Navigating the Minefield of Marijuana Advertising

Although it’s a thriving industry, starting a medical marijuana dispensary, legal marijuana store, or other marijuana-related business can be tough. Not only will you have to deal with strict laws and restrictions when it comes to things like licensing and funding, but you’ll also have to navigate the minefield of marijuana advertising.

When it comes to promoting your marijuana business, you’ll face many challenges. Each state has rules on what you can and can’t do when it comes to advertising marijuana. What’s more, many major advertising platforms don’t allow you to advertise marijuana, and traditional forms of advertising are usually out of the question. With that said, there are still various effective ways to advertise and promote your business. Here’s a guide on navigating the minefield of marijuana advertising.

Brush Up On Marijuana Laws In Your State

Operating a business in the marijuana industry is especially tricky as there are so many unique laws and regulations you must comply with. Marijuana is still federally illegal in the United States, but each state makes its own rules on whether marijuana can be used for medical or recreational purposes. There are also laws when it comes to how marijuana can be advertised.

If you’re planning to use traditional forms of advertisement such as TV advertising, radio advertising, or even billboards, it’s best to forget about it. Laws forbid marijuana businesses from marketing themselves using these forms. What’s more, many major platforms restrict marijuana advertising campaigns.

A lot of the laws on marijuana advertising revolve around protecting younger people and reducing misinformation. You can’t use any kind of advertising or marketing that promotes the use of marijuana to those under 21. You must also avoid making health claims about your products in advertisements.

Make sure you learn about your state’s laws on marijuana, as well as national marijuana laws. Not only will it help you know how you can and can’t market your business, but it’ll also help you avoid any legal hurdles and run your business more smoothly.

Avoid Major Advertising Platforms

One of the biggest problems with trying to advertise your marijuana business is that you can’t use certain platforms. Since marijuana is still federally illegal, many platforms choose to restrict or remove marijuana advertising campaigns completely. Facebook and Google are two prime examples.

Although some marijuana businesses have carried out successful advertising campaigns on Facebook, it’s tough to get approved. Facebook restricts advertisements with any language related to marijuana, as well as health claims and images of marijuana consumption. This can make it hard to run an effective ad campaign.

Similarly, Google will most likely reject any advertisements related to marijuana. Many businesses use Google ads to promote their startups, especially as it’s such a huge platform. Unfortunately, marijuana businesses most likely won’t have this luxury.

These rules might make it seem tough to promote your marijuana business. However, there are ways around it. You might want to turn to niche advertising platforms that work with marijuana businesses. Plus, you can still promote your business without using regular advertisements- even when it comes to Google and Facebook.

Build A Digital Presence

Since regular forms of advertising are usually out of the question, you have to be careful about how you promote your business. One of the best ways to do this is to focus on building a digital presence. You can get your brand noticed online without using billboards, TV advertisements, or targeted Facebook and Google ads.

One of the most important things you’ll need to do is to start a website for your business. Your website can inform potential customers or clients about what you do, where to find you, and why they should use your service. What’s more, some marijuana stores and dispensaries even show product menus and allow patients or customers to order online.

Once your site is up-and-running, it becomes much easier to get your business noticed. You can use search engine optimization (SEO) to make your pages more visible to marijuana customers on Google. You can also write targeted content to improve your visibility across Google without placing any advertisements.

Content written on your website can also be shared on social media. If you write engaging content, this can help build your social media following and bring new eyes to your business. You can even gain new customers. Just make sure your content is editorial and not overly promotional in tone.

Get Noticed Locally

It also helps to work on local marketing. Since businesses that sell marijuana products must only sell within state lines, attracting local customers is particularly crucial. Fortunately, there are many ways you can do this- both digitally and physically.

One of the best ways to attract new local customers is to work on local SEO. This involves optimizing your web content to make it visible when people search for marijuana in your area. It also helps to start listing your business on local business directories, as well as using sites like Leafly and Weedmaps where people search for weed.

You should also start attending cannabis events. Cannabis business events and expos are perfect for networking and getting your brand name out there. However, you can also find festivals and events geared toward cannabis consumers. Some of these even allow you to set up stalls where you can sell promotional products.

If you want to get your business noticed, then make sure you get some promotional cannabis products. If you have an eye-catching logo and memorable brand name, these can look great on products such as lighters, grinders, and other essential smoking accessories. As more customers use these, the more people will become aware of your brand.

Conclusion

Although advertising marijuana businesses can be a minefield, there are many effective ways to do so while complying with the law. It’s best to avoid traditional forms of advertising and, instead, focus on building a strong brand identity and reputation. It also helps to promote yourself using SEO and social media marketing without using advertisements.

The more you can appeal to local marijuana consumers, the better. Although it can take some time to get noticed, you’ll start to attract more and more loyal customers as time goes on. If you need help and guidance on marketing your cannabis business or want to get custom-branded products for your business, check out CannabisPromotions.