5 Digital Marketing Tips to Grow a CBD Brand
There’s no denying that this industry is growing at an extremely fast rate, and the brands that know how to market their products well are taking advantage.
The cannabis industry is a bit more complex than most others. Although CBD products are becoming more mainstream, it still isn’t legal under federal law, so state law takes precedence.
Some states allow medical marijuana, some allow recreational weed, and some don’t allow it at all. There are also restrictions and regulations on advertising and marketing, so you need to be aware of these when you are using digital marketing methods.
1. Answer Peoples Questions Through Blogging and Content Marketing
CBD use doesn’t have to be kept secret anymore, and you don’t need to worry about the content you are putting out online (within reason). This means you can answer peoples’ questions with your own blog or FAQ areas of your website, and drive traffic from search engines.
People ask detailed questions about the differences between CBD and THC, or they might just want to know the basics like “is CBD addictive?” You can answer these questions on your website.
This will bring you traffic from other sources, but it also helps to establish you as an expert in the industry.
2. Make Your Brand Look Good
It’s worth spending the time to make your brand look good with professional packaging, an inventive and stylish logo, and even working with professional graphic designers and web designers to keep everything “on brand”.
It’s easy to make something that looks decent yourself. You can use online logo design platforms if you want, but it’s unlikely you will get something unique. Spend some time working with a professional to get the best possible results.
There are considerations in branding. For instance, in most states, it is not allowed to market marijuana with any graphics that might attract children, like using mascots or cartoon characters.
3. Use Social Media
Again, you need to check the specific policies of social networks. Some will be fine with you posting CBD products and information, but others will not.
A lot of CBD brands are using Instagram as a way to share their products and get more exposure. Instagram is a great platform for anything visual including short videos and photos, and you can show off your product on the platform, using hashtags as a way to get seen by more people, and even build a following.
If you have special promotions or exciting news, social media can be the best way to share it and grow your customer base.
4. Consider Display Ads
Display ads are incredibly commonplace on the internet. Obviously, you need to consider where the ads are going to be shown. There are a lot of display ad networks that link advertisers with publishers, but some of these, such as Google Adsense, don’t allow cannabis advertising.
In the modern age of legal cannabis (in some areas) there are plenty of blogs out there that focus on marijuana. You can contact these directly to discuss advertising, and this can be in the form of editorial content, or display adverts, building awareness of your brand.
It’s important to target locally, and some ad networks will allow you to do this. Finding bloggers and cannabis-related websites in your area is the best way to ensure you can find people nearby. There’s no point in advertising a Portland dispensary in New York.
5. Search Engine Optimization
SEO is important for pretty much any industry in the modern age. There are billions of search engine queries carried out every single day.
In order to get to the top of the search engines, there is a lot to consider. You need good content, links to your website from other places online, and it doesn’t hurt to have a quality blog where you cover lots of different topics.
An SEO specialist can help you to try and reach the summit for Google searches relating to your CBD business, and potentially boost income.
Conclusion - Stick to The Rules in Your Area
There are many creative and exciting ways in which you can advertise and promote your brand, growing your income in the process. However, this is an industry that is still heavily regulated. That means that you need to know what you are allowed to do to grow your cannabis brand without risking any breaches of regulation. Each state publishes its own specific guidelines.
We live in an age where social media and online marketing have a huge impact on most peoples’ buying decisions. If you are not putting your brand in the spotlight by making efficient use of digital marketing then you are missing out on potential new customers.