Marketing

Advertising In The New Great White North

Posted on by

CANADIAN CANNABIS HISTORY MADE

At long last, the good people of Canada have begun the worldwide charge towards a brighter future with the nationwide legalization of cannabis on October 17. With every legal milestone, of course, come more questions than answers—and the world of legal cannabis is no exception. There are the obvious concerns—what cannabis can be purchased and where? For how much? How can cannabis be grown and distributed? Many of these questions already have simple answers for producers and consumers alike, but there is one area of gray that is likely to persist—Advertising.

The good news is that Marijuana Marketing Gurus knows just how to help your company navigate the murky waters of cannabis advertising.

 

LEGAL MARIJUANA MARKETING

The landmark legalization of marijuana in Canada was, of course, a legal watershed moment, and as such brings with it a flood of lawyers and red tape. In addition to answering questions about who exactly can purchase and use cannabis, legal experts are also playing an important role in the future of cannabis marketing and advertising. Now that pot has been legalized, it will be sold by a variety of companies and brokers, big and small, with various rules governing how it can be advertised. The keys to questions about marijuana marketing all lie inside the Cannabis Act, which covers all the issues associated with Canadian legalization. This includes basic questions such as age-restrictions and cultivation guidelines. Of course, as with any legal document, it is long and convoluted. Which is why MMG read it for you!

 

CANADIAN MARIJUANA LAWS

The Cannabis Act states in no uncertain terms that “it is prohibited to promote cannabis,” despite legalization. But what does that mean? How can it be illegal to ‘promote’ something that was just made legal? As always the devil is in the details, and the Cannabis Act goes on to explain the ways in which cannabis can and cannot be marketed. Understandably, the law states that cannabis may not be sold “by doing so in a manner that it is reasonable to believe could be appealing to young persons.”

The Act goes on to say that no testimonials or endorsements may be used in the marketing of cannabis, including “by means the depiction of a person, character or animal, whether real or fictional”. Yes, it is true, for the time being, the cannabis industry will be without its own version of Tony the Tiger or Joe Camel. What the Cannabis Act will permit is an advertisement that is “informational”, and based upon “brand preference”. That is to say that cannabis companies can market their products using factual information about their goods. So what is the difference between “informational” and “testimonial”. No one quite knows yet, which is why Marijuana Marketing Gurus is here for you.

 

FUTURE OF CANNABIS MARKETING

We are all still at the very beginning of the long and winding road towards the future of cannabis sales and marijuana digital marketing. Now is the start of a long battle between government lawyers, cannabis companies and the general public over just what Canadian dispensaries and companies will be able to pursue when it comes to marketing their products. As you can see by the wording of the Cannabis Act, much of the language about what can and cannot be advertised is vague. For right now, companies will push the envelope until they receive pushback from lawsuits and from the state. Already there are plenty of cases of celebrity endorsement of the Canadian cannabis industry that would appear to violate advertising regulations. Sooner or later, these cases will wind up in court where precedents will be set, and the cannabis marketing business will move in one direction or the other. Until then, we are all living in the Wild West, but MMG is here to help lead you down the trail.

3 Influencer Marketing Trends to Watch in 2018

Posted on by

As marijuana marketing picks up steam across states with newly minted legalized cannabis laws, being up to date on digital marketing trends becomes ever more vital. The use of social media influencers is one way to attract new customers that you shouldn’t ignore. In the first quarter of 2017 alone, influencer marketing grew by 28 percent. More than half of marketers have a budget for influencers — but not all of them will be up to date on these trends for 2018. If you are, you’re already ahead of the game on January 1st.

1. A Demand for Meaningful Partnerships

Social media influencers have largely been deployed as a campaign tactic. A new product comes up, the brand finds someone trusted by their audience to promote it on Instagram, and then the campaign ends at some point. In 2018, brands will be better served to build a long-lasting, authentic relationship with their influencers. Likewise, influential marketers are being contacted so often that they may demand more meaningful contracts and relationships with the brands they love.

2. More Fake Influencers

Unfortunately, a side effect of influencer popularity will likely be an increase in frauds in 2018. Users can buy a million followers to appear trusted and influential when in reality they have very little impact in your industry. When you’re choosing an influencer, it will be more important than ever to vet them for the number of interactions they earn and any articles/other sponsorships they’ve earned.

3. Integration of Multiple Influencer Strategies

Another way influencer strategies will expand in 2018 is brands will have to integrate different related tactics. In the past, a brand might get away with a single celebrity influencer. Moving forward, you will need to combine micro- and macro-influencing strategies. Different influencers for different target markets help you amplify your brand and build better relationships with consumers.

Cannabis marketing is having its moment, and you can seize it by riding current influencer trends. Marijuana advertising strategies should be integrated, authentic and partner with credible influencers if you want to make a mark. With a team of influencers on your side, you might be surprised how much your brand recognition can skyrocket overnight.

Not sure how to get influencers behind your brand? Let the experts at Marijuana Marketing Gurus help get your products in the hands of the people who can take your brand to the next level.

Optimization With Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Posted on by

How do you know that your online marketing efforts are going well? What areas of weakness and strength do your endeavors have? The answer lies in metrics, but some help you more than others. It’s essential to identify the right key performance indicators or KPIs.

Think in Terms of Macro Conversions

Your primary goal is to make a profit. Thus, only those metrics that directly assess revenue are key KPIs, and they’re called macro conversions. There are four: customer acquisition cost, conversion rate, revenue per visitor and lifetime value.

That’s it. All other metrics are micro conversions because their tie to revenue is indirect. For example, a business may have been putting a lot of weight on how long visitors browse its website. However, browsing alone doesn’t make the business money. In fact, it’s possible that visitors who spend more than a certain amount of minutes on the website are less likely to become customers. Similarly, a business could have been assessing click-through rates as a KPI, but where’s the money?

A Look at Each KPI

The lower your customer acquisition cost, the better. You want to keep time and expenditures low while maximizing profits. To measure this, take the money you spend on marketing for a certain period and divide it by how many customers you attracted in that time frame.

The conversion rate in many situations is the rate at which customers make purchases and for what amounts of money. It’s a critical KPI, because it shows the marketing efforts that are working best and those that may need changing.

Given marijuana laws, though, your website might not sell products. You can still measure conversion rate in other ways. For example, say you wrote two blog posts. Each offers the same coupon. At what rates did each post get customers in the store?

Revenue per visitor is how much money your business makes per website visitor. It gives a much fuller picture than other metrics such as average order value or transaction rate.

Finally, lifetime value is the estimated net profit each customer brings to your business. After all, some customers spend a lot more than others and frequent your business for longer periods of time, and it makes sense to focus on them. LTV also helps you determine how long it will take for a customer to become profitable.

Stay tuned to Marijuana Marketing Gurus for more insider tips and tricks.

5 Things To Consider When Entering A Multi-Channel Marketing Campaign

Posted on by

Whether it is on billboards, the television or online, modern consumers are constantly bombarded by hundreds of marketing messages every day. Because of this many people are beginning to develop a virtual callus of sorts against advertising, which is why brands must find new and innovative ways to capture the attention of today’s consumers. For many brands, this means investing in multichannel marketing efforts.

What is multi-channel marketing?  Multichannel marketing (MCM)  refers to marketing efforts that utilize a combination of channels including email marketing, social media marketing, banner ads and much more!  

Why is MCM useful?  MCM allows marketers to:

  • Align marketing goals with the sales process more easily.
  • Creates brand awareness and helps develop brand loyalty through constant communication efforts.
  • Generate and create a nurturing environment for more qualified leads while driving down the cost per lead. Leading to more engagement and conversion.
  • And more!

Interested in what investing MCM can do for your business? Before you make that next step there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are a few tips for the experts.

1. Start Simple

By now I am sure you are excited and want to hit the ground running, but it is vital to start simple. The last thing you want to do is onboard a ton of efforts half-assed. So do not take on more than you can chew. Avoid complex campaigns, especially if your company has no history of creating and launching multi-channel campaigns.  

2. Define Your Targeted Audience

Ensuring that your marketing message reaches the right people is perhaps one of the most important aspects of any campaign.  You must target all your efforts toward people who are a perfect fit for your offer. Never waste time or money attracting the wrong prospects. Your target audience must consist of people who are a perfect fit for your offer.  Think about what are the key characteristics, needs, and behaviors of your ideal customer and what platform is most likely to reach them.

3. Take Your Time Assessing Each Platform

Before you invest all your money into one or two channels, please take the time to create a cohesive strategy. You need to determine your campaigns objective and who your audience is, how they will interact with all the available touch points.  Will their interaction support or undermine your campaign’s objective? Once you determine what your objectives are the appropriate channels will become obvious.

4. Be Relevant & Make Connections

No matter what message you are sharing or what channel you are using it is vital to create content that is relevant to your target demographic.  It is vital to share content that engages, entertains and educates your target demographic. Without care content curation you will have a difficult time connecting with consumers. Technology has made connecting with others easier, but it has also decreased the attention span of many consumers. So take special care to create a community.

5. Always A/B Test

The only way you can properly determine the effectiveness of your campaign is to constantly test it.  Use data collection to your advantage and determine what works and why.

Feeling overwhelmed?  Let the experts at Marijuana Marketing Gurus help you develop and promote your brand.  Our experts are here to help. Give us a call today!

Why Content is Still King for Cannabis Companies

Posted on by

Marijuana marketing is filled with fads. Remember when every brand needed to be on Vine? Remember when memes seemed like the next great idea? Fads come and go, but core marketing principles tend to stand the test of time.

For instance, one marketing idea that still holds true today is the mantra, “Content is King.” It’s easy to see why.

Last year, 73% of B2B marketers reported satisfactory results from their content marketing. Whether or not your marijuana business should be using content marketing isn’t really a question anymore. The real question is how do you create marijuana content marketing that actually works?

Why Does Content Marketing Work?

To truly understand why content marketing works, it’s important to understand why other digital marketing trends fail.

Back to memes for a second. When an obscure or narrow brand creates a meme to promote their business, they think they are joining a conversation and getting in on a joke with potential customers. At best, this kind of messaging ends up being ignored. At worst, it is mocked on websites like Reddit.
It’s not just that these efforts are corny. They fail to address a need, a question, or a worthwhile benefit to using your brand. Effective content marketing does all of that and more.

Content provides consumers with substance, something they can take home with them and associate with your product or service. It educates, inspires, motivates, and converts by creating and expanding on a prospect’s genuine interest.

Using Content to Get Ahead in 2017

The beauty of content marketing is that it’s never too late to get started. Everyday, millions of people go online to look for new information. Are you getting your share of this massive pie? There are several ways to do this, but below are the most effective methods.

Awareness Stage

One of the most common content marketing errors is mistaking prospects for leads. Don’t jump the gun and tell someone to buy your product before they even know they need it! The following styles of content are ideal for creating awareness and opening the door for new clients.

  • Blogs: Today, and in the future, a blog is an essential asset for any brand looking to do business online. Not only are they a must for SEO, a well-populated blog gives both your sales team and customers a library of helpful information. It creates opportunities to answer consumer questions while guiding them directly back to your product or service.
  • Infographics and Visuals: Informative blog content is a key asset for reaching awareness-level prospects. Without the right visuals, however, it just might fall by the wayside. Colored visuals increase willingness to read your messaging by 80%. Content with relevant imagery gets viewed 94% more often than content without it. Infographics get shared 3x more often than any other type of content. If you expect your long-form content to find life on social media, you’ll need distinctive imagery to help your brand cut through the clutter.
  • Video Content: It’s official: people love video. In fact, it’s anticipated that 74% of all web traffic in 2017 will be from video. Taking a blog or an infographic and repurposing it for a short newsfeed video is a fantastic way to get your audience’s attention and drive them towards your brand.

Lead Generation

Just because a consumer is aware of their problem doesn’t mean they’re ready for the hard sell. First, use informational content that speaks more directly to the potential relationship between you and the consumer, and then let them decide for themselves.

  • Case Studies: Few things sell your brand better than a good success story. A well-composed and strategically-delivered case study positions your service as the solution to the customer’s problem and can have leads knocking on your door instead of the other way around.
  • eBooks: What if you could generate a list of qualified leads AND make a preliminary sales pitch all in one go, without having to make a single cold call? Writing a short eBook gives prospects a no-obligation incentive for giving you their email address, and warms them up to your service or solution in the time between the download and future communication.
  • White Papers: Even though its audience is more narrow, a quality white paper can illustrate expertise, thought leadership, and brand superiority in a way simple ads and blogs might not. Incorporate these into your email marketing strategy and into your social channels to reach both industry influencers and potential customers.

Creating Content That Stands Out

In a sense, anyone can create content. But effective content requires a strategic approach. It takes more than just knowing your business and your clientele: it requires marketing expertise, creative ability, and a team of like-minded people to make your message stand out.

At Marijuana Marketing Gurus, we make it a point to know your business inside and out before we start creating. With an emphasis on strategy, design, and engagement, we create content that informs, delights, and converts leads into customers. Ready to see what effective content marketing can do for your business? Let’s get in touch.

4 Key Strategies To Bring Your Business To The Next Level

Posted on by

Over the past few years, the cannabis industry has grown exponentially. At the end of 2016, California – along with Maine, Nevada, and Massachusetts- joined the ranks of other progressive sites and legalized the recreational use of cannabis. This move by California is projected to increase the value of the cannabis market to $20 billion in the next 4 years.  In the next decade, it is estimated that the cannabis industry will be worth an astounding $50 billion, that is more than 8 times its current size!

The cannabis industry has come a long way from the days of homemade baked goods and nameless products on the shelf. As the experts in cannabis marketing and advertising, Marijuana Marketing Gurus can help you seize every opportunity this growing industry has to offer. In today’s market, it is becoming increasingly important to create a brand that engages with its community and maintains a strong presence in the marketplace. Below we have identified 4 key strategies you must invest in order to smoke the competition.

1. Invest in Innovative, Engaging & Educational Content Creation For Your Brand

From dispensaries to gourmet cannabis baked goods, the cannabis marketplace offers a vast array of choices for consumers. Because consumers have so much choice when it comes to cannabis products it becomes imperative for businesses to embrace the 4 elements of content marketing: email, social media, blogging, and video. These 4 elements help you create a community around your brand by engaging with your current and potential customers all at once. Not only do these elements add value to your brand, but they can provide you with valuable insight into who your audience is and what they want.

2. Invest in Photography

We have all heard the phrase a picture is worth a thousand words. Whether they are surfing the web or shopping the aisles of the local market, people see thousands of images a day. Which is why it is vital that the images you use in your branding catch the eye of every potential customer from the get-go.

Stock Photos Vs. Professional Photography

While there is a breadth of stock photo libraries out there, the images are often generic and do not reflect who you are as a business or the products you sell. By hiring a professional photographer to shoot photos of your team, your operation and your products you can show your customers exactly who you are.

3. Create Packaging That Is Both Aesthetically Pleasing & Meets Regulations.

For today’s savvy consumer the design of the packaging has as much to do with their purchasing decision as the quality of the actual product. In fact, 70% of all purchasing decisions happen at checkout. So it becomes essential for cannabis business to create packaging that appeals to consumers and easily distinguishes their brand from the competition. In addition, cannabis packing does come with all kinds of regulations you must adhere to, so it is vital to work with a designer who is well versed in the rules of cannabis packaging.

4. Always Keep Track of Your Analytics & Metrics

The number one mistake that any novice marketer will make is to set and forget their strategy. Without regularly checking in on your progress, there is no way to see if your strategy is working. It is vital to utilize tools like Google Analytics, Webmaster Tools, Facebook and Twitter publishing tools to track growth and analyze your audience’s response. It’s not enough simply to set and forget a marketing strategy without regularly checking in on your progress. Data is gold to marketers and can help you make informed decisions when developing your marketing strategy.

One of the biggest mistakes cannabis businesses make is not bringing on professionals to implement the strategies discussed above. At Marijuana Marketing Gurus, our experts will help you build your brand. Let our experts take your business to the next level. Call us today to speak to one of our consultants.

 

 

3 Digital Marketing Trends Making a Difference in 2017

Posted on by

Do you want to make a difference in 2017 with your digital marketing strategies? If so, you must be able to anticipate changes and jump on the latest trends. We have made that a little easier for you by scouring the internet for the biggest trends in digital marketing for 2017.

#1 There Will Be a Transformation in Email Marketing

Email marketing is constantly evolving as technology changes. This year, we will see quite a few changes in email marketing. Here are a few of the biggest ones:

No More Newsletters

For several years, email newsletters have been losing momentum. Many people simply opt out of them or delete them without opening. Email content will be geared more towards the individual and will be more entertaining and visual.

Optimized for Mobile

With the significant shift towards mobile content, it is important to optimize your emails for mobile.

Fewer Emails

Most people’s inboxes are overflowing with emails. Many get deleted without ever being read. For 2017, the focus will be on making a difference with fewer, yet more quality emails. Emails should be engaging and relevant to your customers.

#2 Search Engine Optimization Will Evolve

There have been numerous changes in search engine optimization or SEO over the past year. Expect it to continue to grow in 2017. There will be significant shifts in the way that people search for information and SEO must evolve to account for those changes.

Voice Search Will Dominate

Voice search has become more popular than ever. Thanks to new technology, it has become much more user-friendly. Voice search is quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing search options available. We can understand the appeal. Who doesn’t want a hands-free and easy way to find information? Marketers must optimize content for voice search.

SEO Will Move Beyond Keywords

Today’s consumers know what they are searching for when they turn to the internet for information. Search engines are beginning to focus more on user intent rather than on keywords. Consumers can enter entire phrases in search engines and get better results than just entering keywords. Therefore, businesses will need to optimize their content for user intent rather than for keywords. You will need to find out what brings users to your page and optimize based on their intent.

#3 There Will Be Big Changes in Social Media Marketing 

It is clear that social media is here to stay. Therefore, marketers must keep up with shifts in these platforms and adjust marketing strategies accordingly. For 2017, the following trends in social media marketing will be huge:

  • Live video
  • Customer service chat bots
  • Shoppable video ads

Since new technology, trends and tools emerge all the time; you must keep up with the latest advancements and trends in the industry if you want to capture your customers’ attention. Knowing the above three trends in digital marketing will help your company stay relevant in 2017.

 

Move The Needle: 4 Best Practices For Digital Advertising

Posted on by

Business owners and marketers in today’s fast-paced digital world face a huge challenge—grabbing customers attention with their digital advertising. Americans see thousands of advertisements a day, and they have gotten used to ignoring digital advertising. So, how can you engage potential customers and get them to pay attention to your advertising?  Here are four simple digital marketing best practices that will help ensure that potential clients see and pay attention to your digital ads.

Focus on Emotion

One way to capture your client’s attention is by creating a strong emotional bond through your digital advertising. Emotion makes people act, whether that emotion is sadness, happiness or anger. In fact, many research studies have indicated that emotion moves people to buy things. Not only that, but strong feelings cause social influencers to talk about your product or brand, and social influencers do help sell products. Studies show that people are more likely to buy a product or brand that has been recommended by their favorite YouTuber. So, every time you release a new advertisement, ask yourself “how did this make me feel?” If you can’t answer that question or answer with a “nothing”, then something is wrong. Go back, and think about how you can move your audience by eliciting a strong emotional response through your ads.

Don’t Pay So Much Attention to Clicks 

People are exposed to lots of digital information each day. Many people click on advertisements without ever buying anything. Rather than focusing on reaching as many individuals as possible, try to pay more attention to how you can reach the right person at the right time. Google Adwords or similar services are great forms of digital advertising because they allow customers to see your digital advertisements at the same time that they are searching for products or services that you sell. Targeted digital ads allow you to reach customers who are looking to buy what you offer at the time that they want to buy it.

Make Sure Your Digital Ads Are Mobile-Friendly 

Don’t make the mistake of ignoring how important mobile-friendly advertising has become. Mobile content is clearly the future. According to Google, as of 2015, more internet searches take place on mobile devices than on computers in the United States. You are missing out on a tremendous opportunity to engage customers if you are not catering your advertisements, content, and website towards mobile users. All of your advertising should be mobile-friendly for various devices.

Collaborate Across Teams

A good digital advertising campaign requires several different teams within your company to work together. For instance, your content team should work closely with your marketing team to develop your digital advertising strategies simultaneously.

 

3 Advertising Pitfalls In the Cannabis Industry

Posted on by

shutterstock_472103500With the legalization of cannabis in another four states on November 8th, the cannabis industry has truly gone mainstream. Cannabis sales in the state of Colorado topped $1 billion in 2016.

The year ahead is going to be a huge one for the cannabis industry and success will largely be dictated by how well cannabis businesses advertise their products to the public.

Advertising should be a part of every cannabis business’ marketing strategy because it’s a great way to increase brand awareness and build trust with local customers.

State Advertising Regulations

That said, keep in mind that cannabis is still illegal federally and individual states that have decriminalized cannabis for recreational or medicinal use have their own rules when it comes to cannabis advertising.

Recreational cannabis states like Colorado have strict rules for advertising on the internet, for instance. The rules say that the “retail marijuana establishment” has to show that no more than “30% of the audience” for your website or blog is under the age of 21.

The aim of that regulation is clearly to limit advertising to underage audiences. Other legal cannabis states like Washington are more explicit about prohibiting advertising to minors.

In the state of Washington, cannabis retailers aren’t allowed to create advertisements that would be “appealing to children or other persons under twenty-one years of age.”

As you can see, that’s very general yet essential to keep in mind as you go about creating an advertising campaign that distinguishes you from your competitors.

Social Media Blunders

Social media outreach can increase your brand awareness and drive sales, and many cannabis retailers have even taken on social media managers to get the message out about their products. Unfortunately, social media giants like Facebook have erred on the side of caution when it comes to marijuana advertising.

Cannabis businesses have to be especially careful with posting on social media since sites like Facebook and Instagram have strict guidelines for cannabis advertising.

Facebook has essentially banned cannabis advertising on its social media platform. You’re not allowed to mention or allude to cannabis use nor can you directly advertise your cannabis product on Facebook or Instagram.

MassRoots is a great workaround solution if you have a readymade social media advertising campaign. MassRoots markets itself as the social media platform for marijuana and it requires users to affirm that they’re 21 years of age before entering the site.

Federal Marijuana Ban

Retail marijuana businesses operating in states that have legalized marijuana are in somewhat of a financial and legal limbo. Marijuana is still banned federally and considered a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act.

President Obama and his Justice Department created the Cole Memorandum to protect marijuana retailers advertising their products in states that legalized marijuana for recreational or medicinal use.

Questions linger about how President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions plan on dealing with the Cole Memorandum and marijuana advertising. Because marijuana is still illegal federally, marijuana advertisements are technically still illegal under federal law.

The Top 3 Marijuana Marketing Pitfalls (and how to Avoid Them)

Posted on by
Marijuana Social Media

Marijuana Social Media

With 26 states having at least some form of legalized marijuana, the cannabis industry has officially gone mainstream. If the votes don’t prove it, the money sure does. Colorado alone made over $1 billion last year, and business doesn’t appear to be slowing down anywhere in the country.

Needless to say, the year ahead is going to be a huge one for the cannabis industry. The businesses that stand out and succeed against the competition will be those who market themselves effectively and stay on the right side of a shifting legal landscape.

While advertising should be a part of every cannabis business’ marketing strategy, there are three potential pitfalls that all cannabis business owners can work to avoid.

STATE ADVERTISING REGULATIONS

Even though over half the country has legalized either medicinal or recreational marijuana, cannabis is still illegal federally. With no federal guidelines, each state has their own unique rules on cannabis advertising.

Take Colorado for instance. Like other states with legal cannabis, Colorado has some fairly strict laws regarding online advertising. According to their rules, a “retail marijuana establishment” has to show that no more than “30% of the audience” for your website or blog is under the age of 21.  Other legal cannabis states like Washington are more explicit about prohibiting advertising to minors. In the state of Washington, cannabis retailers aren’t allowed to create advertisements that would be “appealing to children or other persons under twenty-one years of age.”

Because of these and similar laws around the country, cannabis marketers need to be especially careful with how they target their campaigns, and when and where they place their advertising.

SOCIAL MEDIA BLUNDERS

Social media outreach can increase brand awareness, attract new fans and drive sales. Many cannabis retailers have even taken on social media managers to get the message out about their products. Unfortunately, social media giants like Facebook have erred on the side of caution when it comes to marijuana advertising, and do not allow for retail marijuana businesses to run paid promotions for their product.

While you can post ands sell to followers who live in your state, Facebook will typically block any attempt to run a cannabis-related ad on their platform unless you are extremely delicate in selecting your language and imagery. Brands that provide services to the cannabis industry or who use their pages to promote cannabis advocacy and information can make careful use of Facebook’s advertising tools to run specific types of ads and promotions.

Another great option for running your social media campaign is MassRoots. MassRoots markets itself as the social media platform for marijuana and it requires users to affirm that they’re 21 years of age before entering the site. There, you can run just about any ad you want to a highly targeted, useful audience.

STONER CLICHES

Gone are the days of Bob Marley posters, tie dye and Cheech and Chong. Today’s cannabis users and business owners are a much more sophisticated audience than they had been in the past. Between recreational and medicinal cannabis, everyone from rappers and comedians to doctors, lawyers and even grandmothers are interested in using cannabis and your marketing has to be able to meet them in the middle.

To avoid turning off a lucrative audience, avoid stoner slang and overly pot-centric visuals. Instead, opt for modern designs, sleek fonts and a clearer brand voice to carry your message to the most diverse audience possible.