Why do cannabis businesses need SEO?
With the churn of dispensaries, the constant white labeling of products, and fast-paced regulatory environments, many businesses are dying on the vine. It can be challenging to build a sustainable pricing model as customers become trained to view cannabis commodities as always on-sale or always nearby. There is very little brand loyalty in the space. In a brand new industry with brand new businesses, having the ability to appear organically before your desired audiences presents a major edge over the competition.
Is SEO for cannabis different from other industries?
We are a strategic SEO firm. Because we start with nuanced research, no two strategies are exactly alike. We apply the same broad principles, but we funnel our plan towards what will best serve your business. While many other SEO firms blast any and every keyword adjacent to your industry, we dig into what makes you grow, specifically. After all, if you are operating in a recreational or low-barrier medical state, your customers may be able to buy cannabis on nearly any corner. So why do they shop with you? We endeavor to answer this question through SEO.
What are reasonable results to expect from SEO?
With the Outpace approach, we value quality. We want to reach quality audiences, composed of customers who are the likeliest to stick with you. Our goal is to elevate you in organic search results, prioritizing those audiences that research suggests we can convert. Conversion optimization is key. While more brand awareness is always great, your business ultimately thrives on making sales.
Should we target local results?
In the current legal environment, chances are your business is primarily operating with in-state customers in mind. And as you may know, there are still scores of those potential customers who are likely skeptical of the cannabis space. Perhaps they’re new to the range of applications, or maybe they are put off by the “stoner” stereotypes. Good SEO builds credibility, not just with search engines, but in the eyes of these potential customers, who trust the first page of Google more than they trust invasive pop-up ads. We can do this by affiliating you with other trusted local businesses, by emphasizing reviews, and more. Local SEO might be the best way to build a foundational audience for your business.
How should cannabis businesses begin harvesting the power of SEO?
While some SEO agencies will throw a little technical jargon at you and call it a day, we prefer to get in on the ground floor and grow your approach in a way that makes sense to you. At Outpace, the earlier we can engage with your website, the earlier we can improve the conditions for lasting results. If you are a new business, let us build with you from the start! But if you are a stagnating business, a season of rebranding or redesigning a site redesign presents the perfect opportunity to implement SEO. We always start by listening and researching because, the more we know, the more we grow.