Anyone who’s spent more than five minutes in the cannabis industry will tell you that cannabis advertising is a whole different ball game. From restrictions on where you can advertise to the language you can use, marketing a dispensary requires a delicate balance of skill and compliance. But at its heart, understanding the difference between successful cannabis marketing and regular marketing is key to effectively advertising your dispensary.
In this quick sit-down, we’ll discuss what cannabis advertising is, the three types of canna advertisements, and how to have a successful campaign.
Let’s roll into it.
What is cannabis advertising compared to normal advertising?
First and foremost, the cannabis industry is still highly regulated. This means that your options for marketing are much more limited than in other industries. You can’t just put up a billboard or run a radio ad. You have to be much more strategic in your approach.
Additionally, the language you use in your marketing materials has to be carefully considered. Because cannabis is still illegal in many parts of the world, you can’t use terms like “get high” or “stoned” in your ads. Instead, you need to focus on the benefits of cannabis use, such as pain relief or relaxation.
It’s also important to remember that your customer base is much different than in other industries. Cannabis users are often looking for a specific experience, so your marketing should reflect that. Whether you’re targeting medical patients or recreational users, understanding their needs and motivations is essential to crafting a successful cannabis advertising campaign.
As a quick summary, cannabis advertising is different than regular advertising because:
- Cannabis advertising must comply with strict regulations.
- Language used in cannabis advertising must be carefully considered.
- Cannabis users are looking for a specific experience, so advertisements should reflect that.
So what does a successful cannabis advertising campaign look like?
You need to carefully consider each element of your campaign and how it will fit into your overall strategy. From your target audience to your ad placements, everything needs to be carefully planned out. But if you take the time to do this right, cannabis advertising can be a powerful tool for driving business to your dispensary.
Here are the basic steps for a successful cannabis advertising campaign:
- Define your target audience (types of smokers, different generations, etc.)
- Choose the right advertising mediums.
- Create catchy and relevant slogans.
- Use eye-catching visuals.
- Test and track your results.
- Make changes as needed.
- Keep it fresh.
The different types of cannabis advertising
With strict regulations governing what can and can’t be said, it’s important to make sure that your ad spending is going to the right places. There are three basic sectors in cannabis advertising: owned media, earned media, and paid media.
Owned media is any platform that you control, such as your website or social media accounts. Earned media is coverage that you didn’t pay for, such as a positive review in a newspaper or magazine. Paid media is exactly what it sounds like: advertising that you’ve paid for, through platforms like Google AdWords or Facebook Ads. By understanding the different types of cannabis advertising, you can make sure that your marketing efforts are reaching the right people.
To summarize, the three types of cannabis advertisements can include the following:
- Owned media: Websites, blogs, newsletters, and social media.
- Earned media: Demonstrate your expertise, network, utilize public relations, and utilize investor support.
- Paid media: publications and forums (very limited while cannabis is still not federally legal).
How does cannabis advertising work?
Cannabis marketing doesn’t have to be the most difficult thing to achieve. In fact, it usually works best when you simply understand the rules, and can successfully leverage social media.
Understand the rules
The legality of cannabis is a constantly changing landscape, and keeping up with the latest state-by-state changes can be a full-time job. But if you want to stay ahead of the curve in the canna business, it’s essential to stay up to date on where your marketing opportunities lie. After all, what’s legal in one state could be forbidden in another, and vice versa.
So how do you stay on top of the ever-changing cannabis laws? Well, first of all, you need to have your finger on the pulse of the latest news. This means following industry news sources closely and subscribing to updates from reliable sources. You should also be active in online forums and communities related to cannabis legalization to hear about new developments as they happen. Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out to state and local authorities for clarification on specific laws. They’re usually happy to help.
Check out our blog post on “Cannabis Publications to Pay Attention to 2022: The Top 10“.
Leverage social media
In today’s fast-paced, social media-driven world, it’s more important than ever to have an online presence for your business. And when it comes to promoting a cannabis business, the rules are a little different. Major platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have restrictions in place regarding cannabis content, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still build a community of followers. The key is to be creative and strategic in your approach. By developing a strong online presence and sharing engaging content, you can drive users to your store or website – even if they can’t purchase anything directly from your social media accounts.
Read our blog post for guidance on “How to Use Cannabis Social Media Influencers to Market Your Dispensary“.
The bottom line
The cannabis industry is unlike any other. From the restrictions on where you can advertise to using only approved words, marketing a dispensary requires an understanding of both successful techniques and compliance laws in order for it to be effective. But by taking the necessary steps to ensure all of these factors, marketing your dispensary will be made easy.
Any further questions?
You can get in touch with us here at WeedBoost if you need any help with cannabis advertising, building a new website, SEO (search engine optimization), social media management, or anything else to do with this whole “cannabis thing”. We got you, always.
