How To Grow Your Cannabis Dispensary Through Digital Marketing

As the cannabis industry continues to grow, more and more dispensaries are popping up everywhere.

While it’s great to see such a vibrant and expanding market, it also means that dispensaries have to work harder to stand out from the crowd. That’s where digital marketing comes into play and the importance of knowing it thoroughly to apply it to your dispensary.

As we already told you, the cannabis industry is growing and will continue to do so.

If you are a dispensary you most likely want to be successful in the cannabis market and to do so you must stand out from the competition and have differentiating factors that allow your dispensary to stand out.

But it is not enough to have the most beautiful dispensary or the best products if nobody knows you. This is where our friend comes in: digital marketing focused on cannabis.

Digital marketing is an essential tool for any cannabis dispensary that wants to grow its business, and it’s so important for dispensaries because it’s through effective cannabis marketing campaigns that can reach a wider audience, improve your online reputation and ultimately attract more customers to your store.

In today’s world, where most people turn to the internet for information, it is critical for dispensaries to have a strong online presence to remain competitive and be able to reach their target audience effectively and efficiently.

Maybe the question on your mind right now is: ok, I understand it’s important, but how do I apply digital marketing to my cannabis dispensary?

Well, here are some key points that are crucial for you to consider in your cannabis dispensary marketing strategy

One of the most important things you can do to improve your online presence is to optimize your Google Business Profile.

This involves filling out your profile with accurate and up-to-date information, such as your address, phone number, and hours of operation. You should also add photos of your dispensary and your products -the nice ones please-, as well as any promotions or special offers you are currently offering. This will make it easier for potential customers to find you when they search for dispensaries in your area.

Maintaining a Google My Business profile is imperative to any successful cannabis marketing strategy for dispensaries. Here are some simple recommendations to get you started:

• Verify that your business name, address, phone number, and website URL are correct.

• Use the same address format throughout.

• Include opening hours and special hours.

• Choose the appropriate business category.

• Write an optimized description (this will also help you with Google Maps).

• Mention whether your cannabis dispensary is recreational, medical, or both.

As a bonus fact: Google Maps can play an important role in your dispensary’s digital marketing strategy.

When talking about Google Maps, it is not only essential to take into account the specific location where your dispensary is located, but also to include the names of nearby towns or cities your dispensary serves or a geographic radius – in miles or kilometers – from your physical location.

The description of your cannabis dispensary is also critical. Consider it the calling card of your dispensary and your products.

Also, you should have local SEO included in the whole digital marketing strategy.

In addition to optimizing your business profile on Google, you should make sure your dispensary is listed on third-party directories such as Yelp, and Weedmaps.

These directories are very popular among cannabis consumers and can help drive traffic to your dispensary. Additionally, it is a way to show up where your target audience is already looking.

You should always make sure your dispensary information is accurate and up-to-date in each directory, and consider paying for premium listings or advertising to increase your visibility.

This also eventually strengthens local SEO, which in turn strengthens the entire digital marketing strategy.

Getting listed in local directories on the web is ideal for reaching more potential customers. Remember that it is fundamental -and we emphasize this a lot- that the information must always be updated and correct.

Online reviews are a powerful marketing tool for any business, and cannabis dispensaries are no exception.

Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile, website, third-party directories, and social media. You can do this by politely asking after an on-site purchase or leaving the option when making an online purchase.

Even, if you are creative enough you can think of a type of discount or bonus for those who leave honest reviews on the website.

Positive reviews can help improve your online reputation and attract new customers to your dispensary. And when you receive negative feedback, learn to respond in a kind way, showing yourself open to opportunities for improvement and demonstrating a genuine interest in what your customers think and want.

Believe it or not, comments on web pages and Google Business Profile can determine whether or not a person is interested in buying or even learning about your dispensary. Don’t minimize the power that a good review has on another person’s buying decision, but be careful, it also applies in the other direction.

While social media and online directories are important for reaching new customers, it is also important to stay in touch with your existing customer base. It’s not all about new customers, but also about retaining customers who already know your dispensary.

One way to do this is by compiling data from customers who have already purchased from your website. With this, you can leverage artificial intelligence and data analytics to send personalized marketing campaigns through email or sms marketing.

Additionally, these are very effective channels to personalize messages and send relevant information about the dispensary and your products.