The legalization of cannabis in many states of the USA began with California’s ground-breaking move to allow people to not only possess weed for personal use but also to grow a set number of plants in the home. When other states began to follow suit – some with similar legislation and other more limited – the cannabis market including growers and suppliers had to react quickly to imminent change.
No longer was marijuana a ‘behind closed doors’ product; suddenly it became mainstream, and the rise of online licensed retailers, licensed and taxed growers, and other peripheral players in the weed market meant a fast-growing industry that needed to service great numbers of people.
One area in which cannabis growers – now, of course, becoming above board and legal companies complete with all that entails – were and are less that experienced is that of marketing. As every business owner knows marketing is central to brand loyalty and expansion. Lately, however, the industry is turning to the modern version of ‘word of mouth’ to boost its sales: social media marketing.
Why Use Social Media Marketing?
Why use social media marketing? Let’s assume you want to market a Dab Pen or a range of them, along with other cannabis and vaping accessories. Marketing is about getting the word across to your target audience. The days of mass marketing emails and mail drops are long gone. Nowadays marketing professionals use the information gathered by cannabis companies about their potential customers via existing and repeat buyers. Information such as the age of the customers, what they want from a retailer, where they are and how often they are likely to buy, to name just a few.
Back, then, to social media and its importance. It can be argued that social media rules many people’s lives. It is a way of keeping in touch with others, of finding the latest news, of instigating and enjoying discussion and conversation, and this is where social media marketing by cannabis companies comes into the equation. Let’s talk a little more about how you can use social media to promote a cannabis company, and which platforms are most likely to work.
Which Platforms Work Best for Cannabis Companies?
The subject of cannabis legality is covered by many bloggers, and it may be that a cannabis company will set up its own blog and start talking about its latest products. These get picked up by people interested in cannabis – generally those who enjoy it – and can be a great way of enhancing social trust. For the non-marketeers among you social trust is about building the reputation of your brand.
Let’s say you start posting on Instagram, a powerful social media tool popular with the very demographic that likes to enjoy cannabis. The more people share your post, the greater your reputation becomes, and brand awareness is improved. TikTok – the extremely popular short video sharing platform – is another that will appeal to your target audience, as the emphasis is on short, amusing or eye-catching video that gets the point across.
There are also plenty of cannabis pages on the likes of Facebook, plus forums across the board that cannabis companies should be indulging in.
What Methods Work for Cannabis Users?
Most online retailers in the cannabis industry are new to open and forthright marketing. For this reason, we recommend you research marketing and perhaps bring on board someone with expertise in digital marketing using social media. They will be able to help grow your online footprint and increase your customer base, thus creating a firm footing for the expansion of your business.
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