Turning Marijuana Mainstream
 
It is certainly hard to deny that there is an incredible demand for marijuana all around the world. There are scientists that are attempting to research it, and there are also areas of the world that are treating marijuana as a recreational drug. It has certainly led to a substantial amount of revenue, and Colorado has already raked in billions of dollars as a result.

However, there is a tremendous amount of marketing involved these days with respect to dispensaries and marijuana-related companies. It doesn’t matter if you are making edibles, CBD gummies, or other THC or CBD-related products; there are already so many brands for the consumer to choose. This is why it might be smart to invest in spending some money with a cannabis marketing platform to be sure that your demographic is aware that your company and brand exists.

Many individuals who aren’t too familiar with marijuana might be surprised to find that there are world cups related to cannabis, and that there are many consumers out there that are focused on paying top dollar for the best marijuana possible. Many companies who were not looking at the cannabis sector have thought twice after realizing that Big Tobacco is actually investing large amounts of money into the space. One specific example is the fact that Altria paid 1.8 billion for a 45% stake in Cronos, a marijuana company.

There are also plenty of celebrities that are open about their marijuana use, aside from the fact that it might be able to help with respect to science research. One of the most popular rappers in the world, Wiz Khalifa, is a successful music artist and executive that boasts over 30 million followers. His music contains frequent references to smoking marijuana, and he has even labeled entire projects after marijuana strains, such as his critically-acclaimed mixtape Kush and Orange Juice.

Seth Rogen, one of the most popular comedy actors of today and frequent collaborator with Judd Apatow, has admitted that he is often high during his movie shoots. Many believe that one of the most important pop culture moments with relation to marijuana was when Bill Clinton, a presidential candidate at the time, claimed on MTV that he “didn’t inhale” marijuana, as evidence that many had smoked marijuana but that it was taboo to admit it. That trend certainly seems to have shifted since then, as Obama admitted that he did inhale in 2006. The FBI even famously struggled to find hackers to work with because of their rules against the drug in recent years, as well. The FBI has claimed to have a rule where they do not hire anyone who has consumed marijuana in the past three years.
 
There are many marijuana companies that are looking to cash in on legalization, and are resorting to everything from hiring influencers to working with a cannabis marketing platform to make sure that they are as successful as possible. There is still an incredible amount of potential in the sector given the fact that many states might legalize marijuana in the near future, as well.

The Right Approach to Dispensary SEO
 
Dispensary SEO can be just as challenging as strategizing search engine optimization for any other business. The right approach is to be truly holistic. Comprehensive search engine optimization is no longer sufficient. No stone should be left unturned to make the strategy as inclusive of all tactics as possible. There are some basic requirements and then one must work on advanced search engine optimization. Here is a stepwise guide for dispensary SEO.

·         All directories should have the dispensary listed and rightly categorized. The directories including business listings on search engines, classifieds and other public as well as private lists. Google and Bing have business profiles. A dispensary should create a business profile and map it properly. If the business is already mentioned then it should be claimed. The SEO team should be in control of every public and private profile or page of a business. This includes accounts on review sites. The business should be claimed and there should be official engagement.

·         Categorizing the dispensary is an important step. Google and other search engines index websites and businesses. While the search engines are fairly efficient at correctly indexing websites and business, a company must ensure specificity. For instance, a dispensary in the United States or Canada should mention precisely what it sells. If it is selling cannabis, then that should be clearly mentioned. There is no prize for ambiguity. Any kind of mixed signal will lead to more problems with indexing. The crawlers of search engines are always assessing information and it relies on keywords. The category should be unequivocally clear.

·         Once the listings are claimed and profiles are created on all relevant platforms, the search engine optimization process should move to the website. There should be adequate on page and off page optimization. Both are necessary. The optimization should use geo targeting. This does not mean only the base of the business should be highlighted or used. Geo targeting applies to not just where the business is but everywhere that it has a target audience. This does not have to be always about actually selling right now but where orders may come from. There should be proactive location specific optimization.

·         Links are the neural network that keeps optimization relevant. A dispensary should have a good profile of back links, inbound and outbound links. Whether it is a link connecting one webpage to another or it redirects users from other websites to the dispensary site, the quality of the links should be high and all links must work. Linking or a link wheel should be effective and it must contribute to the ranking of the website. This means a dispensary should try to use high authority sites for back linking and all outgoing links should be relevant.

·         A dispensary should have high page authority and domain authority. These do not replace the ranking system used by search engines. Domain authority and page authority are indicators of what is going wrong or right with an optimization strategy. All available mediums should be used to boost the onsite and offsite optimization, from social networks to blogs, forums and every accessible platform.

Dispensary Marketing Ideas
 
There is a lot of money to be made in the marijuana sector. The demand is huge, and there are all sorts of different types of marijuana that recreational smokers want to smoke. The beauty of the marijuana industry is that millions of adults all around the world already smoke marijuana. In fact, many of them are excited to purchase legal marijuana, and they might be traveling from an area of the world where it isn’t legal. However, it does take a lot for a marijuana dispensary to stand out.
 
That’s why you should be ready with dispensary marketing ideas to make sure that your business can stand out. One important thing to keep in mind is that you must invest in your business. It sends a terrible message to your customers if you cannot even keep up with repairs, signage, or general maintenance. What does the interior of your dispensary look like, and is it easy to navigate? Does your dispensary seem welcoming when you walk in?
 
You should brainstorm about some ideas with your business partners when it comes to marketing ideas. If you don’t have business partners, you might want to consider consulting with a marketing firm of some kind. One great way to find out which way to go in terms of marketing is to give your customers surveys. Your loyal customers can be honest about feedback and what needs to change, and can determine whether they would rather see some marketing ideas implemented digitally and/or locally.
 
You may decide to partner up with a charity of some kind as one of your dispensary marketing ideas, and that can work well since marijuana does have medicinal use. There are also sales that you can have that you can advertise. It’s easy to see how a large sign declaring that all of your products are 20% off can definitely help with some overall local exposure.
 
How is your website? You should invest in a website that is modern and sleek. You don’t want to have your customers thinking that your company is outdated at all. Does the website provide the right information? For example, you might have a lot of information on your website without stating what hours you are open. A potential customer might stop by your dispensary after their work shift only to find that your business is closed.
 
It’s important to offer as much as information as possible when it comes to your marketing. You may want to describe all of the products offered, so that you can capture as much of the market as you can. If you offer glasswork from local artists, that’s a big plus that can help customers feel as though they are supporting the community. Similarly, you might want to look into creating content for social media that might appeal to marijuana enthusiasts.
 
There are many dispensaries out there that are actively marketing their ideas, so you definitely want to make sure to keep up with marijuana trends if you want to stay in business. If you invest your money right, you just might have a very successful dispensary in due time!

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