According to findings by Research and Markets, the global cannabis industry is projected to hit $90.4 billion by 2026. So, for any serious investor seeking to venture into this lucrative and bullish industry, now is the time to take the plunge. The popularity of the cannabis industry has a lot to do with the plant’s numerous health benefits.
Cannabis is most famous for its analgesic and anxiolytic properties, making it an effective remedy for pain and anxiety. Extracts from the plant, particularly cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), also offer immense anti-inflammatory, antiemetic, antispasmodic, and antioxidant benefits.
Cannabidiol is especially noted for its immense therapeutic properties. Many of weed’s healing benefits come from CBD, and the compound claims the lion’s share of the cannabis market. In this post, we shall highlight the top SEO practices for CBD companies.
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More About CBD and SEO
Cannabidiol is the primary non-psychoactive chemical in cannabis. CBD and THC are the two most abundant compounds in marijuana, accounting for up to 40% of the plant’s total extracts. The primary difference between CBD and THC is that THC is psychoactive, whereas CBD is not. That explains why CBD is more popular as a health supplement while THC is generally available as a recreational drug.
Now, the fact that CBD is fundamentally a cannabis extract means the compound is treated with a degree of skepticism even in jurisdictions where marijuana is legal. The stereotypes surrounding cannabis use make it exceedingly difficult for marijuana users to walk into a physical store and order their CBD products without looking over their shoulders. That’s why many established CBD traders like CBDistillery prefer to operate online.
Running a CBD venture online comes with numerous perks. The most notable one is choosing from various digital marketing techniques like search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is a digital marketing method that seeks to improve the visibility of websites and e-commerce stores by ranking these platforms on search engine result pages. The ranking can happen organically or through sponsored campaigns.
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- Choose Unique and Industry-Specific Keywords
The success of any SEO campaign depends on the choice of keywords. As CBD is an extract of cannabis, the keywords you choose to rank your CBD venture must be cannabis-related. However, experts advise against opting for broad keywords like ‘cannabis tinctures’ or ‘marijuana edibles.’ That’s due to the already stiff competition to rank for these words. Therefore, your website may not always show up on search engine result pages (SERPs) when a user enters a search for these general terms.
Instead, consider more specific keywords like fast-acting CBD sleep oil. When choosing the best keywords to rank your CBD company, it’s also prudent to consider the following parameters;
- Relevancy – How relevant is the keyword to your products and services?
- Search volume – How many people are already searching for this term?
- Difficulty level – How difficult is the keyword for your potential clients and search engines to grasp?
- Domain authority – How many other authority websites already rank this keyword?
- Consider Long-tail, Geospecific Keywords
Choosing unique and industry-specific keywords is not enough. It would help if you also considered long-tail, geo-specific keywords. Long-tail keywords are keywords made up of more letters. For instance, your e-commerce store will likely rank higher on SERPs if you choose a keyword phrase like ‘CBD-infused THC-free candy’ instead of ‘CBD-infused candy.’ Although longer, the first option is more specific than the second.
However, it’s important to tread with caution when using long-tail keywords to avoid keyword stuffing. The longer the keyword phrase, the lower its frequency should be. Geo Specific keywords refer to keywords that are specific to a geographical location. These keywords allow you to rank higher by listing your CBD company high up on SERPs for searchers emanating from or including names of the location of your business.
So, instead of using ‘best CBD vape oil supplier,’ why not consider ‘best CBD vape oil supplier in Manhattan?’
- Focus On Creating Original Content
The phrase ‘content is king’ has never lost its meaning when undertaking any digital marketing campaign. Although the CBD industry has witnessed tremendous growth over the past couple of years, there are still myths and misconceptions to bust. The only way you can change attitudes on CBD is by posting unique and informative content regularly.
You can start a blog that focuses on informing your audience on the health benefits of CBD and the compound’s potential side effects, delivery methods, dosing information, etc. You can then weave in backlinks into these blogs, which redirect readers to your e-commerce store. If your prospective clients see a genuine desire in you to inform them, they’ll not hesitate to contact you for more information on your offers.
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- Leverage CBD-friendly Search Engines
Major search engines like Google and Bing prohibit the publication of cannabis-related advertisements on their platform. However, there’s a natural way around these restrictions. While major search engines don’t allow cannabis-related ads, you can freely post informational material and include keywords similar to those your CBD company ranks for. Or, creatively incorporate backlinks to your company website, as we’ve mentioned above.
Better yet, you can shun these services altogether for cannabis-leaning search engines. The best thing about marijuana-friendly search engines is that they’re designed with cannabis traders in mind. So, it’s even easier to rank higher on these platforms due to the quicker sifting process by their web crawlers.
- Engage an SEO Specialist
Hiring an SEO agency is probably not what a new CBD company would prefer. That’s because the best SEO agencies also tend to charge considerably high fees. Admittedly, the costs of engaging an SEO specialist are usually high initially. However, it’s all worthwhile, especially when results begin to trickle in.
When looking for an SEO company for your CBD business, the primary consideration is to settle for agencies that specialize in cannabis SEO. It’s also prudent to check the agency’s SEO rankings. If they don’t appear high up on SERPs, then they’re probably not your best bet. Hiring such a company would be akin to seeking treatment from a doctor that’s also suffering from the same condition as you.
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Conclusion
Ranking a CBD business high up on search engine result pages is not a walk in the park. And much less if you have no background in SEO. Fortunately, there are basic strategies you can follow to tap into the potential of this digital marketing technique. Better yet, you can engage the services of a professional cannabis SEO firm.
