Let’s be blunt!
The cannabis space is entirely different from a lot of other traditional marketing sectors. Cultivating a marketing approach to a product with different legalities across the landscape comes with its own unique set of challenges. Traditional social media channels are generally not accessible to cannabis marketing, so what do we do? Let’s explore the gaps!
As an entrepreneur, generating revenue and driving traffic to cannabis e-commerce websites should be your primary concern, but creating original content and programming to subvert restrictive platforms can be tricky. One of the significant marketing challenges for dispensaries and cannabis brands is that the usual channels through which small brands advertise — notably Instagram, Facebook, Google, and now TikTok — are not available to cannabis brands. Not only are those powerful marketing channels, but they also provide valuable analytics about potential and existing customers. Using more subversive approaches to get your brand on these platforms without explicit content is the primary strategy for these brands, but doing it effectively in a way that amplifies your message becomes an issue. At Megan Killion, my team and I provide unparalleled marketing insight and strategies to businesses in the cannabis space and use various metrics to diligently comb through your business to define what sets it apart!
Cannabis marketing is also particular in that it’s essential that the brand’s website is fresh, updated, and constantly adding new content since this is the primary tool you have to connect with clients. Fundamental questions might include: does the design reflect who your brand is today? More than that, is it usable across all devices, and what is the response time like? Do pages load properly? Are they optimized for search engines? You want to ensure that people find your website when they’re searching for the solutions you offer—but your website must capture their attention once they’ve seen you. Megan Killion specializes in optimizing SEO to ensure your business gets noticed!
The cannabis community has particular interests and values, and above all, they value authenticity. Having a voice in the cannabis community to differentiate your brand’s personality is a vital tool in any marketing approach. Once you have a good handle on a marketing approach for your brand and you have the right content to support your customers as they explore your cannabis products, your client must have a sense of your mission and values as a company so that they can identify with this over the long term.
The most important thing to remember is that you need your content and message to appear in the places your prospects care about and will have the most impact. Understanding your consumer through targeted cannabis marketing technology is an essential step to scaling your cannabusiness and client base. MKC has extensive experience in assisting THC-friendly companies in thriving; get in touch to learn more!