanks to its recent SEO update that allows public business content to appear in search engine results. Notably, younger audiences are turning more to social media for their search needs, with around 44 percent of Gen Z finding new brands through Instagram or TikTok. Adding a strategic mix of mid-tail and short-tail keywords to your bio and ensuring accuracy in your content can help your business get discovered by both local and non-local audiences.
It’s also possible that other social platforms will become more commonplace in SERPs, so businesses should embrace this shift, as it will bring in consistent attention, clicks and ongoing engagement.
Improve Local SEO by Replying to Reviews
Responding to reviews isn’t just good customer service — it’s a powerful local SEO move on all fronts. Whether it’s a raving five-star rating or a not-so-great comment, responding to reviews builds trust with current customers and potentially future customers.
In fact, 88 percent of consumers are more likely to go with a business that actively responds to reviews. Ultimately, engaging with reviews signals to search engines that your business is active and responsive.
Use High-Intent Local Keywords to Boost Search Visibility
Before anyone clicks on your website or calls your business, they need something to type into the search bar. That something needs to match keywords on your website, Google Business Profile, and social platforms. Choosing the right keywords is key, especially ones with local and seasonal relevance. It is the first step to making your business stick out.
For example, if you’re an insurance agent, don’t always settle for a generic term like “insurance.” Try more specific high-intent keywords like “Las Vegas home insurance.” Incorporate these keywords into your website content, page titles, headings and meta descriptions to help search engines — and customers — find you faster.
Ready for a One in a Melon Approach to SEO?
Need help optimizing your business for SEO? Melon Local can help to audit, optimize and elevate your business across search results. Schedule a demo today to discover a fresher approach to digital marketing!