Digital Marketing in the Cannabis Industry: What Works, What Doesn’t
At 9 Digital Media, we’ve spent years navigating the complex — and constantly shifting — landscape of cannabis marketing. After writing over 500 blogs for Verilife and LivWell, and continuing to deliver about 20 new blogs per month for two other cannabis brands, we’ve seen firsthand how to grow in a space where most traditional marketing tactics are off-limits.
Unlike mainstream retail or CPG, cannabis companies face strict advertising restrictions that can cripple performance if not handled carefully. Across federal and state regulations, cannabis brands are typically not allowed to:
- ❌ Run paid ads for THC or cannabis products on Google, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), TikTok, or YouTube.
- ❌ Make medical or health claims unless explicitly backed by FDA approval.
- ❌ Use language that implies intoxication, overconsumption, or medical treatment.
- ❌ Display product use, consumption, or paraphernalia in ads or social media posts.
- ❌ Target minors or audiences under 21 (age-gating is mandatory across all states).
- ❌ Conduct interstate promotions or cross-border shipping where cannabis remains federally restricted.
- ❌ Use SMS or email systems that don’t comply with platform-level cannabis restrictions.
These limitations mean that success in cannabis marketing depends on precision — balancing compliance with creativity across every digital channel.
Within just 16 months, our SEO content strategy doubled Verilife’s organic traffic, proving that consistent, compliant storytelling can deliver real growth — even within tight regulatory boundaries.
Below are the key dos and don’ts across major digital channels when building a compliant and scalable cannabis marketing strategy.
🌿 Blog Content Development: The Dos and Don’ts
DO:
- Lead with education, not promotion. Readers — and Google — favor content that explains why and how, not just what to buy.
- Build topical authority around wellness, cannabinoids, cultivation, product education, and state-level compliance — not potency or price.
- Maintain a consistent publishing cadence. Frequent, high-quality blog posts are the engine of long-term SEO growth.
- Incorporate structured data and semantic SEO. Schema markup, FAQs, and long-tail intent terms can dramatically increase impressions and click-through rates.
- Focus on state-specific content. Cannabis regulations vary by market, so geotargeted posts for Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio rank better locally.
- Update old blogs at least once per year. Regulations, terminology, and product offerings evolve quickly. Revisiting older posts to refresh data, add internal links, and optimize for new search terms helps preserve rankings and maintain credibility.
DON’T:
- ❌ Use language that implies medical claims unless FDA-approved.
- ❌ Include direct purchase CTAs like “shop now” or “buy online” in restricted markets.
- ❌ Reuse generic cannabis education articles — Google rewards originality and depth.
- ❌ Neglect to refresh older content or cross-link it to new topics — doing so causes ranking decay over time.
Example:
👉 Verilife’s blog strategy blends education, compliance, and lifestyle storytelling. Each article connects to related content and local landing pages, helping the brand rank for everything from “THC vs CBD” to “dispensaries in Ohio.”
👉 LivWell amplifies that model by publishing consistent content about strain education, wellness, and responsible use — positioning the brand as a trusted cannabis authority.
📍 Local SEO: The Dos and Don’ts
Local SEO is one of the most powerful and underutilized growth levers in cannabis marketing. Most customers start with a “dispensary near me” or “best edibles in [city]” search — and Google’s local pack (map results) determines who wins that customer before they ever reach your homepage.
DO:
- Claim and verify all Google Business Profiles (GBP). Each retail location should have its own verified profile with consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone).
- Add UTM-tagged URLs and track map traffic. Connecting map clicks to conversions helps measure ROI.
- Upload new storefront and product photos regularly. Google rewards visual freshness.
- Encourage verified customer reviews. Reviews that mention location names (“great staff in Schaumburg,” “best dispensary in Denver”) improve local relevance.
- Create unique local landing pages. Every major market should have its own SEO-optimized page with store hours, menus, and educational content.
- Build local backlinks. Sponsoring events, community cleanups, or local wellness initiatives drives local authority.
DON’T:
- ❌ Copy the same business description across multiple store listings.
- ❌ List inconsistent addresses or outdated hours — this hurts both user trust and ranking.
- ❌ Overuse keywords in GBP titles (e.g., “Best Weed Store Chicago”).
- ❌ Ignore Q&A sections or leave reviews unanswered — both are key engagement signals for Google.
Examples:
👉 Verilife excels at Local SEO consistency — every location has its own optimized Google Business profile, accurate hours, and unique landing pages, earning top-three map rankings in multiple states.
👉 LivWell dominates Colorado and Michigan search results through well-structured location pages and strong community engagement signals — from local backlinks to high-volume reviews.
💌 Email Marketing: The Dos and Don’ts
DO:
- Use compliant email platforms such as Klaviyo, Springbig, or Alpine IQ.
- Segment audiences by purchase behavior, product category, and geography.
- Use replenishment and loyalty workflows to drive repeat purchases without constant discounts.
- Design mobile-first. Over 80% of dispensary subscribers open emails on mobile.
- Incorporate SMS where compliant to lift engagement rates.
DON’T:
- ❌ Send from personal domains or generic ESPs.
- ❌ Rely solely on discount promotions — they erode margin and brand equity.
- ❌ Ignore unsubscribe or compliance requirements.
Example:
👉 Verano leverages a strong email ecosystem, sending educational newsletters and loyalty updates that build retention without violating ad restrictions.
🔍 Paid Search: The Dos and Don’ts
DO:
- Use lifestyle and wellness-focused keywords to stay compliant and attract upper-funnel audiences.
- Geo-fence campaigns around licensed states or store zip codes.
- Partner with compliant ad networks like Mantis, Safe-Reach, or Display 420.
- Monitor branded search incrementality. Measure if paid search adds value beyond organic.
- Use call tracking and in-store visit data for offline ROI attribution.
DON’T:
- ❌ Run THC or cannabis-specific ads through Google Ads — they’ll be flagged.
- ❌ Use dynamic ad copy with product names.
- ❌ Direct ads to purchase pages in markets that restrict e-commerce.
Example:
👉 Curaleaf uses programmatic and geo-fenced campaigns to raise awareness while staying compliant — an approach that smaller dispensary groups can emulate safely.
📱 Paid Social: The Dos and Don’ts
DO:
- Tell brand stories, don’t sell product. Highlight education, sustainability, or community involvement.
- Use compliant creators who align with your values.
- Run dark posts targeting custom audiences from email or site traffic.
- Explore alternative platforms like Reddit, X (Twitter), or Snapchat, which are more cannabis-tolerant.
- Share authentic content from cultivation teams or local initiatives.
DON’T:
- ❌ Show product consumption or packaging.
- ❌ Mention pricing or promotions.
- ❌ Over-rely on Meta or TikTok — organic community storytelling outperforms paid ads in this vertical.
Example:
👉 Grassroots Cannabis (also a PharmaCann brand) has perfected storytelling and brand transparency, using culture-driven content to boost engagement without crossing compliance boundaries.
🚀 The Takeaway
Marketing cannabis is equal parts creativity, compliance, and consistency. The brands that thrive — like Verilife and LivWell — combine educational content, local visibility, and data-driven precision to build long-term trust and loyalty.
At 9 Digital Media, we’ve helped cannabis brands grow their organic traffic, local authority, and audience engagement by blending SEO excellence, compliant messaging, and strategic channel integration.
If your cannabis brand wants to scale visibility without risking compliance, we can help you do it — responsibly, profitably, and proven by results.
About the Author
Akin Tosyali
Founder & CEO, 9 Digital Media
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