Cannabis is a $17.5 billion industry. Legality varies from state to state, as do regulations regarding advertising. Many platforms prohibit the advertising of cannabis, cannabis establishments, and cannabis accessories.

So how do you advertise your dispensary?

Depending on the state, paid marijuana advertisements, such as billboards, commercials, and print advertisements may be allowed in certain circumstances. This depends entirely on the local municipalities and state laws.

Both Google ads and social media ads are not available to cannabis companies, as they follow federal law.

Organic social media posts are a common way for cannabis businesses to get the word out, but guidelines still need to be adhered to. Content posted by brands can be flagged for using specific hashtags or promoting the sale of cannabis.

For example, Instagram’s guidelines prohibit advertising the sale of cannabis or cannabis products but posting educational content and creating brand awareness is acceptable.

Furthermore, while paid Google ads are out of the question for cannabis companies, SEO tactics to elevate their profile within the search engine can still be used. SEO is massively important in the cannabis industry. Creating content such as blogs can optimize the website and increase search rankings.

Storytelling and creating a brand identity are essential for a dispensary. Take a look at what you can manage and spread your time, energy, and dollars across multiple tactics; reliance on a single strategy for acquisition and customer marketing and an ever-changing landscape is setting yourself up to fail. Diversify!

Already have a license and looking for operational consulting help? Check out our consultations with CEO, Sara Gullickson, and visit thecannabisbusinessadvisors.com to learn more about how we can help!