Updated March 2022

Lead generation and professional networking are important topics of conversation for business owners across all industries, particularly through the lens of B2B marketing. Targeting customers is one thing, but reaching other businesses changes the playing field entirely, requiring a smart, effective approach and appropriate tools. As a cannabusiness owner, you also have to consider the unique obstacles that you face in pursuing your B2B marketing goals, including an array of strict regulations and website policies that can erase your hard work in a second.

Despite these challenges, there’s no shortage of ways to take a proactive approach to your marijuana business marketing goals. One of the must-have components for any cannabis digital marketing strategy is an understanding of the incredible potential of one of the most underestimated platforms out there: LinkedIn.

LinkedIn: Not Just a Job Search Platform

Mention LinkedIn to a handful of people, and odds are they’ll describe it as a professional networking platform used to connect job searchers with open positions. While the site may have originated as a career-centric platform, it’s come a long way since its launch in 2003. It still remains an important place for job listings and networking, but today’s LinkedIn is also a highly active social media platform with a significant focus on sharing content. Now, users aren’t just visiting the site to find their next job; instead, they’re exploring content and connecting with brands in a variety of valuable ways.

Interestingly, the cannabis community on LinkedIn is one of the most active of any social media platform out there – something that many small business owners may not realize. As more online users turn to LinkedIn as their source for daily content, the site should definitely be on your radar. According to the 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer report, more than 60 percent of people trust a brand’s social media presence far more than its advertisements. Add to that the fact that Business Insider’s Digital Trust Report determined that LinkedIn is categorized by users as a more trustworthy source than both Facebook and Twitter, and it’s easy to see why businesses everywhere are adding the site to their online marketing toolbox.

Cannabis Businesses Can Find a Place on LinkedIn

For cannabis business owners, LinkedIn offers a valuable opportunity to develop an excellent industry reputation and brand identity in a slightly more open environment than those presented by other social platforms. While sites like Google and Facebook tend to take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of cannabis advertising, LinkedIn’s policies are a little different. Take a look at LinkedIn’s Ad Guidelines and see if you can pinpoint the marketing opportunity that awaits:

“Drugs, Illegal Substances, and Related Products. Even if legal in the applicable jurisdiction, LinkedIn does not allow ads related to prescription pharmaceuticals, drugs or any related products or services. Ads that promote illegal drugs, highs, herbal medicines and treatments, psychoactive effects of substances, or aids to pass drug tests are all prohibited.”

At first glance, the LinkedIn policy might not seem any less restrictive than what you’d find anywhere else. But if you look more closely, it becomes clear that while you may not be allowed to market cannabis products on the site, B2B marketers in other industries are still permitted to target your marijuana-related business. Also, you can run pay-per-click advertisements for this B2B audience, assuming you know where to find them. That makes LinkedIn an excellent tool with serious marketing potential for cannabusiness owners everywhere.

Tips for Using LinkedIn for Cannabis Business Marketing

Now that we’ve established the value of LinkedIn as a method for marketing your marijuana business, you may be eager to begin advertising efforts immediately. But first, there are a few tips you’ll want to keep in mind to set yourself up for success:

Look at the “big picture” when it comes to creating content.

When it comes to posting and sharing content on any social media platform, the general goal is to drive the audience to move to a place where a lead can be captured (or conversion can take place). This means focusing on building a following and knowing when the time is right to lead them away from their social media feed and towards your website (or another target location). It’s easy to get wrapped up in a single piece of content, imagining the process from a linear perspective – but that can be a mistake.

Most online users consume a few pieces of content before they decide to engage with a brand outside of the social media platform, so it’s unrealistic to expect one piece to lead to a successful lead or conversion. When you create content based on the understanding that it needs to be more than a one-hit-wonder, you can improve your ability to design pieces that serve a solid purpose.

Think of it this way: if you see a movie trailer for the next blockbuster of the summer, even if it looks interesting, you might not decide to see it after just one ad. But after two or three ads, you might find that now, you think it definitely looks like a can’t-miss film and you’re convinced that you have to see it. Much like a series of well-placed, creatively-crafted movie trailers, a few pieces of high-quality content can reinforce an interest in your brand and lead a consumer in the direction you want.

Hire an agency to manage your efforts and aid in smart strategizing.

The world of online advertising is complex, so it makes sense that partnering with a digital marketing professional is an ideal way to tackle the challenge head-on. A marketing agency, particularly one experienced in the cannabis industry, can do wonders for creating an effective strategy for LinkedIn. Their professional expertise can help you make sure that you’re staying within the site’s guidelines, adhering to regulations, and avoiding any sticky legal issues. Plus, they can help you reach solid leads, putting your content in front of people that have the best potential to become long-term customers.

Know how to find your target audience.

There are a few different ways you can target your LinkedIn audience, which will considerably increase your potential for success. Use location targeting to help you narrow down prospects according to geographical proximity, or search by company name to see LinkedIn’s suggestions for related pages. You can also explore LinkedIn groups to find potential targets that suit your cannabusiness products and services, refining the group search according to the location when necessary.

Get a Professional Perspective with Marijuana Marketing Xperts

As a cannabusiness owner, odds are that you have a passion for your products and take great pride in being an expert in your field. At Marijuana Marketing Xperts, that’s exactly how we feel about cannabis digital marketing.

Our experienced team has the skills and resources to support cannabis business owners in their marketing goals, making smart use of social media, SEO, and more to gain traction and achieve measurable results. Plus, our background in the cannabis industry gives us a clear understanding of the unique business challenges and niche customer base you’re working with, setting us apart from other agencies out there.

When you’re ready to change the way you tackle digital marketing, contact Marijuana Marketing Xperts to learn more about why we’re the first choice of cannabusiness owners across the country.