Cannabis & CBD Marketing Tips for Success

While 36 states have approved cannabis for medical purposes and 15 states have legalized recreational cannabis as of 2021 there are still many hurdles facing cannabis companies in today’s climate. One of the biggest challenges for these companies is their ability to participate in many cannabis and CBD marketing channels. Since these markets are highly regulated it’s important to think outside of the traditional marketing and advertising boxes to get your company in front of its customers.

At YouWho Digital we are well-versed with helping clients effectively market their cannabis and CBD company online without using Facebook and pay-per-click advertising that has historically been out of reach for this industry.

SEO Optimized Website

The first and most important strategy for cannabis and CBD companies is to have a strong online presence through their website. We focus on providing UX experienced website designs in order for customers to effectively navigate the site while also focusing on SEO-Optimized pages and blog posts. Blog posts are a great way to boost your online presence as well as gain credibility in the industry as a leader. Consistently creating useful content through blog posts will help Google find value in your site and allow you to organically rank higher in search results.

Google AdWords continues to create many hurdles for cannabis and CBD companies to advertise with. Utilizing this strategy is a good place to start allowing your website to rank organically without pumping hundreds of dollars into paid advertising that may get flagged in the long run.

Email Marketing

Email marketing may perhaps be one of the most effective forms of marketing, as 99% of consumers check their emails everyday with 73% of millennials preferring communication from a business to come from emails. Over 40% of B2B marketers also consider email marketing one of the most critical strategies to measure success.

Utilizing email marketing is an easy way to stay top of mind with your customers and can be an effective tool to push sales. For example, creating segmented emails to target customers can become a huge source of ROI for cannabis and CBD companies. Communicating with customers about new product launches, sales and exclusive deals is a great way to use this tool. Over 59% of consumers said that marketing emails influenced their buying decisions in the future.

For B2B cannabis and CBD companies utilizing email marketing to communicate with potential buyers about their services and offerings are equally important. Focusing on your customer’s needs by effectively relaying information, facts and profit is a good way to ensure your email campaign will see results. Email marketing is also a fairly low-cost option that can in return show huge ROI depending on how active your email list is and what your click through rates are for campaigns.

Influencer Marketing

In the cannabis and CBD space Influencer Marketing is a very effective marketing strategy that can produce results while getting your product in front of a larger audience fairly quickly. At YouWho Digital we offer an industry specific Influencer Program to help your company achieve the results you are looking for. We focus on utilizing micro-influencers in the cannabis and CBD industry that have shown proven ROI with their postings and online reach.

Oftentimes, companies will want to work with influencers who have large followings online, however we have seen through our time working in this space that those influencers do not always provide results and come at a much larger price tag. Especially in this day
and age where you can buy followers one should always be leary of large following unless the person is a well-known celebrity or influencer in the space. We have found that those with smaller followings are actually more effective at reaching their targeted audience and have a greater level of trust amongst their followers.

If you are looking to showcase a new product and increase awareness of your brand online utilizing influencers for cannabis and CBD marketing is an effective tool in your toolbox.

Alternative Forms of Advertising

Since Facebook advertisement and pay-per-click advertising is largely restricted for cannabis and CBD companies looking for alternative forms of advertising is a good way to go. One can explore print advertising in industry specific magazines or newspapers such as Cannabis Business Times or Sensi Magazine where many competitors are also showcasing their products and services. Depending on your state’s advertising regulations you may be able to run paid advertisements on the radio.

Other effective forms of advertising including podcast ads; in 2021 podcast advertisements are expected to hit $500 million. Many businesses are turning to podcasts for advertising as they have seen a steady decline in traditional advertising channels, and have started to see a greater ROI with podcast ads. This is because podcasts have a highly targeted audience and those who tune in to listen to podcasts are doing so with purpose, therefore much more inclined to cling on the host’s every word. Think of it as another form of influencer marketing, if your favorite podcast hosts tells you to go buy a product, you may actually go and buy it!

Wrap Up

Staying creative with your cannabis and CBD marketing strategies will produce results. The more time you spend exploring various channels of marketing for your business the more clear it will be as to what works for your target audience. Since marketing cannabis in general is touchy, it is important to work with an agency that has a proven track record with cannabis and CBD marketing.

YouWho Digital is here to help YOU become WHO you want to be.

Consider us for your next cannabis and CBD marketing needs.

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