An effective dispensary marketing strategy should boost your virtual traffic (on your website) and in-person traffic (at your brick-and-mortar dispensary). Although those two goals might seem pretty lofty, the good news is that they are directly linked – once you figure out how to increase dispensary website traffic, your retail visits will almost always spike as well.

In this useful guide, we’re serving up four of our favorite ideas for dispensary marketing, specifically geared at amplifying your website and real-life foot traffic. With these practical tactics, you can start building a smart strategy to market your dispensary and achieve sustainable success.

The Best Cannabis Dispensary Marketing Ideas For Your Business

We know for certain that an effective dispensary marketing plan should be aimed at elevating your online visibility to attract more organic search traffic and in-person customers, no matter what kind of dispensary you run.

We’re setting you up with our top four cannabis marketing ideas to kickstart your strategy – so let’s jump right in.

Implement a Dispensary SEO Strategy with a Focus on Local SEO
In the big picture of dispensary advertising, you can count on search engine optimization (SEO) to deliver an outstanding return on your investment. SEO is an essential marketing tactic, largely because it is inextricably tied to your dispensary’s visibility and your revenue.

A solid SEO strategy is how you make sure that your website is ranking higher than those belonging to other dispensaries so that you can claim as many new customers as possible.

In other words, when someone searches for key phrases like “best cannabis edibles,” “what is THC,” or “medical benefits of marijuana,” SEO is what gets your web pages as close to the top of the search results as possible.

The best SEO strategies for dispensaries incorporate a balance of:

• Keyword research/implementation
• On-page and off-page tactics
• Content creation
• An understanding of user intent
• Analytics and Reporting
• Mobile Optimization
• Technical SEO

Sounds complex? It can be, which is why most businesses opt to partner with a team of SEO professionals to get the best results.

Local SEO For Dispensaries

When marketers are talking about SEO, they’re typically using it as an umbrella term that includes two key types of SEO:

• Organic SEO
• Local SEO

Whereas organic SEO casts a wide net across all possible audiences for your brand, local SEO takes a more focused approach. Local SEO is an incredibly important strategy for dispensaries (and many small businesses in general).

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is exactly what it sounds like – SEO that hones in on a local market.

For dispensaries, local SEO is the key to getting your retail store found by customers in your geographic area. The purpose of local SEO is to boost visibility in local search results on Google and other search engines.

When an online user searches for keywords that are relevant to their business, Google search results often include a map and three business listings at the very top of the page. Known as the “map pack,” this series of businesses have a huge advantage in terms of visibility.

The benefits of local SEO for dispensaries are significant, including:

• The ability to attract “free” traffic via Google search
• A high-ranking position in local searches that can drive regular traffic for an extended period of time
• A connection to customers that are searching with the intent to purchase

Below are some ideas for boosting your dispensary’s local SEO approach:

1. Draw In New Customers with Enticing Offers
Using promotions and special offers is a classic marketing tactic that has worked for decades and continues to be a valuable strategy even today.

Once you have new customers on your website or in your retail location, you can seal the deal with an effective offer. This works because most customers and online users already have a solid purchase intent. You just need to deliver that last little “push.”

Be aware that the type of promotions and discounts you can offer depends on your state’s dispensary regulations. You should also consider your target market and tailor the promotions accordingly. But in general, focus on creating an offer that lowers the entry barrier for first-time customers, making it as easy as possible for them to make a purchase.

2. Build Relationships with Other Local Businesses
If you can find other local businesses that are 420-friendly, you have the potential to establish a relationship that benefits you both. Look for businesses and organizations complementary to your dispensary with a customer base that is likely to be interested in your products. Reach out to those businesses and propose the idea of partnering in various efforts to drive traffic to both your websites and physical locations.

For example, let’s say you run medical marijuana (MMJ) dispensary and are aware of a medical marijuana doctor that helps patients apply for state MMJ cards. You can suggest mutually beneficial ideas, such as co-hosting giveaways, sharing each other’s social media accounts online, or even referring customers to each other’s businesses.

3. Make the Most of Online Reviews
Last but certainly not least, online reviews and recommendations will be one of your primary sources of dispensary traffic. Recent stats show that 93% of customers report that online reviews impact their purchase decisions, with 97% going online to research local products and services.

This means that your potential customers are reading what other people say about your business online, so you’d better make sure you have a reputation you can be proud of. Both quality and quantity are important, so developing a means for encouraging positive reviews is a must.

How do you get more online reviews for your dispensary? Well, the first step is providing the high-quality service and products required for a great customer experience. Then, you need to motivate customers to leave those reviews. Some businesses offer coupons or gifts in exchange for feedback, while others focus on developing retargeting strategies as “reminders” for customers to write a review. Another smart strategy is to invite social media followers to share photos and tag your dispensary.

Generating a steady flow of online feedback requires ongoing attention and a clearly-mapped plan. So, be sure to include reputation management as a part of your marketing goals.

Find the Right Dispensary Advertising Strategy to Grow Your Business

When it comes to dispensary marketing, a one-size-fits-all solution isn’t what you’re looking for. Instead, you need a tailored strategy that aligns with your needs and goals, one that will propel your business towards meaningful results – and that’s exactly what we do at Marijuana Marketing Xperts.

For more information about how our cannabis marketing strategies can help your dispensary thrive, contact Marijuana Marketing Xperts today.