Actionable Guide to Cannabis Marketing: Dominating Local and National Search

In the competitive cannabis industry, effective marketing is crucial for success. This guide focuses on proven strategies to boost your cannabis business’s online visibility, attract more customers, and increase sales through smart SEO and marketing tactics.

1. Leveraging Local SEO for Cannabis Marketing

Local SEO is the cornerstone of cannabis marketing. Many consumers still prefer visiting local dispensaries, making local search visibility crucial.

Action Steps:

Target high-volume local keywords:

Research local search terms like “Illinois dispensary” (22,000 searches/month), “Las Vegas dispensary” (19,000 searches/month), “NJ dispensary” (53,000 searches/month).
Optimize your website content, meta titles, and descriptions for these local terms.

Exploit low competition opportunities:

Many local cannabis searches have surprisingly low competition, with top-ranking sites often having modest domain ratings (DR) of 30-40.
Use tools like Ahrefs to identify low-competition keywords in your area.

Optimize for the Google Local Pack:

The Local Pack appears for location-based searches and is crucial for visibility.
Focus on getting positive reviews and optimizing your Google Business Profile.

2. Mastering Google Business Profile for Cannabis Marketing

Your Google Business Profile is vital for appearing in local search results and the Local Pack.

Action Steps:

Optimize your Google Business Profile:

Claim and verify your listing.
Fill out all available fields, including business hours, services, and photos.
Choose accurate primary and secondary categories.

Implement a review strategy:

Incentivize reviews by offering small discounts or rewards.
Use QR codes in-store that lead directly to your review page.
Train staff to ask for reviews and explain their importance.
Encourage natural language in reviews – avoid keyword stuffing.

Engage with CTR manipulation tactics:

While ethically questionable, some marketers use bots to engage with their Local Pack listing, potentially improving rankings.
If pursuing this tactic, proceed with caution and be aware of potential risks.

3. National SEO Strategies for Cannabis Marketing

While local SEO is crucial, national strategies can help you reach a broader audience.

Action Steps:

Target strain-specific keywords:

Focus on high-volume, low-competition strain keywords like “donkey butter strain” (3,800 searches/month) or “tropical cherry strain” (2,800 searches/month).
Create comprehensive strain guides and product pages optimized for these terms.

Leverage informational content:

Create content around topics like “how to smoke wax” (900 searches/month) to attract and educate potential customers.
Use these informational pages to build your brand and capture email addresses for remarketing.

Optimize for e-commerce terms:

Focus on product-specific keywords like “200 milligram edibles” to capture purchase-ready traffic.
Ensure your product pages are well-optimized for these terms.

Conduct competitor analysis:

Use tools like Ahrefs to analyze low-DR competitors ranking well for cannabis terms.
Identify their top-performing pages and keywords to inform your content strategy.

4. Leveraging Affiliate Marketing for Cannabis Promotion

Affiliate marketing can be a powerful tool for cannabis businesses, especially when faced with restrictions on traditional paid advertising channels.

Action Steps:

Set up an affiliate program:

Choose an affiliate management platform that suits your needs and budget.
Consider offering generous commissions initially (even up to 80-90%) to attract quality affiliates.
Remember, you’ll retain the lifetime value of the customers acquired through affiliates.

Recruit high-quality affiliates:

Look for bloggers and influencers in the cannabis niche.
Provide them with marketing materials, product information, and unique tracking links.

Leverage affiliates for link building:

While Google discourages this, some businesses use affiliate partnerships to gain valuable backlinks.
Encourage affiliates to create high-quality, content-rich pages that naturally incorporate your links.
Monitor your backlink profile regularly to ensure it looks natural.

5. Content Strategy for Cannabis Marketing

A robust content strategy is essential for attracting and converting cannabis customers.

Action Steps:

Create comprehensive strain guides:

Develop in-depth content about popular strains, their effects, and availability.
Optimize these pages for strain-specific search terms.

Develop educational content:

Create guides on topics like “how to smoke wax” or “effects of different cannabis strains”.
Use these pages to capture email addresses for remarketing purposes.

Optimize product pages:

Create detailed, SEO-optimized pages for each product, focusing on terms like “200 milligram edibles”.
Include comprehensive product information, usage instructions, and effects.

6. Technical SEO for Cannabis Websites

While content is crucial, technical SEO provides the foundation for your cannabis website’s success.

Action Steps:

Improve site speed:

Optimize images, leverage browser caching, and minimize code to improve loading times.
Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix speed issues.

Ensure mobile optimization:

With many cannabis searches happening on mobile, ensure your site is fully responsive and loads quickly on all devices.

Implement proper schema markup:

Use appropriate schema.org structured data to help search engines understand your content.
Include product, review, and local business schema where relevant.

7. Measuring and Improving Your Cannabis Marketing Efforts

Continuous improvement is key to long-term success in cannabis marketing.

Action Steps:

Track key metrics:

Monitor organic traffic, keyword rankings, conversion rates, and Local Pack appearances.
Use tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Ahrefs to track these metrics.

Analyze competitor backlink profiles:

Use tools like Ahrefs to examine the backlink profiles of successful competitors.
Identify potential link-building opportunities and partnerships.

Continuously update and improve content:

Regularly audit your content to ensure it remains relevant and accurate.
Update older content with new information, keywords, and internal links to improve its performance.

By implementing these actionable cannabis marketing strategies, you can improve your online visibility, attract more customers, and grow your cannabis business effectively. Remember to stay informed about changes in search engine algorithms and cannabis regulations that may affect your marketing strategy.

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How do cannabis companies market?

Cannabis companies employ a variety of marketing strategies within the constraints of legal regulations. They heavily rely on digital marketing techniques, with a strong emphasis on search engine optimization (SEO) to improve their visibility in local and national search results. Content marketing plays a crucial role, with companies producing educational blog posts, strain guides, and informative videos to attract and engage potential customers. Social media marketing, while restricted, is used carefully for brand awareness and community building. Many cannabis businesses participate in or sponsor community events and trade shows to increase their local presence. Influencer partnerships and affiliate marketing are also common, leveraging the reach of cannabis enthusiasts and lifestyle brands. Email marketing campaigns help nurture customer relationships and drive repeat business. Throughout all these efforts, there’s a strong focus on customer education, helping to destigmatize cannabis use and inform consumers about products and their effects.

What is the budget for cannabis marketing?

Marketing budgets in the cannabis industry vary widely depending on the size of the company, its goals, and the competitive landscape of its market. Small local dispensaries might allocate anywhere from 5% to 10% of their revenue to marketing efforts, while larger, multi-state operators or national brands might dedicate 15% to 20% of their revenue. Cannabis startups often need to invest more heavily in marketing initially, sometimes spending up to 25% of their revenue to establish brand awareness and market share. More established companies might reduce this percentage over time as they build customer loyalty. It’s important to note that these figures can fluctuate based on factors such as new product launches, expansion into new markets, or changes in regulations. Given the dynamic nature of the cannabis industry, successful companies tend to maintain flexible marketing budgets, allowing them to adapt quickly to new opportunities or challenges in the market.

Where is the best place to advertise cannabis?

Advertising cannabis products is challenging due to strict regulations and platform restrictions. However, several effective channels remain available. Cannabis-specific websites and online directories are popular choices, allowing brands to reach a targeted audience of cannabis consumers. Some local print publications, particularly in areas where cannabis is legal, accept advertisements from dispensaries and brands. Podcast sponsorships have become increasingly popular, enabling cannabis companies to reach diverse audiences in a more conversational format. Sponsoring industry events, trade shows, and local community gatherings can also provide valuable exposure. Some companies have found success with carefully executed out-of-home advertising, such as billboards or public transit ads, in markets where it’s permitted. Geo-targeted mobile advertising can be effective for reaching potential customers near dispensary locations. Lastly, many cannabis brands are exploring partnerships with complementary, non-cannabis lifestyle brands to expand their reach while navigating advertising restrictions.

Can you promote cannabis on Instagram?

Promoting cannabis on Instagram requires a delicate approach due to the platform’s strict policies regarding drug-related content. Direct promotion or sales of cannabis products are prohibited and can result in account suspension. However, many cannabis brands maintain a presence on Instagram by focusing on brand awareness and educational content rather than product promotion. They might share lifestyle images, behind-the-scenes glimpses of their operations, or information about cannabis culture and history. Some accounts focus on the medical benefits of cannabis or advocate for policy reform. It’s crucial for cannabis-related accounts to avoid using sales-oriented language or posting images of consumable products. Many brands also steer clear of restricted hashtags that might flag their content. Influencer partnerships on Instagram are possible but must be handled carefully, with influencers often focusing on general lifestyle content rather than specific product endorsements. While challenging, a thoughtful Instagram strategy can help cannabis brands build community and brand recognition within the platform’s guidelines.