Archive · 2019-07-19

Cannabis entrepreneurs encounter extra challenges when it comes to cannabis business marketing on social media. Cannabis social media platforms must follow federal and international laws, which can sometimes conflict with each other and local and state regulations. As a cannabis business owner, it’s important to focus on the details when marketing your cannabis business on social media.

Social Media Platforms for Cannabis Business Marketing

The top two platforms for cannabis social media marketing are Facebook and Instagram. The ability to have a dedicated business page with posts about your products and services, videos, tips and tricks, and answers for potential customers make both great platforms to market your cannabis business. Other platforms including Snapchat and YouTube can also be beneficial. Twitter presents the greatest challenges for cannabis businesses on social media. The platform has default settings that often result in tweets regarding cannabis filtered out as sensitive material. By using the Twitter platform, you may limit the number of people you can reach.

Marketing Your Cannabis Business on Social Media is Worth the Risk

A robust cannabis social media campaign will get eyes on your brand and drive viewers to your website or other offerings. These days, organic social media marketing is often more effective in marketing your products and business than paid media. So how does a cannabis business use social media to engage customers without getting banned?

10 Tips for Creating Social Media Content for Cannabis Businesses

Use the following tips for best results when it comes to marketing your cannabis business on social media.

#1: Learn as much as you can about your customers 

Ask yourself the following questions:
  • Who are they? 
  • What do they like?
  • What information are they looking for?
  • Where do they hang out online? 
Ultimately, if you aren’t giving your customers what they want and where they want it, you won’t find the engagement you desire.

#2: Know who you are

Your brand should be a picture of your business and cannabis philosophy. Make a list of why you're in this business and remind yourself of that whenever you create content. Every post should reflect your brand. It can be tempting to go for old and stereotypical images to promote cannabis products, but cannabis has a new look and feel these days. Every single piece of content needs to reflect the image you want people to have of you and your cannabis business.

#3: Read the rules

Once you know which social media platforms your customers prefer, read the platform's rules about cannabis. Posting something the platform considers illegal or against their terms of service can result in suspension or get your account banned, which can make recovery very difficult. As policies and regulations are constantly changing, it can be tough to know all of the rules at any given time. Make a good faith effort to keep up with and follow the rules.  Go out of your way to be clear that your product is for adults. Social media platforms do not want to be involved in anything considered controversial and/or appearing to target children.

#4: Communicate the rules and your brand to your staff

Make sure everyone involved in your company's social media understands the rules and philosophy of your strategy. It only takes one offensive post to get bad publicity or blacklist your account on that platform. When in doubt, put together a review process for each and every post related to your brand.

#5: Focus on images and videos

Images and videos attract views on all social media platforms, but when it comes to cannabis business marketing, be aware of what is appropriate. Be careful not to glorify anything illegal in your advertising. Keep in mind that people don't go to social media platforms for advertising. Focus on being social. Show the behind-the-scenes view of the cannabis industry from your perspective. Offer discussion about strategies for using your products and their benefits. When you stop thinking about it as marketing and start thinking of it as educating and serving your customers, your cannabis social media marketing strategy will be a huge success.

#6: Learn about metadata

Metadata is important when it comes to your website, but it’s also important on your social media platforms. Use tags, check-ins and hashtags to help your cannabis business get more organic views. Customers use hashtags and location searches to learn about products. You can use that to your advantage by taking part in a hashtag challenge, a simple invitation to your followers to use your brand hashtag with a relevant picture.

#7: Build your network by sharing

It’s tempting to post only things related to your own business, but by sharing stories, images, videos and memes from others (as they fit into your brand), you’ll build camaraderie in the industry. It also allows you to post more without having to create the content yourself.

#8: Capture your followers' names and email addresses

Followers and likes are great, but if Facebook shut down your account tomorrow, all of your social media work could be lost. Create a valuable opt-in offer on your website or landing page for followers in exchange for their name and email address. You can send out special offers to your list and even tidbits of information that you don’t share other places. As your list grows, so will your customer base.

#9: Engage

The most important thing to remember developing your cannabis social media strategy is to keep the channels of communication open between you and your customers. Respond to posts and DMs as soon as possible. Answer questions, promote your products and educate your customers on a consistent basis. For best results, designate someone within your company to post and engage daily.

#10: Create a system for checking and updating your profile information

Be open and present on your cannabis social media platform, just like you would in a real-life storefront. Make sure your links work, your contact information is up-to-date, and any messages that come in are answered and dealt with promptly.

Cannabis Businesses on Social Media

Social media platforms are a great way to market your cannabis products, especially as part of a cohesive marketing campaign. Know your company. Know your customers. Know the rules. Then create interesting content. Repeat daily to create knowledgeable and loyal superfans for your cannabis business. The key to starting your cannabis business and marketing it effectively is education. CannaCon is the best B2B cannabis convention, and we're coming to your area. Workshops, seminars, and vendors, all at your fingertips. You’ll walk away with everything you need to get or keep your cannabis business up and running. Register now for CannaCon Northeast Aug. 23-24, 2019 and CannaCon South Sept. 27-28, 2019.  

How to Market Your Cannabis Business on Social Media