According to the UN, cannabis is one of the most widely used substances in the world. People use cannabis for medical and recreational purposes. However, this plant was illegal in the United States throughout the 20th century. During this time, US lawmakers were concerned about the risks and benefits of cannabis use. But over the years, canna has been proven to help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other illnesses. This has prompted many legislators to reconsider their attitude toward cannabis.

Since 2012, marijuana has been legalized or decriminalized in 38 states and Washington, DC. As more states legalize marijuana, there are more licensed cannabis retailers in the United States, promoting safer and healthier cannabis use around the world. They are also looking for opportunities to stand out from the competition and maximize their sales. Below, Dmytro Syvak gives some tips on SEO for cannabis seeds.

1) A mixture of emotions, PR, and celebrities 

There is a classical, but always working technique called “problem-solution”. “The time is now” campaign was mixed with emotions. Everything is very precise: there are three people who need help in the form of medical cannabis. These are representatives of different groups: 

1. A mother who needs pain medication for her child; 
2. A man after a car accident; 
3. A soldier who has lost his leg. 

“I can’t do this anymore,” the woman cries. The solution is found immediately – medical cannabis. The black-and-white video ends with a sense of urgency and action: “The time is now”. You can use these tricks to bring some emotion to your advertising. 

This campaign has become much talked about in the US. The advertisers wanted to show the video during the Super Bowl in 2019, but the broadcaster, CBS, refused, due to regulations. Hundreds of media, including top-rated ones, wrote about the story of the ban. Since the situation was related to American football, the opinion of former player Nate Jackson appeared in many articles. Once he was prescribed an opioid after a severe injury, but he relieved the pain with marijuana instead. Imagine how persuasive his words became: “This is not about getting high. It’s not about becoming a stoner. The NFL doesn’t have to worry about that. Let them think about football, not marijuana.”

2) Normalization of the topic

An innovative thing like medical cannabis combined with a traditional advertising medium like outdoor advertising is “normalizing” the topic. And normalization is probably the main task of drug communication. In addition, billboards are one of the few legal forms of cannabis advertising in the US. However, the advertiser is required to prove that 71.6% of the billboard audience is over 21 years old. 

Here, the same technique is used as in the “The time is now” video, showing ordinary people. It “normalizes” even more than a billboard standing in your street. This trick is applied in one more campaign. The “Forget Stoner” campaign highlights working people and combats the stereotype of “cannabis and stoned teenagers”. There is a wide range of users who use medicinal marijuana for a variety of reasons: chronic pain relief, anxiety, and other prescriptions. This is the message of the campaign.

3) Investment in education

The more a person knows about a subject, the better they perceive it. Communication campaigns using this technique create mini-media and cultural projects on the topic of cannabis. For example, online text media with articles and news. Also, almost all communicators actively use such a tool as email newsletters. A direct and one-to-one channel of communication with your target audience is well suited for a product that has many limitations in its communication. This is also what makes the confrontation of SEO vs Content Marketing even more exciting. In addition, sending emails is easy to automate and is a fairly pocket-friendly channel.

We also want to highlight a campaign called the Weedmaps Museum of Weed. It has guided visitors through the history of cannabis, moving from one place to another, through time and space where cannabis was commonly – or stereotypically – used. Here we celebrate the victories and shed light on the most terrible moments of the past of this cultural phenomenon.

How Bitcoin is affecting the cannabis industry

Bitcoin could stimulate the growth of the cannabis industry. This can be done in several ways:

1. Secure transactions

Bitcoin could play a key role in cannabis retailers’ e-commerce strategy. In any e-commerce business, consumer trust is essential to increase sales and conversions. By offering buyers the option to pay with Bitcoin, marijuana sellers can build relationships with their buyers. In addition, the retailer can help customers feel secure in their transactions without the fear of potential verification.

2. Brand awareness

The legalization of cannabis is making its way throughout the United States. Despite this, legal cannabis retailers should seize every opportunity to promote their brands. For example, a legal cannabis retailer might offer discounts to consumers who make payments in Bitcoin. This allows the retailer to offer a clear promotion that can capture the attention of consumers. At the same time, clients can take advantage of the promotion to save money on cannabis purchases.

A legal cannabis retailer can use Bitcoin to support its daily operations. To realize the full value of a Bitcoin investment, a retailer must plan accordingly. Legal cannabis sellers can get started with Bitcoin at any time. In doing so, they may quickly discover that Bitcoin can help them grow and advertise their business.