It’s likely that we’ll be seeing recreational legalization on the ballot in Florida in 2024. This is a major step for Florida as one of the largest dispensary chains, Trulieve, started operations as a medical-only facility in Florida.
Author: Nate Doelling
Genius Weed Strains by the Numbers
Here’s a fun article about mentions of rappers’ favorite weed strains from Genius! Genius is an authority on all things hip hop, and there is a lot of crossover between hip hop and cannabis!
5 Ways to Turbocharge Your Cannabis Advertising Strategy
Medical and recreational cannabis is one of the fastest growing sectors of the US economy. Every year, a few more states legalize either recreationally or medically, but there are still federal legislations that make it harder to advertise and promote your cannabis business. Despite these regulations, the market is saturated with a ton of dispensaries and ecommerce businesses fighting for your share of the market. Advertising your business and products is imperative to keep yourself in front of consumers. Here’s how you can market your cannabis or CBD company better:
Use Analytics
Whether you’re a brick and mortar dispensary or an ecommerce CBD brand, you have access to free analytics tools. Google Analytics is a free and powerful tool that you can use to monitor website traffic and Google Search Console can tell you how people are finding your website. You can use this information to put together an SEO strategy to help your business reach first page rankings on google. Brick and mortar stores also have access to data from POS systems and rewards programs.
Know Your Audience
Having a clear customer persona in mind is the first step to developing a successful marketing campaign. Customer personas define who your audience is, including their age, gender, habits, interests, income, and geographic location. You can use analytics to find out the kind of customers you’re attracting naturally and hone in on appealing to them or define new segments you can sell to.
Choose Platforms Wisely
Maximizing your ROI on advertising involves choosing the correct platforms. Cannabis marketing can cost you valuable money and time, so you want to make sure you’re spending both wisely. Knowing whether your cannabis dispensary or CBD business should focus its efforts on an SEO campaign, an email marketing campaign, a PPC campaign, a display campaign, or a social media campaign can be difficult, especially if you don’t have data to analyze. We recommend having 7 different touchpoints your consumers can interact with, and at least two major funnels for driving traffic to your brick and mortar store or to your website. We recommend trying do all kinds of marketing for your business if you have the time and resources to do so, but if we had to pick two for sustainable growth and consistent revenue, the combination of SEO and email marketing will give you the best results.
Look to Successful Campaigns
Studying successful campaigns is the first step to creating a successful cannabis advertising strategy. We recommend looking at a mix of cannabis advertising specific campaigns as well as general trends in the advertising space. We have weekly blogs and emails going over marketing trends in cannabis advertising if you would like to learn more!
Hire Professionals
If you don’t have the time to manage your own marketing campaign, hiring a cannabis marketing company and outsourcing your advertising efforts to professionals might be the solution for you. Hiring a cannabis advertising agency isn’t as expensive as you think it is, and you can use the time you would have spent managing the campaign on other aspects of your business. Cannabis advertising experts do the market and legal research to ensure they are marketing your cannabis or CBD products safely and effectively, leading to better ROI and less risk to your business.
Twitter Easing Restrictions on Cannabis Advertising
In February 2023, Twitter announced that dispensaries and agencies could advertise on twitter but were not allowed to mention or link directly to products. As of April 2023, Twitter has begun easing restrictions on products and allowing advertisement of closed products. Twitter is currently the only social media platform allowing advertisements that show cannabis. Twitter has a verification process and mandates that advertisements can only be shown to people above the age of 21.
An Interview with our CEO, Steve Knapp.
Our CEO recently got interviewed and we wanted to share the answers with you here!
Q: Who are you?
A: I’m Steve Knapp, CEO and founder of Seedless Media.
Q: What does your company do?
A:We’re a digital marketing agency that works primarily with cannabis brands to help differentiate themselves and stand above the competition. We work to get the client exactly what they need to help grow their business. We take an omnichannel approach and provide geo-targeted display advertising, email and Text marketing, and SEO-driven web development solutions. We’re a forward-thinking agency that emphasizes clear communication, meaningful results, and client retention.
Q: How long has Seedless Media been around?
A: I founded Seedless Media in 2018
Q: What is your primary role in the cannabis industry?
A: Externally, we operate as marketers and industry leaders, but internally, we see ourselves as advocates for cannabis and our clients. We care about cannabis and generating meaningful ROI for our clients. We work with clients of all sizes throughout the USA. We work with brands like seedleSs clothing and Gelato. We provide creative solutions to client problems. We work with our clients to identify their brand voice, and we amplify that voice until all their prospective customers hear it.
Q: How long have you been in the cannabis industry?
A: I’ve been in the cannabis industry for a little over 20 years now.
Q: What past projects and accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: Building this business is my highest achievement. I started Seedless Media because I felt that the advertising solutions for cannabis brands were lacking. Our combined experience and knowledge of the cannabis industry helps us maintain a very high client retention rate.
Q: What projects are you currently working on?
A: We’re working on improving the effectiveness of Pay Per Click (PPC) as a whole, establishing Twitter paid cannabis advertising as a lucrative platform for businesses, harnessing the power of AI and utilizing these emerging trends to give our clients a competitive edge over their competition. And lastly, we’re building two new divisions in the company by the end of this year.
Q: What parts of the industry are you most excited about?
A: I’m most excited about the normalization of cannabis. With mainstream acceptance and the rapid action of some states, we’re seeing innovation and creation of new products at an astonishing rate. Highly specialized companies are forming around cannabis as a legitimate industry and making strides toward utilizing cannabis as a recreational and medicinal product.
Q: What parts of the industry are you most concerned about?
A: I’m most concerned about policymakers at the state & national level not seeing eye to eye. Cannabis has gained cultural support in the past decade, but policymakers aren’t meeting their constituents where they are. I’m worried that bureaucracy will take priority over local businesses and communities.
Q: How old were you the first time you smoked and who did you get it from?
A: The first time I smoked I was twelve years old, I got it from one of my cousins!
Q: What is your favorite way to medicate?
A: Unfortunately for my lungs, I love smoking. They really need a break.
Q: What is the craziest place you’ve smoked?
A: One time I smoked in my tack coach’s office while he was out on the field.
Q: What are your go-to munchies after you get high?
A: Fruit – it’s the best cottonmouth killer.
Q: If you could smoke with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
A: It’s gotta be Snoop Dogg, man.
The Importance of Google My Business for Cannabis and CBD Dispensaries
In the fast-paced world of cannabis and CBD dispensaries, visibility is king. If you own a physical dispensary, you know how important your store’s location is in terms of driving foot traffic. The digital equivalent to your physical location is your keyword rankings and searchability online. Does your dispensary show up when people google “dispensary near me?” If not, how far do they need to scroll to find you? Something that could help increase your cannabis or CBD store’s SEO and visibility is having a Google My Business (GMB) account properly set up.
What is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free tool that allows you to promote your business profile and website on Google Search and Maps. GMB helps you connect with customers, post updates to your business profile, and see how customers are interacting with your business on Google.
Why is GMB Important for Cannabis and CBD Businesses?
GMB is crucial for any business, but it’s doubly important for cannabis and CBD dispensaries due to their unique circumstances. These are the reasons why:
Improved Local Visibility
GMB listings significantly enhance your local search visibility. It ensures your dispensary appears in local search results and on Google Maps when potential customers search for businesses like yours. This gives you an instant leg up over dispensaries in your area that don’t have a GMB listing and also helps improve your website’s SEO. Here are some additional ways a GMB listing helps you:
Higher Search Rankings
A well-optimized GMB profile increases the likelihood of your dispensary appearing in Google’s Local Pack, Local Finder, Google Maps, and organic search rankings. A business listed on GMB has a higher chance of being considered reputable by Google, which boosts your SEO efforts significantly.
Increased Engagement
GMB gives you ways to interact with locals, including posts, offers, reviews, and a questions and answers section. These features provide multiple touchpoints for customers to interact with your dispensary, which in turn fosters loyalty and return visits.
Insightful Analytics
GMB provides detailed insights about how customers search for your business, what actions they take, and where they’re coming from. This data can help you refine your marketing strategy.
Overcoming the GMB Challenge for Cannabis and CBD Dispensaries
Despite the immense benefits, keeping a GMB listing live can be challenging for cannabis and CBD businesses due to policy complexities. But, it’s worth noting that many successful dispensaries have managed to maintain their GMB listings by following community guidelines and keeping their content compliant with regulations.
Can eCommerce Businesses Have GMB Listings?
Yes! Your Cannabis or CBD eCommerce business can have a GMB listing. When you set your GMB up, you can use your home or office address for your business location and hide this information. You can also set a service area so your business will only appear in areas you can deliver your products to.
How to Make Sure Your GMB Listing Stays Up
Compliance is Key
Make sure your listing strictly adheres to GMB’s policies. Avoid promoting any restricted products. Instead, focus on the overall experience your dispensary provides, such as its ambiance, customer service, and educational initiatives.
Monitor Your Listing Regularly
Google regularly updates its policies and algorithms. This can affect your listing without you noticing, so it’s important to check back on your GMB listing regularly to make sure it’s still live and to resolve any pending issues! Checking your account regularly also gives you the opportunity to respond to any reviews or questions your customers leave.
Seek Professional Help
Considering the stakes and complexities involved, it might be helpful to engage a digital marketing agency specializing in the cannabis industry. They can help navigate these challenges and keep your GMB listing optimized and compliant.
Google My Business is a potent tool that can significantly improve your dispensary’s visibility and customer engagement while boosting your SEO strategy. With diligence and the right approach, your cannabis or CBD business can harness the full potential of GMB, leading to increased growth and profitability.
Highly Effective Cannabis Marketing: Unlocking the Power of Programmatic Display Advertising
Running programmatic display ads for a dispensary or e-commerce cannabis company can be an effective way to reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. Here are some reasons why:
1. Targeted Advertising:
With programmatic display ads, you can target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, allowing you to reach the right audience for your dispensary. This means that your ads are more likely to be seen by people who are interested in cannabis products and are more likely to become customers. Check out this publication by Stanford Business on the growth of programmatic advertising.
2. Increased Visibility:
Display ads can increase the visibility of your dispensary’s brand by appearing on websites and apps that your target audience is likely to visit. This can help increase your dispensary’s visibility and brand recognition.
3. Cost-effective:
Programmatic display advertising is often more cost effective than traditional advertising methods, such as TV or print ads. You can set a budget and bid on ad placements, ensuring that you’re only paying for the impressions and clicks that your ads receive.
4. Measurable Results:
Programmatic advertising allows you to track your ad’s performance in real time, providing valuable data on the number of impressions, clicks, and conversions. This allows you to adjust your advertising strategy accordingly, optimizing your campaigns for better results.
5. Reach the Right Audience at the Right Time:
Programmatic display ads can be timed to display during specific times of the day, on specific days of the week, or even during specific events. This means that you can reach potential customers when they are most likely to be interested in your products, increasing the chances of converting them into paying customers.
6. Build Trust and Credibility:
By consistently displaying your dispensary’s brand message and products to your target audience, you can build trust and credibility with them. This can lead to increased loyalty and repeat business over time.
7. Adaptable and Flexible:
Programmatic display ads allow quick and easy changes to ad copy, visuals, and targeting. This means that you can easily adapt to changes in your dispensary’s marketing strategy or respond to current events, ensuring that your ads remain relevant and effective.
8. Increased Website Traffic:
Display ads should include calls to action, encouraging viewers to click through your dispensary’s website. This can lead to increased traffic to your website and, ultimately, more sales.
9. Better Control of Ad Spend:
With programmatic display ads, you can set a budget and control how much you spend on each ad placement. This ensures that your advertising efforts are cost-effective and that you don’t overspend on ads that aren’t generating results.
Programmatic display ads can help dispensaries effectively target the right audience, increase brand recognition, build trust and credibility, and drive more sales. With the ability to measure and adjust ad performance in real-time, programmatic advertising is a powerful tool for dispensaries looking to increase their online presence and grow their customer base. If you want to grow your Dispensary or e-commerce cannabis business with programmatic display advertising, click and grow today!
Marijuana: A Journey Through Time and Changing Perceptions
Cannabis, also known as marijuana, has a long and fascinating history that spans thousands of years. Its use can be traced back to ancient civilizations in Asia, where it was used for medicinal purposes and spiritual rituals. Over the years, cannabis has been both praised and demonized, but its popularity has never waned.
History
In the 20th century, cannabis began to attract more attention, especially in Western countries, where it became associated with the counter-culture movement. In the United States, it was classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning that it was considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.
Recent Years
However, in recent years, attitudes toward cannabis have begun to shift. Medical marijuana has been legalized in many states, and some states have even legalized recreational use. This change in perception has been fueled by a growing body of research that suggests that cannabis may have many potential health benefits.
Read More at Green Therapy NYC here!
Five Marketing Mistakes Cannabis Companies Should Avoid
A complex, technical, and attention-grabbing sector? That description applies to both cannabis and marketing. But many cannabis insiders aren’t equally versed on the ins and outs of effective marketing campaigns. Whether you run a B2B or B2C business, connecting effectively with customers requires a fair bit of know-how and understanding of the digital advertising landscape.
It’s easy to think a DIY approach to marketing your business will get customers in the door, but organic growth is easier said than done. Here are five common marketing mistakes and how you can avoid these pitfalls to get your brand in front of the right people…Read More
Email Marketing Platforms That Are Cannabis Friendly
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to stay in touch with current customers and to build a relationship with prospective customers. Having an email list that is small is not a concern, as with effective marketing it will continue to grow. The cannabis email marketing experts at Seedless Media are also happy to help you setup a starter email campaign to start collecting emails – everyone has to start somewhere!
Finding the Right Platform
Finding an email marketing platform that is cannabis friendly is critical. Not all email marketing services, including the big names in the market, are friendly to cannabis and even CBD businesses. In fact, many of the big email marketing platforms specifically prohibit the marketing of cannabis products or any type of marketing of cannabis businesses.
As the policies on cannabis marketing are continually changing, it is a wise step to reach out to the email platform and specifically ask what their policies are on marketing for a cannabis industry company. This ensures you get the policy statement in writing before signing up or attempting to send out your first email and being flagged right from the start.
Possible Options
Here are a few email marketing platforms that offer small to mid-sized email marketing campaigns and are also cannabis friendly.
- Klaviyo – supports cannabis businesses with email and offers easy-to-use email services for small businesses
- Emurcury – both CBD and cannabis, but requires all subscribers to opt-in to the email marketing campaign
- Email Octopus – also requires everyone on the list subscribes to the newsletter
- Hubspot – both CRM (customer relationship management) and email services for cannabis businesses
- Moosend – cannabis-friendly for both emails and reporting
- Alpine IQ – offers integration with most cannabis menus and loyalty programs
We prefer to use Klaviyo at Seedless Media as it allows for accurate metric and KPI tracking, as well as simple campaign and automated flow setup. If you have any questions about email marketing for the cannabis industry, be sure to contact us today!
