Making sure you can be found online is one of the biggest challenges – and goals – facing today’s business owners. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling or where you’re located; mastering online marketing is key to your success. Especially in a fast-paced and competitive market like CBD, claiming a top-ranking position in related search results shows potential customers that you’re the brand to trust.

But exactly how do you improve your search ranking position as a CBD business owner? There are plenty of factors at play, but it largely comes down to SEO. Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a complex strategy that can help you work your way to the top of the search rankings. And when you break down the “how” and “what” for SEO for CBD marketing, honing in on top CBD keywords can be a smart, cost-effective approach to achieving your goals.

More than likely, your next questions have everything to do with how to find the best CBD keywords for marketing. Where can you go to find keywords for CBD, how do you know where your competitors stand, and why does it all matter?

The CBD industry is flourishing, which means that plenty of new and seasoned business owners alike are searching for effective ways to boost their online presence. So, you’re not the only one searching for SEO strategies – which is why we’ve created this guide to CBD keywords for SEO. We’re going to cover what makes CBD keyword research unique, how to know which CBD keywords are best, and which SEO tools you can use to get the job done.

Let’s dive right in!

Why is CBD keyword research different?

It’s a common misconception that the best keywords for CBD are those with the highest search volume. Usually, the thinking behind this is that with a higher number of users searching for that keyword, the more traffic you’ll be able to generate with it.

However, you’ll only be able to receive organic traffic if you can rank for it. When you select keywords with high search volume, you’re entering a far more competitive arena, especially CBD keywords.

Another thing to consider is the competitiveness of long-tail keywords in the CBD industry. It’s much easier for many businesses to rank for long-tail keywords because they are typically less competitive. But in the world of CBD keywords, long-tail terms are usually still very competitive.

These two elements make keyword research for CBD businesses markedly more challenging, highlighting the importance of a solid strategy (and ideally, professional assistance).

Start With Search Intent

First and foremost, you need to think about your target user. What is the intent (objective) of their search? Even a seemingly small shift in CBD keywords can indicate a significant difference in search intentions, making precision of the utmost importance.

Let’s compare two imaginary users to see this concept in action. The first search user submits a Google search for “where to buy CBD oil online.” The second user’s search query is “how does CBD oil work.” Even though both users have submitted searches related to CBD, their search objectives couldn’t be more different. The first wants to purchase CBD products (and is ready to buy), whereas the second is still in the early stages of learning more about the topic.

Each of these users is looking for very different content, and understanding empowers you to strategize accordingly. We can’t overemphasize the importance of creating content that matches the users’ search intent who are likely to find it. In other words, if you’re going to incorporate a set of keywords into your CBD content, ask yourself if those keywords will draw users with a search intent that your content will satisfy.

What Makes a CBD Keyword Worthwhile?

Locating the best keywords for CBD content involves juggling a few of the key qualities of a “good” keyword. There’s not necessarily a single, prescriptive set of characteristics of the perfect keyword. Rather, it’s all in finding a good balance of:

• Search volume: Look for keywords with a fairly high search volume, targeting 1,000 or more
• Difficulty ranking: Ideally, a keyword will have a minimum of two sites with a DR less than 25, ranking in the top 10
• Traffic: Steady traffic for high-ranking, low difficulty ranking sites, no less than 100

Tips for Finding CBD Keywords

1. Reverse engineer low DR competitor’s best pages

Find the websites of your close competitors, specifically those with high traffic and a fairly low DR. Then, look at their top-ranking web pages to see which keywords they’re ranking for. It’s a quick and straightforward method for getting a good start to your cannabis SEO.

2. Use gap analysis

The gap analysis function on the Ahrefs platform (more on that below) points out missing opportunities in your own content. It locates the keywords you could successfully rank for but haven’t yet targeted. You’ll see a list of keywords that your biggest competitors are already ranking for, as well as each one’s relevant details (DR, traffic, etc.).

3. Find pages on high DR Sites without backlinks

Once again, you’ll be looking to your competitors for this keyword tip. You’re going to locate high DR sites that don’t have any backlinks or even content that’s particularly high-quality. Then, you’ll generate original, well-crafted content and add a few thoughtful links, making it possible to beat the pages from these high-DR websites.

Top Tools to Find CBD Keywords

SEMrush

SEMrush is among the most popular SEO platforms out there because it’s the tool that can do just about anything. You can use it to pinpoint high-performing keywords that will increase your overall ranking, giving you a quick and simple way to narrow down your options effectively. Whereas some tools just deliver a mile-long list of keywords, SEMrush specifically suggests keywords based on the ones your competitors are using.

You can get a free trial of SEMrush to see if it suits your needs and preferences before investing in the paid version. There are various payment plans to fit different budgets, but you can rest assured this keyword tool is a solid investment.

Ahrefs Keyword Explorer

Ahrefs is another solid choice for keyword research, and similar to SEMrush, there are several pricing plans to choose from. You’ll gain access to an impressively broad range of keyword reports, which are built using industry-specific click metrics.

That adds up to more than 1,000 keyword suggestions in various fields, plus an extensive SERP overview, keyword difficulty scorer, and several other handy features.

Spyfu

Getting a good look at the competition can be incredibly beneficial for your SEO strategy. Not only can you figure out what they’re doing right, but you can also spot potential holes in their plan and find ways to avoid making the same mistakes.

SpyFu is a competitive keyword research platform ideal for unearthing the CBD industry’s “hidden gem” keywords. You’ll also be able to track metrics such as historical changes and ranking difficulty, so you can put together the pieces for a strategy that works.

Google Keyword Planner

Prefer to keep things as simple as possible? If so, then Google Keyword Planner might be the right platform for you.

Using reports pulled straight from Google itself, this keyword research platform presents a pared-down selection of features – but that’s not to say that it’s overly simplified, either. This tool lets you balance keywords from the “top of page” range with on-point search volume data, generating great recommendations. And perhaps the most attractive feature of Google Keyword Planner is its price: it’s one of the few free keyword research tools out there that doesn’t skimp on quality.

Long Tail Pro

Long-tail keywords are essential in connecting to your target market, especially in a constantly-expanding sea of competitors. Instead of relying on a short key term, like “CBD capsules,” you’ll want to aim for something longer and more detailed, like “CBD capsules for insomnia for sale in Chicago.”

Long Tail Pro is designed to provide longer key phrases that are tailored to niche markets. It spells out highly detailed keyword metrics, suggesting long-tail keywords that fit your CBD market niche flawlessly.

Get the CBD Keywords You’re Looking For

Overall, there are many different SEO tools, but having SEO experts on hand to dig through the data and keywords to make the most out of the information for your CBD company is essential. An SEO team on your side can be of significant help so that you can focus on your business while they implement keywords into your site to maximize your brand’s visibility within search engines. By focusing on creating, sharing, and optimizing quality content, you can achieve outstanding results.

Be sure to focus on creating compelling product descriptions with the current keywords with high-quality copywriting for the best possible engagement, conversions, and rankings. And should you need help with that process, turn to the experienced professionals at Marijuana Marketing Xperts. Contact us for more information.

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