For the majority of businesses, social media is an easy, cheap way to market their products and services. However, the CBD business faces some unique challenges in this realm.
Although more and more states are legalizing marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD) products, social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Google still do not allow advertisements for these products, even though CBD is legal in some form in nearly every state.
This is a major challenge for CBD organizations, since
Google and Facebook alone account for 57 percent of all U.S. digital
advertisements. Since you’re not able to blatantly advertise these products on
social media (unless you’re looking to be shadow banned), you’ll have to get a
little more creative with your advertisements. Here are six ideas that have
worked for other CBD .
1. Make Videos
While video advertisements might raise red flags on Facebook
and Google-owned platforms, there’s no harm in making a few informational
videos. You can simply inform your target audience of the benefits of CBD
products, letting them make their own decisions about your product advantages.
You can also create videos that address the controversy surrounding CBD, as they do on www.cbdcentral.com. Inform consumers of the difference between CBD and marijuana, both in substance and law. This can go a long way into breaking down knowledge barriers surrounding your product.
Along with videos that teach about the uses of CBD, focus on creating testimonials. For example, Mood has invested heavily in video marketing in order to further the promotional reach of their brand without infringing on advertising restrictions. Their website is filled with testimonials for CBD gummies from Mood CBD, along with other products. These are also posted to their social platforms.
These videos are not specifically labeled “advertisements,”
so they won’t break social sites’ terms of service agreements. However, they
serve a far better purpose—spreading word-of-mouth marketing, the most
effective promotion.
When customer testimonial videos are posted to your social
account, you’ll generate social proof, which gives your brand authority while
drawing more consumers to your products and services.
2. Influencer
Marketing
A partnership within the same or a complementary industry
can significantly increase brand reach. You’ll get your products in front of
new faces likely to make a purchase. You’ll also get an endorsement from
someone who’s well-liked and respected, which goes a long way for your
consumers. Influencer
marketing is one of the best strategies for organic growth.
It can be somewhat tricky in the cannabis industry, however.
Along with the potentially high expense, endorsements aren’t as straightforward
for these products. However, if you screen your influencers carefully and work
closely with them throughout the campaign, your efforts should be successful.
3. Brand Ambassadors
Similar to influencer marketing, brand ambassadors can help
spread the word about your products while increasing consumer knowledge about
the benefits of using each product. Typically, a brand ambassador is a happy
customer that posts about your brand.
Generate brand ambassadors through your loyal customer base,
offering an incentive to those who share the good news about your products. If
customers truly like your products and you have a good incentive, this campaign
will produce tremendous growth.
4. Focus on Content
Go back to the basics of good social media marketing and
you’ll learn quickly that content is the most important factor of all when
trying to connect with your audience. If you post high-quality content that
provides value for a hyper-specific audience, everything you post will be
promoting your product, even if it’s not a paid advertisement.
Build a strategy of posting regular, high quality content on
a schedule that your audience can follow. Include a variety of content mediums,
like video, blog posts, infographics, memes, Stories, and more. Some of this
content should be of your own making, but it’s perfectly acceptable to pull
content from other, supportive sources as well (avoiding direct competition, of
course.)
Post this content when your consumers are online. Social
media algorithms prioritize posts that were recently shared, so your target
audience is more likely to see it if they’re online at the time of posting. Do
market research to determine when your clientele is most active and create a
schedule accordingly.
5. Build a
Multi-Platform Presence
Developing a strategy across multiple platforms will
significantly extend your brand reach as well as afford you more options for
advertising your products and services.
Facebook, Instagram, and Google are among the most effective
advertising platforms, but they’re not your only options. Brands might have
more luck posting ads on sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
Before posting on any channel, carefully review the terms of
service agreement for businesses. It should state the platform’s stance on
cannabis products, so you can avoid legal trouble and/or being banned.
6. Connect with
Customers
Research
indicates that more and more consumers are turning to social media for
customer service. About 80 percent of consumers engage with brands on social
media on as many as seven social platforms per customer. This shows a
significant interest in social connection, which you can use for the benefit of
your organization.
What’s more, social customer care is becoming the preferred
method of communication. More than half of consumers say that they prefer
messaging brands on social channels to resolve an issue above all other
communication types.
Most importantly, research
from Twitter shows that customers who connect with brands on Twitter are
willing to spend 20 percent more when they receive a direct communication from
a brand on the platform. They’re also 30 percent more likely to recommend that
brand to others.
This research clearly points to the necessity of using
social media for greater customer connection. Spend time on the platform
responding to comments, commenting on follower pages, posting content your
customers want to see, and providing excellent customer service. Promotional
content is almost unnecessary with a sublime customer-company connection.
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