Rank #1 on Google Maps: The Simple Guide for Cannabis Dispensary Owners
Google Maps for dispensaries is a crucial tool for reaching your target audience.
Did you know that most stoners discover cannabis stores through Google Maps?
That’s right!
When a weed enthusiast searches for something like “reliable weed store near me”, Google serves them with a few dispensary Google Business Profiles (GBPs), complete with maps, directions, and reviews.
According to Think with Google, 76% of local searches drive a store visit within 24 hours, and 28% of those visits lead to a purchase.
By not investing in local SEO for dispensaries, you’re missing out on potential calls, visits, and sales.
These are opportunities that your competitors are likely seizing, and you could be too.
We know that sucks, but luckily, we have some good news for you.
Google doesn’t need new flashy ad campaigns or expensive rebrands to rank your local cannabis store high in Google Maps for dispensaries.
Believe it or not, all you need is a solid Google Business Profile optimization strategy. It’s not as complicated as it sounds, and it’s the kind that gets you ranking higher, showing up for nearby searches, and driving steady foot traffic.
Read this guide and learn how to turn Google Maps for dispensaries into one of your most consistent drivers of new customers, and watch your business grow.
Local SEO for Dispensaries: What Actually Gets You Ranked on Google Maps?
Let’s start with the basics: what gets you ranked high on Google Maps for dispensaries?
According to Google, these 3 key factors determine who ranks high in Google Maps for dispensaries:
1. Relevance
When optimizing marijuana dispensary SEO, relevance is everything.
Google considers how closely your Google Business Profile aligns with what nearby stoners are searching for.
This is why we always start our local SEO for cannabis strategy with deep keyword research and analysis.
We identify what weed enthusiasts are talking about in local cannabis communities, as well as what they are typing into Google.
We then optimize your Google Business Profile around those search terms.
How?
We use the right keywords in your cannabis shop description, list all products, and clearly state where you operate and whether you provide delivery services to the neighbourhood or surrounding areas.
This helps you rank for relevant searches such as “cannabis weed shop with delivery services in (your city” or “marijuana dispensary that delivers near me in Canada”.
That’s how you keep attracting loyal and consistent stoners to your cannabis shop using Google Maps for dispensaries.
2. Distance
Google wants to connect weed enthusiasts with the closest dispensary or weed products that fit their search.
But distance doesn’t have to limit your reach.
With our local SEO for dispensaries, you can expand visibility by creating optimized delivery and service area pages.
For instance, if your local cannabis dispensary is in Toronto but you deliver to Mississauga, Pickering, and Brampton, we build unique location pages for each area.
Online dispensaries serving all of Canada (or USA) can also use a local SEO strategy to target profitable provinces/states, and cities across the country,
We optimize these pages with local keywords, mention nearby events or landmarks, signalling to Google that your cannabis store is relevant in these areas as well.
Results?
Increased trust and visibility across the areas you operate.
3. Prominence
Prominence refers to how well-known and trusted your cannabis shop is.
How does Google measure this?
It evaluates:
- Reviews from stoners.
- The consistency of your profile updates.
- How often your pot shop appears on different local, relevant websites, and cannabis communities.
Strong local SEO for cannabis dispensaries involves not only optimizing Google Maps for dispensaries but also staying engaged with clients’ feedback and keeping your profile updated with photos and posts.
Google Business Profile Optimization for Dispensaries
Stoners are making fast purchase decisions based on a dispensary’s online reputation and reviews, both found in a Google Business Profile.
It’s, therefore, critical to know how to optimize your Google My Business account for cannabis local SEO.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to optimize local SEO for dispensaries:
1. Claim and Verify Your Profile
Your 1st step to ranking high on Google Maps for dispensaries involves claiming and verifying your Google Business Profile.
To do this, go to Google Maps and search for your brand name.
If it doesn’t exist, add it by filling in important info such as the brand’s exact name, storefront address, local phone number, and operating hours.
Ensure to pick the right category, eg, cannabis store or medical cannabis dispensary.
Verify the profile, either through a postcard, video or any other option that Google provides.
Once verified, you can edit and optimize your Google Business Profile for marijuana dispensaries directly from the search results.
2. Keep Your Information Complete and Accurate
Just verifying your GBP for cannabis stores is not enough.
To rank high in Google Maps for dispensaries, you must fill in every section with accurate and verifiable information.
Remember, with AI technology, Google can easily cross-check the info you provide.
For example, if your dispensary website lists operating hours as 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, the same hours must appear on your Google Business Profile and across every online listing.
3. Use High-quality Photos and Videos
According to Brightlocal, businesses with photos get at least 42% more requests for driving directions and 35% more clicks compared to those without.
Google’s Cloud Vision AI can analyze and categorize your cannabis images to better match stoner search intent.
For cannabis dispensary SEO, photos and videos do more than look good.
They also increase time spent on your dispensary’s profile, which signals trust to Google and may boost your local rankings.
This increases brand visibility and attracts more stoners to your products.
Photos and videos also let weed enthusiasts explore the dispensary before visiting.
Think of it this way: If you’re new to a city or neighbourhood and are searching for a nearby local weed store in Canada or the USA, you will want to know:
- Does the cannabis shop look approachable?
- Is there enough parking space?
- Do the edibles look appealing?
Relevant cannabis photos answer these questions while serving as free marketing.
The key is relevance.
For local cannabis dispensaries, this includes storefront images (for easy recognition), interior shots, parking spaces, product photos (edibles, vapes, concentrates), and even short videos of budtenders assisting stoners pick the best products.
Boost your local SEO for dispensaries with quality weed images and videos, and watch as your customer base grows steadily!
4. Collect and Respond to Reviews
If you’re hoping to rank high on Google Maps for dispensaries, then you should encourage stoners to leave reviews on your profile after every purchase.
Data shows that 88% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
This means that nearly every stoner decides to visit your cannabis store after checking how you interact with other customers.
How do you resolve complaints? What is the level of your customer service? How about the quality of your products?
Beyond star ratings, Google analyzes customer reviews for relevant keywords, trust, reliability, and specific mentions of weed products, such as “best cannabis dispensary Toronto” or “great flower strains in New York.”
The more positive reviews you receive, the higher you’re likely to rank in Google Maps for dispensaries, earn trust, and attract new customers.
Here are some practical tips to collect reviews for your local weed store:
- Train budtenders to politely ask for a review at checkout.
- Send a short follow-up text or email thanking stoners for visiting your dispensary and asking for a quick review.
- Add a QR code on packaging or receipts that links directly to your cannabis store’s Google Business Profile.
5. Regular Weed Updates and Performance Analysis
Do you have a new cannabis product line? Or is it a promotion campaign?
Google favours cannabis dispensaries that maintain an active, updated profile.
Regular cannabis posts signal that your cannabis shop is open, trustworthy and relevant.
Fresh pot content also increases engagement rates, such as clicks, requests for directions, and calls, which Google bots read as a sign of relevancy and quality.
Once your dispensary’s Google Business Profile is up and active, you should not forget to track what is driving the most conversions.
For instance, if “potent THC gummies” posts drive more calls and clicks than flower updates, then you know where to focus more in future campaigns.
Key Benefits of Local SEO for Dispensaries
Here are some of the reasons why cannabis shop owners across Canada and the USA rely on cannabis dispensary local SEO to grow their customer base:
1. Capture Local Sales Through Google’s Map Pack
When a stoner types something like “weed dispensary nearby” or “premium buds in (your city)”, Google highlights only three local cannabis shops in the Map Pack.
Data shows that businesses in the top 3 local results drive up to 93% more actions such as calls, website clicks and driving requests than those outside it.
For local cannabis shops, ranking high on Google Maps for dispensaries means prime visibility, more foot traffic and stronger revenue opportunities.
2. Increased Trust and Authority
Every time your cannabis dispensary shows up in the Google 3-Pack, it signals more than just proximity.
Remember, Google factors in relevance, reviews, cannabis content quality, and local SEO signals before ranking you high in Google Maps for dispensaries.
Therefore, if your dispensary appears here, it’s an indication that you’re already doing well in other areas of cannabis dispensary marketing.
Stoners also often perceive dispensaries included in the Map Pack as more reliable and trustworthy compared to competitors further down the list.
3. Increased Sales With Mobile Search Optimization
Most stoners search on their phones.
Google Map Pack is built for this, surfacing mobile-friendly results with instant directions and click-to-call or email.
If you run a local weed store in Canada or the USA, this is critical.
According to Search Engines Journal, 78% of local searches lead to offline purchases.
Ranking high on Google Maps for dispensaries means you’re the first option for on-the-go stoners, driving more foot traffic, walk-in sales, and customer engagement right when purchase intent is highest.
Secure a Top 3 Position With Our Dispensary Local SEO Strategy
Now that you understand how Google Maps for dispensaries works, the next step is to apply these strategies with a proven system.
This is the exact system we used to skyrocket a dispensary’s local rankings from zero to #1 in just 45 days!
So why is our dispensary local SEO service so unique?
1. Designed for Both Single and Multiple Location Dispensaries
Whether you operate a single marijuana dispensary or multiple stores, our local SEO for dispensaries will get you ranked #1.
If you run a local cannabis shop, let’s say in Ontario, we will create a hyper-local landing page targeting that location.
The page will highlight your exact address, hours of operation, delivery or pickup options and online ordering details.
We also mention local neighbourhoods, monuments, attraction centres, and anything else unique to that location.
This helps make the page feel truly local and relatable to nearby stoners.
For multiple cannabis shop locations, we repeat the above process, but this time create unique, location-specific pages for each delivery zone or branch.
We don’t just create these pages, though.
We include relevant keywords and search terms so you can appear for high-intent queries like “potent edibles near me” or “best cannabis store with ample parking space in (your city).”
This way, nearby stoners can easily find you, drive to your location or place the order online.
2. Daily Local Drives
As mentioned earlier, Google uses proximity as a key ranking signal in Google Maps for dispensaries.
We, therefore, conduct 30+ GPS-based drives per day within your search radius.
This demonstrates to Google that your cannabis shop serves the local community.
3. Real Human Reviews That Rank
Another reason our local SEO for dispensaries works so well is that it includes 4-5 authentic reviews from trusted local guides.
We don’t just pick random reviews. We optimize them with relevant keywords, making them likely to rank for searches like “cannabis shop with best customer service in the USA.”
This boosts your credibility and directly improves your rankings on Google Maps for dispensaries, which in turn attracts more foot traffic to your cannabis store.
4. Human Engagement Signals
We don’t just set up your GBP and leave it at that.
Our team regularly interacts with your profile by scrolling, checking reviews, and engaging with photos and post updates.
This signals to Google that customers are engaging with your cannabis brand, increasing credibility and trust signals.
Results?
Higher rankings in Google Maps for dispensaries, more customers, and increased sales.
5. Targeted Google Searches
We also include targeted Google searches to make our local SEO for dispensaries even more effective.
How does this work?
We run relevant searches, like “buy weed in (city) ” or “local dispensary near me”, and then engage with your profile directly from the Google Maps search results.
This strengthens your credibility and relevance for related stoner queries.
6. Cloud Stacks for Backlinks
Cloud stacking is an SEO technique designed to bring quality backlinks to your local dispensary.
Each week, we create a page for your GMB on trusted platforms like Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Linode, Dream Host, Scaleway and AWS.
We create relevant content focused on your location and business category.
Since Google already trusts these platforms, your cannabis dispensary gains:
- Higher authority – High-authority backlinks from these platforms boost your cannabis brand authority and trustworthiness.
- Increased local reach – Authority, trust and relevance help you rank on Google Maps for dispensaries, which increases your reach.
Local SEO for Dispensaries is Just One Piece of the Puzzle
Local SEO for dispensaries is non-negotiable.
It’s how stoners are going to find your local cannabis store on Google Maps for dispensaries, learn where you’re located and interact with other features such as reviews and photos.
However, on its own, it’s not enough.
At ColaDigital, the best marijuana marketing agency, we have learned that, to be effective, local SEO must work together with other strategies that drive trust, authority, and visibility across every search channel.
We pair cannabis dispensary local SEO with:
- Cannabis SEO content to build topical authority and position you as the go-to solution for stoners.
- Technical SEO to keep your site stoner-friendly, fast and optimized for mobile.
- Keyword research mapped to stoner intent to ensure that every content we create is an answer or a guide to what weed enthusiasts are actually talking about online.
- Link building and citations to strengthen brand authority and trust signals.
This comprehensive cannabis SEO strategy positions your local cannabis store as a trusted source of cannabis products, attracting customers who keep visiting your shop and recommending it to others.
Contact us today for a free consultation!
