Are you challenged when it comes to how to market CBD oil, CBD products, and CBD accessories online? Looking for ways to avoid strict CBD advertising regulations but still increase your online visibility of all channels? These 5 powerful CBD marketing tips will help you to efficiently sell your CBD oils. As a BONUS, check out tip # 6 we added in Q1 2021.
UPDATE: Read an updated version of this article here:
Top 5 CBD Marketing Tips For Every Cannabis Business.
How To Market CBD Oil & CBD Products To Increase Revenue
The total U.S. consumer sales of CBD (cannabidiol) from 2014 to 2016 increased from $108.1 million to $262.2 billion (USD), respectively, according to Statista.com.
In 2022, sales of CBD products in the United States stood at 4.17 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. By 2026, this market is expected to grow to 4.23 billion dollars in value
This is super great news for all CBD business owners wanting to sell more CBD oil online via an e-commerce website.
However, in order to sell CBD online, you need to understand how to market CBD online with and without advertising. The latter is way easier than the former.
There are a number of proven digital marketing tactics to help you market CBD oil online.
Social media marketing is just one option and is best used to increase brand awareness and product trust.
However, using social media to increase online CBD sales is a losing battle because people do not go to social media when they have the intent to buy CBD oil or other CBD products.
In this article, we discuss how to market CBD oil using social media as well as other digital marketing tactics including paid options for CBD advertising and organic marketing options like search engine optimization for CBD and content marketing.
This article outlines 7 practical CBD marketing tips to help you effectively market your CBD oil.
Note, our most recommended CBD marketing strategies are #5, #6, and #7!
1. CBD Content Marketing Using Lead Magnets
One proven digital marketing tactic to use when marketing CBD oil is to offer a lead magnet in exchange for an email address.
The lead magnet provides value to the user, and their email address helps you nurture this potential customer into a paid customer.
Let’s define what a lead magnet is: A lead magnet is an incentive that marketers offer to potential buyers in exchange for their email address or other contact information.
Lead magnets usually offer a piece of digital, downloadable content, such as a free PDF checklist, report, eBook, whitepaper, video, etc.
Lead magnets are one of the best ways to get more email subscribers. This resource could literally be a game-changer for your CBD oil business. We discuss email marketing as a good way to market CBD oil later in this article.
A good example of a lead magnet to market CBD oil would be something like “10 Ways To Overcome Anxiety”, or “7 Ways To Overcome Post Work Out Pain”. The idea is to create a valuable resource that you provide to potential future customers at no charge.
The strategy is that the user may find the information useful enough to be convinced to make a purchase from your CBD oil store and may even share it with friends who can also become future customers of your CBD products.
You’d need to promote this lead magnet to a relevant audience using organic social media or paid advertising on social media or Google search.
For example, you’d use a lead ad campaign objective on Facebook or Instagram to market this CBD related lead magnet. You could also place this lead ad on Facebook Messenger.
These types of ads will capture leads directly from the social media platform you choose in exchange for the lead magnet. So make sure your lead magnet is super informative and valuable to the user.
If you use Google search to promote the lead magnet, you’d want to drive relevant users from your Google PPC search ad to an optimized landing page on your website where they can download the lead magnet while providing you with an email address.
You should also promote the lead magnet on your CBD website to encourage clickthroughs and downloads for any relevant visitors on your site.
Top 3 Benefits To Using Lead Magnets to Market CBD Oil
1. Increase awareness of your CBD brand and CBD Products.
2. Build your brand credibility.
3. Increase your email marketing list.
2. Content Marketing Using CBD Focused Blogs
Let’s face it. Advertising CBD oil online is a potentially risky challenge, to say the least. But fear not, you can successfully market CBD oil without a paid ads campaign.
Content marketing is an excellent digital marketing tactic to target cold prospects and get them into your conversion funnel because many people are actively searching for:
- Information on CBD products
- Information on different types of CBD oils
- Health benefits of CBD oil
- Where to buy CBD oil near them
- Where to buy CBD oil online
Your prospective customers are likely searching for answers using the above keyword search phrases along with hundreds of other semantically related search queries, right?
So in order to effectively market CBD oil to these prospective customers, you need a CBD content marketing strategy to help you provide relevant content in search results and drive prospective CBD customers to your website.
There are a few ways to approach content marketing to help market your CBD oils. SEO optimized blog content marketing is a very effective tactic to use to market CBD oils and other CBD products.
Publishing relevant blog articles on your website that answers the questions your target market has about CBD products, helps you market CBD oil online without advertising.
Instead of paid ads, you’re using SEO optimized blog content marketing to get your content to rank on page 1 for relevant CBD related search queries.
Top 3 Benefits For Using Blog Content Marketing to Market CBD Oil
1. No need to use paid advertising campaigns with a media spend.
2. Increase the online visibility of your CBD brand.
3. Drive more website traffic from organic search results on Google and Bing.
3. Email Marketing
Email marketing may not come to mind when you’re thinking about how to market CBD oil, but don’t discount it because email is still a competent digital marketing tactic.
If executed strategically, email marketing can be a highly lucrative way to market CBD oil products and accessories.
Next to Instagram, the Inbox is still one of the most popular places that people visit daily on their phones and on the internet.
I’m sure that when you are planning how to market your CBD oil you’re looking for simple yet effective ways to reach CBD customers on mobile phones.
Email marketing is one of the easiest ways to directly reach your target market on mobile, with little investment. Just think about it.
According to this report, in 2019, the number of people in the US who use email on their phones projected to grow to 251.8 million monthly users, from 232.8 million in 2015.
How do you market CBD oil online? Implement a CBD education focused email newsletter populated with relevant blog content, product reviews, and new product announcements to drive CBD curious consumers to your website and e-store.
Another benefit to using email marketing to sell CBD oil is that you now have access to one of the most effective ways to keep your customers and prospects informed and interested in your CBD products.
Believe it or not, people often seek out email marketing campaigns from their favorite brands and local stores. This means CBD users will likely do the same for their favorite CBD brands and CBD dispensaries.
Nielsen reported that 28% of US online shoppers subscribe to store or product emails in order to stay informed.
Another study stated that:
- 59% of respondents said they would sign up for regular email updates when a reward is offered
- 41% indicated they would share personal details and purchase behavior.
- 50% of moms on Facebook said they’d be willing to share brand content on Facebook.
Top 3 Reasons To Use Email Marketing to Market CBD Oil
1. Stay in touch with your customers and prospects.
2. Keep your customers informed on your CBD oils and other products.
3. Reach targeted people on any device.
4. CBD Influencers & Affiliate Marketing
If asked, “how do you market CBD oil?”, CBD businesses will swear by using Instagram influencer marketing. This one is a given to market CBD oil.
Your CBD brand needs high levels of engagement on Instagram in order to get your content in front of the people and to get an edge over competing CBD brands.
We like the idea of using micro CBD influences combined with an affiliate marketing program to market CBD oil on Instagram.
If you’re already using influencers to market your CBD oils, consider offering the most successful influencers an affiliate marketing program as a further incentive to talk about your CBD oil with their followers.
This way, not only are you able to create a long term sales funnel, but you can also potentially reduce your overall influencer marketing spend.
You can also look outside of social media platforms to find the right influencers to market your CBD oils. Instagram may be the place to be but don’t forget about bloggers.
There are plenty of CBD related blogs and health & wellness-related blogs that publish awesome content to thousands of people who are interested in CBD oil and its benefits.
It’d be wise to research the most popular CBD related blogs and make a list of the top 10-20 bloggers who fit your CBD brand best. Their brand should have synergies with your brand as they will ultimately help you market your CBD oil.
You could hire them to write content for your CBD blog or a sponsored post on their site. You could also offer bloggers a mutually beneficial affiliate marketing program.
This would help you increase your brand awareness to a new targeted audience as well as potential increases in website sales for CBD oil.
Top 3 Reasons To Use Influencers & Affiliate Marketing to Market CBD Oil
1. Ability to expand the reach of your CBD brand to highly qualified people.
2. People trust influencers so you don’t need to push your product and can remain compliant.
3. Create a long-term sales funnel.
5. Use SEO To Market CBD Oil
I have to add search engine optimization (SEO) as a way to market CBD oil because I feel it’s one of the absolute best and safest way to get your target demographic to your website and into your conversion funnel.
Full disclosure, I’ve been “doing SEO” since 2004 and I do own and operate an SEO agency along with this agency whose website you’re on now, so I may sound biased 🙂
I look at it this way, your target market is online right now searching for information on CBD oil and other CBD products or accessories.
If you agree with that, then we’re on the same page.
It’s a well-known fact regarding CBD marketing that CBD SEO is often considered an effective way to market CBD oil in the USA for several reasons. Here are just a few factors why SEO is be effective for marketing CBD oil:
1. Regulations and Advertising Restrictions:
CBD products, including CBD oil, have faced strict regulations and advertising restrictions, particularly on platforms like Google Ads and social media.
SEO allows you to focus on optimizing your website’s content for search engines without running afoul of these restrictions.
CBD SEO is an excellent tactic to discuss the scientific health benefits of CBD, cite reputable sources, remain compliant, and educate your potential customers.
2. Organic Search Traffic:
SEO aims to improve your website’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords.
This can drive organic traffic to your site, meaning people find you naturally through their searches, reducing your dependency on paid ads.
SEO is a long-term strategy with long-term benefits. Once you can establish your domain authority and search engine rankings with a comprehensive CBD SEO strategy, that visibility is search engines will bring you “free” traffic for many years.
3. Long-Term Results:
While paid advertising delivers immediate results, it requires a continuous budget. SEO efforts, on the other hand, can lead to long-term organic traffic growth, even if you slow down your active optimization efforts.
4. Credibility and Trust:
High-ranking organic search results are often seen as more trustworthy by users compared to paid ads. You can establish credibility in the CBD industry by consistently appearing in top search results.
5. Targeted Audience:
With effective keyword research, you can target specific search queries related to CBD oil. This ensures that the people finding your website are actively seeking information about CBD, increasing the chances of conversions.
6. Cost-Effectiveness:
While SEO can require an investment in terms of time and resources, it can be more cost-effective in the long run compared to continuous spending on paid advertising.
7. Content Marketing Opportunities:
SEO often involves creating valuable content that addresses users’ questions and concerns. This allows you to educate your audience about CBD, its benefits, usage, and legality, building a relationship and fostering trust.
8. Local SEO for Retail Dispensaries:
If you have physical stores or operate in specific regions within the USA, local SEO strategies can help you target potential customers in your vicinity.
9. Changing Perceptions:
CBD products are still relatively new in the market, and there can be misconceptions or lack of awareness. Through SEO-focused content, you can contribute to changing public perceptions and providing accurate information.
Top 3 Reasons To Use SEO to Help Market Your CBD Oil
1. No need to worry about strict CBD advertising regulations.
2. Drive CBD focused traffic to your website and into your conversion funnel.
3. Improve online branding and credibility.
6. Google Search Advertising
Did you know that it IS possible to advertise your CBD products on Google search (and Bing search) and our digital advertising team now has an 94% success rate for getting Google search ads approved for our clients, and we can do the same for you!
Google search campaigns for CBD products are ideal for both prospecting and customer acquisition campaigns. We’re able to target people who are actively searching to buy the CBD products you are selling. We target keywords with specific purchase intent.
Here are 10 benefits of using Google ads to market CBD oil in the USA:
1. Wide Audience Reach:
Google is the most widely used search engine globally, making it a prime platform to reach a vast audience. With well-planned campaigns, you can expose your CBD store to a large number of potential customers.
2. Targeted Advertising:
Google Ads allows you to target specific demographics, locations, interests, and search terms. This targeting helps you focus your advertising efforts on individuals who are more likely to be interested in CBD products.
3. Keyword Relevance:
You can create ads that appear when users search for specific keywords related to CBD products. This means your ads will be shown to people actively looking for what you offer, increasing the chances of conversions.
4. Cost Control:
Google Ads lets you set a budget for your campaigns, ensuring that you have control over your spending. You can also monitor the performance of your ads and adjust your budget accordingly.
5. Multiple Ad Formats:
Google Ads supports various ad formats, including text ads, display ads, video ads, and shopping ads. This flexibility allows you to choose the format that best showcases your CBD products.
6. Measurable Results:
Google Ads provides detailed analytics and tracking tools, allowing you to measure the performance of your ads. You can see metrics such as clicks, impressions, click-through rates, and conversions, helping you understand what’s working and what needs improvement.
7. Remarketing:
With Google Ads, you can implement remarketing campaigns. These show ads to users who have previously visited your website, reminding them of your CBD products and encouraging them to return and make a purchase.
8. Local Targeting:
If you have a physical store or want to target a specific geographic area, Google Ads lets you focus on local searches. This is particularly useful for online CBD stores that want to attract local customers.
9. Quick Results:
Unlike other online marketing forms, Google Ads can deliver quick results. Once your campaign is set up, your ads can start appearing on relevant search results almost immediately.
10. Constant Optimization:
Google Ads allows you to refine your campaigns based on performance data continually. You can adjust keywords, ad copy, landing pages, and targeting to improve your results over time.
However, it’s important to note that while Google Ads can offer significant benefits, there are also challenges in promoting CBD products due to varying legal regulations and policies related to CBD advertising.
Be sure to carefully review Google’s advertising policies and ensure that your campaigns comply with local and regional laws regarding CBD advertising.
Additionally, competition within the CBD industry can be fierce, so crafting compelling and unique ad copy, using high-quality visuals, and focusing on delivering value to your customers will be crucial for standing out in the crowded market.
Top 3 Reasons To Use Google Ads to Advertise CBD Oil
1. Target “warm & hot” people in the evaluation & purchase stages while they are actively searching to buy CBD products.
2. Combine Google ads with Programmatic Display Ads to be able to retarget all website visitors who did not purchase in an effort to get them back to the site to complete the sale.
3. Build brand awareness, website traffic, and increase online sales quickly.
Programmatic Display Advertising & Retargeting
Did you know that you can legally and compliantly advertise CBD using display/banner ads and/or video advertising on popular websites and connected TV streaming apps?
Programmatic display advertising and dynamic product retargeting can be highly effective strategies for promoting an online CBD store and increasing sales.
Let’s explore the benefits of each:
Programmatic Display Advertising:
1. Audience Targeting Precision:
Programmatic advertising leverages sophisticated algorithms to target specific demographics, interests, behaviors, and even real-time data. This ensures your CBD ads reach the most relevant potential customers, improving the likelihood of engagement and conversions.
2. Wide Reach:
Programmatic advertising extends beyond search engines to various websites, apps, and platforms. This wider reach helps you expose your CBD products to a larger audience, building brand awareness.
3. Real-Time Optimization:
Programmatic advertising allows for real-time monitoring and optimization. You can adjust your campaigns based on performance data, ensuring your budget is spent on the most effective placements and audiences.
4. Cost Efficiency:
Automated bidding systems in programmatic advertising can help you achieve cost-effective ad placements by bidding in real-time auctions, optimizing your budget allocation.
5. Rich Media Formats:
Programmatic display ads support various rich media formats, including images, videos, animations, and interactive elements. This versatility allows you to create engaging and visually appealing ads to showcase your CBD products.
6. A/B Testing:
You can easily test different ad creatives, messaging, and calls-to-action to identify which combinations resonate best with your target audience, leading to improved conversion rates over time.
Dynamic Product Retargeting:
1. Personalized Ads:
Dynamic retargeting displays ads featuring products that users have previously shown interest in. This personalization increases the relevance of your ads, leading to higher click-through and conversion rates.
2. Reminder Effect:
Often, users don’t make a purchase during their initial visit. Dynamic retargeting serves as a reminder, keeping your CBD products in front of potential customers and encouraging them to return and complete their purchase.
3. Higher Conversion Rates:
Dynamic retargeting typically has higher conversion rates compared to standard display advertising, as it’s focused on users who have already expressed interest in your products.
4. Cross-Selling and Up-Selling:
You can use dynamic retargeting to showcase related or complementary CBD products to customers based on their previous interactions. This strategy can increase the average order value.
5. Behavioral Insights:
By analyzing user behavior and interactions, you gain insights into what products users are interested in, allowing you to optimize your product offerings and marketing strategies.
6. Segmentation Possibilities:
Dynamic retargeting enables you to segment your audience based on their behavior, such as browsing history or cart abandonment. This segmentation allows you to tailor your ads to different stages of the buyer’s journey.
Combining Both Strategies:
When used together, programmatic display advertising and dynamic product retargeting create a powerful synergy.
Programmatic advertising helps you find new potential customers, while dynamic retargeting focuses on nurturing those who have already engaged with your CBD products.
This comprehensive approach can lead to increased brand recognition, higher engagement, improved conversion rates, and ultimately, increased sales for your online CBD store.
Top 3 Reasons To Use Programmatic Display Ads & Retargeting to Advertise CBD Oil
1. Target “warm” people with a prospecting campaign and target “hot” people with dynamic product retargeting campaign.
2. Retarget all website visitors who did not purchase with custom display and/or video advertising on the website’s they visit after your site.
3. Build brand awareness & brand trust – both are needed before you can get the sale.
We Can Help You Market CBD Oil!
The CBD oil business is new and is thriving globally. Almost every CBD entrepreneur is looking for the secrets of how to market CBD oil and increase sales from their CBD products.
ColaDigital.ca can help you with data-driven CBD marketing strategies to help you sell your CBD products from your website or CBD dispensary retail store.
We’re professional cannabis marketers with 20+ years of traditional & digital marketing experience who are motivated to help CBD companies grow their respective businesses with effective CBD marketing strategy.
Out of the 7 CBD marketing ideas listed above, we highly recommend considering using numbers 5, 6, and 7. Contact us to find out why!
If you’ve been struggling with how to market CBD oil online and in retail stores, we can help you craft and manage a CBD friendly digital marketing strategy designed to increase online visibility, social media engagement, and revenue from your CBD products.
Please tell us about your project by using the form below, or contact us here to book a free consultation call.
We’re Ready To Help You Grow!
