Contents
1. STREAMLINE YOUR STOREFRONT
2. COLLABORATE WITH AD NETWORKS
3. OPTIMIZE SEARCH ENGINE RESULTS
4. EMPHASIZE UNIQUE SELLING POINTS
5. TARGET YOUR LOCAL MARKETS
6. LEVERAGE SMALL INFLUENCERS
7. REACH ACROSS PLATFORMS
FINAL THOUGHTS
Marijuana marketing is all the rage in the modern age. There are more states where growing weed is legal than ever before. Numerous businesses are looking to tap into the fresh markets, selling seeds, equipment, buds, and extracts to new tokers.
How do you stay ahead of the competition?
Besides quality products, a strong online presence is your make-or-break factor. It’s central to drawing audiences, building trust, and turning visitors into loyal customers.
These seven tips help establish your company as part of the ever-growing cannabis industry.
1. STREAMLINE YOUR STOREFRONT
First up, you need a website. And this is a step you really shouldn’t blunder.
It’s the post-Drug War era, and people still massively associate negative concepts with the plant. Your dispensary needs to combat those ideas with reliability and transparency.
Get good at website creation, avoiding shoddy writing and exaggerated claims. Publish high-def pictures, testimonials, and as much information as possible. Use a clean layout and a consistent color scheme for a professional look.
Make it easy for people to scan your store. Streamline the links and buttons, ensuring everything leads to appropriate pages. No pop-ups should prevent visitors from browsing.
2. COLLABORATE WITH AD NETWORKS
Legalization opened many doors for cannabis digital marketing, and you should take advantage of that. There’s a surge of 420-friendly platforms online to employ for growing your traffic.
These platforms have the perfect visitor base to kickstart your operations. Of course, you shouldn’t ignore neutral channels, but advertising to people with positive views of weed is an excellent starting point.
3. OPTIMIZE SEARCH ENGINE RESULTS
Paid sources get the ball rolling, but most new businesses can’t survive only on that. Don’t disregard organic traffic while planning how to market your dispensary.
You want people to google something, see your website pop up in the search results, and check you out. But you’re competing with countless other companies for that spot on the results page.
That’s why you need search engine optimization. It’s a big field, but these three tenants produce the most tangible results:
- Keyword usage—so Google knows which queries you’re addressing
- User intent—so people get clear and useful responses to their questions
- Linking—so visitors go from one page to other parts of your website
SEO only works if your posts are well-written and human-centric. Start by producing content your customers want to see, and only then optimize for search engines.
4. EMPHASIZE UNIQUE SELLING POINTS
We return to competition and the need to set yourself apart. Do you sell more sustainable nutrients? Is your selection of hybrid weed seeds broader than what’s available at regular dispensaries? Whatever it is, use it.
Check out well-performing competitors in your niche to determine your unique selling point. Locate what makes you different—better—from them and base your marijuana marketing strategy on that point.
5. TARGET YOUR LOCAL MARKETS
The cool thing about online shops is that you’re not limited to the regional shopper base. That doesn’t mean that you should ignore local markets, though.
Geotargeting boosts brand visibility and appeal. After all, supporting local businesses is a big deal for Americans.
Here’s how you could reach shoppers from your region:
- Post ads in local news outlets
- Use billboards and posters around town
- Get listed as a local business on Google
Local targeting also increases transparency. You no longer seem like a large immaterial entity—you’re an entrepreneur they might run into while grocery shopping.
6. LEVERAGE SMALL INFLUENCERS
Marketing in the cannabis industry can be tough. Micro-influencers help you build an air of legitimacy, overcoming the largest hurdle for 420 companies.
Influencers command large audiences of people who trust their suggestions. Having them endorse your products can grow your brand’s visibility and value in less time than any paid ad.
The trickiest part here is finding the right influencer. They should:
- Already speak about cannabis, so the collab doesn’t appear forced
- Share ideas that overlap with yours to avoid branding issues
- Have a decent track record without a history of online drama
Once you have that person, establish a long-term collaborative relationship. Send free products for them to review and discuss weekly or monthly for continual exposure.
7. REACH ACROSS PLATFORMS
Finally, your shop should be easy to locate, check, and contact.
Dispensary content marketing usually targets younger audiences. Since 20-somethings are more likely to find brands on Instagram than through Google, you need profiles on social networks.
Once you create accounts and list yourself as a business, post updates and advertisements regularly. Algorithms love frequency—a predictable posting schedule gets you greater visibility.
Don’t stick only to promotional content, either. Share cool facts about your niche, interact with users, and answer questions. Social media users will follow you for the content and hop to your shop when a new product comes out.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There’s no time like the present to enter the cannabis industry. The market is young, undersaturated, and in need of fresh faces. Set up shop, use these marijuana marketing tips to differentiate yourself from the competition, and start selling.
Considering whether to open a dispensary? The answer is a resounding yes. It’s an amazing time for new names to enter the game. Acquire licenses, buy some seeds, and start growing your crop and brand.
Jennifer Gallagher
Jennifer Gallagher, an experienced cannabis grower at SeedSupreme Seedbank. During a 7-year career in the marijuana growing business, Jennifer has gained a high competence in this field. As far as weed is concerned, she knows it all inside out. Jennifer is an expert in pot-growing, as well as cannabis types and their effects. She’s also familiar with all legislation nuances.