Cannabis Marketing

Cannabis SEO: How it Can Transform Your Brand’s Online Presence

Weedit
November 2, 2023
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How to do Cannabis SEO

As the market for cannabis-related products continues to grow, the importance of cannabis SEO is rapidly emerging as a critical factor for the success of businesses in this sector. 

Why? Because paid advertising is largely off-limits. And most search engines have strict policies against advertising cannabis and CBD products, which leaves dispensaries with only one viable option to turn to: SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

Also, it is one of the most effective ways to secure a prime spot on Google’s first page so that your business attracts organic traffic, gains more visibility, and ultimately witnesses an increased revenue.

This article explores strategies and best practices for improving the organic growth of your cannabis website through SEO, given these limitations.

Let’s get started.

What is Cannabis SEO

Cannabis SEO is the practice of optimising websites and online content related to cannabis, including marijuana and hemp, to improve their visibility in search engine results. The main goal of cannabis SEO is to attract organic (non-paid) traffic to these websites and increase their online presence on search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

Why is Cannabis SEO Important for Your Business

Doing cannabis SEO offers several benefits for your business. Here are some important ones to make a note of:

1. Increases online visibility

SEO efforts, when executed effectively, can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). This means more people will find your website when searching for cannabis-related products, services, or information.

2. Gives you targeted traffic

By optimising your website for specific cannabis-related keywords, you can attract targeted traffic. This means that the visitors to your site are more likely to be interested in what you have to offer, increasing the potential for conversions.

3. Increases brand credibility

High search engine rankings can enhance your brand’s credibility and trustworthiness. When your website consistently appears in top search results, users are more likely to trust your brand and view it as an authority in the industry.

4. It’s a cost-effective marketing

Compared to paid campaigns, SEO is a cost-effective long-term strategy. Once you’ve achieved strong rankings, you don’t have to pay for each click, making it a more sustainable marketing option.

5. Gives local search advantage

For cannabis dispensaries and businesses with physical locations, local SEO is essential. Optimising your website for local search terms can help you attract local customers who are looking for cannabis products or services in their area.

6. Helps you make data-backed decisions

SEO tools and analytics provide valuable data on user behaviour, website traffic, and keyword performance. This data can help you make informed decisions to improve your website and marketing strategy.

7. Gains a competitive edge

SEO allows you to compete effectively with other businesses in the cannabis industry. When your website ranks higher than your competitors, you have a competitive advantage in attracting potential customers.

8. Improves user experience

Part of SEO involves optimising your website for user experience. This includes ensuring fast loading times, easy navigation, and mobile responsiveness. A better user experience can lead to higher user satisfaction and more conversions.

9. Delivers long-term results

Unlike some marketing strategies that provide short-term benefits, SEO is a long-term strategy. Once you’ve established strong search engine rankings, they can continue to benefit your business for an extended period.

10. Delivers measurable results

SEO efforts are measurable, allowing you to track your progress and see the impact of your optimization efforts over time. This transparency helps you refine your strategy for better results.

Key Challenges Brands Face with Cannabis SEO

Unfortunately, creating an effective cannabis SEO strategy isn’t as straightforward as you think. The primary challenge stems from the intense competition among businesses, all vying for the small piece of the pie with the same marketing approach.

Even if you manage to secure the top spot on SERPs, it’s highly likely that someone else will overtake your rankings. That’s why you need to be careful in your approach, both with content marketing and link-building. 

Speaking of link building in specific, it happens to be one of the most difficult marketing activities for your cannabis business because bloggers and website owners are usually reluctant to backlinking to cannabis-related sites. Their concerns largely revolve around potential penalties from search engines.

8 Best Cannabis SEO Strategies to Boost Organic Rankings

Here’s a step-by-step process to do cannabis SEO effectively.

1. Understand the Cannabis SEO landscape

  • Know the legal constraints: Research and comply with local and national laws. For example, in California, where recreational cannabis is legal, websites like Leafly (leafly.com) ensure their content aligns with state regulations. 
  • Identify your target audience: Determine your audience, whether it’s medical cannabis users, recreational consumers, or industry professionals.

2. Do proper keyword research

  • Start with seed keywords: Begin your SEO strategy by identifying the primary keywords related to your cannabis products. These seed keywords form the foundation for your content. 
  • Look for long-tail keywords: Due to the industry’s restrictions, long-tail keywords can be highly effective. They are more specific and have less competition. For example, “organic CBD oil for anxiety” instead of just “CBD oil.”
  • Use keyword research tools: While you could use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google’s Keyword Planner to find cannabis-relevant keywords, there are a few limitations that you need to know.

Here’s something important for you to note with respect to keyword research

  • Google AdWords may have limitations and inaccurate data for cannabis-related searches due to legal restrictions and policies. This means relying solely on Google’s Keyword Planner for cannabis-related keywords may provide a partial picture.

    Also, in smaller or emerging markets where cannabis is less commonly searched, tools like Ahrefs may have limited and older data. It’s essential to understand that keyword trends in these markets may have evolved since the data was last updated.

    So, consider supplementing this data with other research methods:
  • Gather local insights: Contact local industry associations, cannabis experts, or local forums to gather insights about relevant keywords.
  • Do competitor research: Analyse the keywords that your competitors are targeting. This can provide insights into the terms and phrases driving traffic and conversions in the cannabis industry.
  • Look at user-generated content: Read customer reviews, comments, and social media discussions. These can reveal commonly used terms and phrases in the cannabis community. Monitor these platforms to discover relevant keywords.

3. Execute on-page optimization techniques

  • Optimise your website content: Incorporate keywords strategically into your content, headings, title tags, and meta descriptions. Don’t stuff your cannabis/CBD/marijuana keywords. Instead, distribute them naturally and make it look compelling to boost click-through rates.
  • Optimise your header tags: Use header tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content. Include cannabis/CBD/marijuana keywords in the headers wherever relevant. Also, use long-tail keywords to optimise your headings, as this helps with SEO. For example, write “How to choose the right CBD dosage for sleep” instead of just “The Right CBD Dosage.”
  • Optimise your images: Image optimisation for your cannabis dispensary is essential. It improves website performance, user experience, and search engine visibility. 

Pro tips for better image optimisation

I. Compress your images before uploading them to your website

  • Use image compression tools like TinyPNG to reduce file sizes while maintaining quality. This helps in faster page loading and improved user experience.
  • Example: Original image (1.5MB) vs. Compressed image (200KB).

II. Use proper image format

  • Modern image formats like WebP or JPEG 2000 offer better compression and quality than traditional JPEG or PNG formats.
  • Example: WebP format (lossless compression) is widely supported and can reduce image sizes.

III. Include ‘Alt Text’ and ‘Description’ for the image

  • Add descriptive alt text to every image for accessibility and SEO. Alt text and description should describe your image’s content.
  • Example: If you’re writing about a specific cannabis strain – say, “Blue Dream Cannabis Strain,” then include that as your ‘Alt text.’ And make your description a bit longer. Something like this: “Blue Dream Cannabis Strain – Sativa-dominant hybrid with berry aroma.”

IV. Name the images before uploading

  • Use descriptive file names with relevant keywords. Avoid generic names like “image001.jpg.”
  • Example: Don’t use image file names as “IMG12345.jpg.” Instead, make it relevant. For example, “Blue-Dream-Cannabis-Strain.jpg.”

V. Pay attention to the image dimensions

  • Resize images to the actual display size on the website to avoid large files.
  • Example: If the display size for a product thumbnail is 200×200 pixels, resize the image accordingly.

VI. Lazy Load the images

  • Implement lazy loading to slow down the loading of images until your users scroll to them. This helps reduce initial page load times.
  • Example: Use the “loading” attribute in HTML to enable lazy loading for images.

VII. Use a good CDN (Content Delivery Network)

  • Utilise a CDN to distribute images from geographically distributed servers, reducing load times for visitors worldwide.
  • Example: Popular CDNs include Cloudflare, Amazon CloudFront, etc.

4. Don’t overlook technical SEO

  • Perform mobile optimisation: Make sure your website is mobile-friendly because Google prioritises mobile-first indexing. 
  • Enhance your page speed: Slow-loading pages can negatively impact SEO, so make sure to improve your website’s loading speed.
  • Pay attention to schema markup: As a cannabis business,you can face specific regulations and restrictions. Schema markup allows you to categorise your content accurately, making it clear that you are a licensed dispensary, delivery service, or a related entity.

    Also, target users can quickly find the information they need, such as hours of operation or product availability, without clicking through to your website.

5. Build credible, relevant backlinks

  • Build high-quality backlinks: Acquire backlinks from authoritative sources or high DA (Domain Authority) sites within the cannabis industry, as well as from related health and wellness websites.

Here are a few examples of cannabis websites that have built a strong organic presence by creating credible backlinks and high DA (Domain Authority).

No.Name of the WebsiteDR (Domain Rating)BacklinksOrganic traffic
1leafly.com871.3 Million7.3 Million
2flowhub.com627.7K43.5K
3silver-therapeutics.com382.9K124K
4lume.com3764.8K137K
5cannaprovisions.com381.8K38.3K

Here’s how you can go about building credible yet relevant backlinks:

  • Collaborate with industry influencers: Partner with influencers in the cannabis industry who have authoritative websites or social media profiles. They can mention or link to your content or products, increasing your online visibility.
  • Leverage cannabis directories: Submit your business to reputable cannabis directories and business listings. These directories often provide a backlink to your website, improving your link profile.
  • Educational resources: Develop educational resources on cannabis-related topics. These can include guides, tutorials, or white papers. Educational content often attracts backlinks from academic institutions and authoritative sources.
  • Online PR and press releases: Issue press releases for notable events, product launches, or milestones in your cannabis business. Distribute these releases through reputable PR distribution services, which can lead to media coverage and backlinks.
  • Participate in cannabis communities: Engage in cannabis-related forums, social media groups, and communities. Contribute valuable insights, answer questions, and share your expertise. If your content is relevant, it may be shared and linked to by other community members.
  • Monitor your brand mentions: Keep an eye on online mentions of your brand or products. Reach out to websites or individuals that mention your business without providing a link and politely request that they link back to your website.
  • Do regular guest posting: Identify cannabis-related websites or blogs that have a good reputation and accept guest posts. These should be sites where your target audience is likely to visit.

    Focus on providing valuable information and building your authority in the cannabis industry. While you primarily be selling cannabis products, make sure your guest post aligns with the target website’s niche.

6. Optimise for local SEO

  • List your brand on GMB (Google My Business): GMB listings appear in local search results and on Google Maps. For cannabis businesses, especially dispensaries and weed delivery services, local visibility is essential as most customers seek nearby options. A well-optimised GMB listing helps your business appear in local search queries.
  • Be consistent with local citations: When search engines display local results in a map pack, they rely on the consistency of NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information to determine which businesses to feature. Consistent NAP information across multiple directories signals reliability and boosts higher ranking in local search results.

7. Promote your brand on social media

  • Post educational content: Create content that educates your audience about cannabis. Share information about the benefits, various strains, consumption methods, and legal updates. Be a reliable source of information to establish trust and credibility.
  • Drive user-generated content (UGC): Online reviews and discussions create a sense of community. People who consume cannabis are usually keen on sharing their experiences. They feel connected to others who have similar interests and experiences. Also, by sharing their thoughts, they provide valuable insights to prospective buyers.
  • Use proper hashtags: Use relevant and trending cannabis-related hashtags to increase the discoverability of your content. Research popular hashtags within the cannabis community to expand your reach.

8. Monitor your organic traffic

  • Install GA (Google Analytics): If you haven’t already, set up Google Analytics on your website. This free tool tracks website traffic and user behaviour. 
  • Track website traffic: Use Google Analytics to monitor overall website traffic. Pay attention to metrics like the number of visitors, pageviews, and session duration. This data can help you understand the effectiveness of your SEO efforts in attracting and retaining users. 
  • Dive deeper into user behaviour: Explore which pages are most visited, how users navigate your cannabis website, and where they tend to drop off. Identify which pages are most effective in converting visitors into customers. For example, if you’re a cannabis dispensary, you might want to analyse user behaviour on your product pages. 
  • Set up conversion tracking: This allows you to monitor specific actions you want users to take, such as signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or contacting your business. This data helps you understand the impact of your SEO efforts on achieving your business goals. 
  • Check for traffic sources: Analyse where your website traffic is coming from. Are users finding you through organic search, social media, or referrals? Understanding your traffic sources can help you allocate resources effectively. 
  • Identify your top-performing content: Check which blog posts or pages are attracting the most visitors and driving engagement? Optimise and expand on what’s working.

Conclusion

In a space where everyone turns to search engines for information, SEO ensures your cannabis business doesn’t go unnoticed. It places your brand at the forefront of search results, making your website the top choice for potential customers.

Also, doing Cannabis SEO isn’t just about ranking high; it’s about building trust. People tend to engage with businesses they perceive as credible. SEO helps boost your online reputation, making your target audience more likely to choose your products or services.

Trade Slow SEO for Quick Wins
with Cannabis Affiliate Marketing

SEO is a valuable long-term strategy for your cannabis website. No doubt! But it requires consistency, patience, and significant investments. Even with all that, intense competition makes it hard to rank on search engine results. So, there’s no guarantee of rapid results.

Instead, sign up to a good cannabis affiliate network. Why? It’s cost-effective and has a ready-made network of affiliates who are experts in promoting your cannabis products. These affiliates have established online audiences and can quickly begin driving traffic to your website.

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