The cannabis industry has seen a massive expansion over the past decade, with the US market expected to reach about $50 billion in the next few years.
In this climate, most cannabis companies are searching for new ways to profit by scaling expanding enterprises and broadening their client base.
A popular way for such companies to boost productivity is teaming up with business vendors that will take care of production and processing in order to cut back on expenses and improve overall quality control.
Of course, the cannabis industry is not all weed. Numerous companies specialize in lighting and fertilizers, farming technology, growing and processing gear in general ?be it for other businesses or home growers. If you’re starting out in the market, now is the perfect time to find ways to properly market your services, especially regarding online B2B companies.
You might wonder: in an ever-changing industry, how do I know what to do and when to do it? Well, we’re here for you. Read below to see some of the most crucial steps to increase sales to your online cannabis business via marketing techniques.
Where should you advertise your online business?
Well, the largest and most reliable paid advertising platforms are Facebook and Google ads, but those do have very strict policies regarding cannabis and CBD, even though the 2018 Farm Bill did wonders for the expansion of the industry in the US. This means that buying advertising is not guaranteed for you on these networks. However, you can still gain exposure on these platforms by using indirect means, like social media marketing and paid search SEO strategies.
Branding
Companies specializing in the cannabis industry must be especially cautious and creative about their public image, as just a decade ago, selling cannabis-related products was seen as a black market enterprise.
Branding is the first and perhaps most important step when starting your cannabis business, as potential buyers should want to see you as legitimate and trustworthy.
Paid Search & Social Media
Paid search, also known as Search Engine Marketing (SEM), is the strategy via which advertisers bid on keywords that are related to their services and products so that companies appear as ads and show up in search results.
Paid Social is the same thing, with the only difference being that the ads appear on social media platforms, such as Facebook or Twitter ads.
Keywords and SEO Optimization
As with any online business, SEO optimization is of vital importance. That means that you should create original content, like website pages with eye-catching graphics and interesting blog posts.
Identifying high-converting ?and often long-tail? keywords and optimizing content to increase sales is one of the most crucial steps for online marketing, as your search results rankings will get boosted. Incidentally, long-tail keywords dominate the majority of online searches, greatly increasing your conversion rate with high organic reach.
Influencers
Even though it started as a trend, influencing has become a full-time job for some lucky and creative people with a knack for advertising through their lifestyle. Now a branch of SEO, influencer marketing can boost your website hits in no time, ultimately growing your brand’s value and expanding your client base.
Of course, if you want to improve your ROI stats (Return Of Investment) as well, you’ll need to partner with the appropriate individuals whose content matches your brand and appeals to your targeted audience for long-term profit.
Regulations
In the ever-expanding cannabis business, regulations are always changing ?and marketing guidelines are too, particularly when social media are concerned. As a general rule, for example, explicitly showing cannabis consumption should be avoided, as it’s a sensitive image.
Furthermore, you ought to be careful with your hashtags and avoid potentially risky keywords that could cost you reports and even bans.
Local Market
Targeting the local market is a great idea for all starting businesses since it can give your company much wanted visibility for lower costs ?whether you have a local store or an e-shop without a physical presence.
Since we’re talking locally, working with local advertisers is a plus: prices are more attractive, and non-mainstream media aren’t as selective about their ads. Additionally, though it may be a little old-fashioned, posters and billboards are ideal for reaching local customers.
Finally, it goes without saying that getting your company listed on Google as a local business is a must. People looking for cannabis products locally will spot your shop at the top of their search results page.
