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5 Understated Ways to Promote CBD Brands

by | Last updated Oct 6, 2023

In the world of CBD, businesses are somewhat limited in how they can advertise products online. Restrictions from advertising giants like Google and Facebook make it difficult grow a CBD business with paid advertising programs. However, there are other marketing solutions to consider.

Here are 5 ways you can excel your CBD business while waiting for Google and Facebook to revise their paid solutions to allow for cannabis advertising.

Search Engine Optimization

Of all digital marketing strategies, perhaps the most effective within the cannabis industry is search engine optimization (and of course it’s at the top of our list).

CBD SEO

This strategy is inclusive of identifying the right keywords to target in CBD and then creating content to support them. Google (and other search engines) rank websites with well-developed and thorough content to cover questions asked about CBD including the best uses of CBD, how CBD is made, where to buy wholesale CBD and more. This content then earns links and shares, making it a viable option for Google to rank in natural results.

For the time being, SEO is one of the top traffic drivers for CBD websites. And until advertising platforms are a bit more flexible with this industry, we’ll likely continue to see organic traffic at the top of the list.

Social Media

Although paid social programs are restricted when it comes to cannabis ads, there is no reason a business can’t promote its content and products organically. Businesses can quickly grow their social following, branding and website traffic through popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. While organic content has a much lower reach compared to promoted posts on these networks, they can still deliver a substantial amount of referral traffic.

Consider Social Influencers

If we know anything about social media, it’s that an influencer can help grow a brand seemingly overnight.

CBD Influencer Marketing

From athletes to musicians who consume CBD in one way or another, influencer marketing is a huge opportunity for brands to engage in.

Video Content

Similar to social media outlets is video content distribution through YouTube. YouTube, the second largest search engine on the internet, hosts a variety of content related to the CBD industry. And like SEO, brands can consider creating video content to address common questions about the industry and products. This content will then rank in YouTube search results and allow brands to grow their following, branding and of course, website traffic.

CBD Promotion on YouTube

YouTube is also an ideal strategy to consider for producers of CBD. While retailers may want to keep their focus on the products themselves, farmers can document and show the process behind the science of CBD. It’s engaging content and can help establish credibility behind a brand.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is another understated area for this industry, especially for brands in the space. There are plenty of publishers talking about the products through blogs, articles and video content; it’s up to brands to direct the conversation toward sales. Affiliate partnerships require brands to pay a publisher a commission for every sale earned and depending on the affiliate’s following, sales can pile up fast.

AuthorityHacker.com details the current going rate for affiliate partnerships here. For the most part, brands can expect to pay 15% for each sale earned through its affiliate network. CBD brands should consider setting up partnerships through Commission Junction, Share-a-Sale or ClickBank for the best results.

Display Advertising

Last, but certainly not least, is the option for display advertising. Traditional display ads allow brands to grow their visibility by placing banner ads on websites with high traffic.

CBD display advertising is similar only with a slightly smaller reach compared to other display networks like the Google Display Network.

CBD Display Ads

What Display Networks Allow CBD Ads?

While this is still a developing area of digital marketing for CBD, there are a handful of networks available to advertisers:

It’s important to thoroughly vet any display partner and validate the sites in their network. With the right display network and retargeting campaign, advertisers will see qualified traffic and sales grow.

Wrapping It Up

CBD marketing is still a new thing for many businesses and experiences changes all of the time. With that said, these five strategies are a great place to start and will ensure growth. Search engine optimization makes a website ready for Google, social media is a must-have and video content furthers a brand’s reach, while affiliate marketing and display advertising are tied closely to a performance target.

What else would you recommend to be part of a CBD marketing mix? Let us know in the comments!

About the Author

Tyson Bell

Co-Founder of Octiv Digital. I have an extensive background in the technology sector, working for some of the world's biggest companies. I received my MBA with an emphasis in marketing from the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

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