Navigating the myriad of marketing channels, especially in the tightly regulated cannabis industry, can be challenging.
Without the option of paid promotions, brands are pushed to be inventive and create engaging, educational, and entertaining content, establishing deeper connections with their audience while boosting growth, brand recognition, and loyalty.
What is Organic Social Media Marketing?
Organic social media marketing, stripped to its core, is about cultivating meaningful relationships with your audience without the support of paid promotions. It leverages the power of creativity and community engagement to grow your brand’s reach naturally. With an absence of financial input, businesses must use the sheer magnetism of compelling content to draw their audience.
Why, you may ask, should a business dedicate time and resources to this method of marketing? The answer lies in its unique advantage.
Organic social media marketing offers an authentic and transparent way to interact with your audience, creating trust and loyalty. It’s about humanizing your brand and creating meaningful interactions, key factors for success in the closely monitored cannabis industry.
And with over 4.7 billion people across the world using social media for around 2 and a half hours per day, there’s lots of potential customers you can reach.
How Other Brands Fail to Use Organic Social Media
Ineffective Use of Organic Social Media
Often, brands fail to utilize organic social media effectively, resorting to unexciting posts with little more to offer than operational updates. This uninspiring approach lacks the vibrancy and appeal necessary to captivate audiences, leading to lost opportunities for audience interaction and brand growth.
For instance, a post stating, “Our store hours for the upcoming weekend are from 10 am to 8 pm,” misses the opportunity to spark a conversation or start an engaging interaction while offering little to no value to the audience.
Why, you may ask, should a business dedicate time and resources to this method of marketing? The answer lies in its unique advantage.
Organic social media marketing offers an authentic and transparent way to interact with your audience, creating trust and loyalty. It’s about humanizing your brand and creating meaningful interactions, key factors for success in the closely monitored cannabis industry.
And with over 4.7 billion people across the world using social media for around 2 and a half hours per day, there’s lots of potential customers you can reach.
Overemphasis on Products
Additionally, certain brands place an overemphasis on their products, thereby missing the genuine intent of organic social media.
For example, a post stating, “Check out our latest strain, perfect for a relaxing evening,” not only strays from the objective of organic social media, which is to generate engaging content and start meaningful conversations but also breaches the guidelines set out by Health Canada for the cannabis industry.
Neglect of Regulatory Guidelines
Lastly, a common problem is neglecting regulatory compliance in the pursuit of appealing content.
Consider a post inviting followers to “Enter our giveaway to win free cannabis products – all you need to do is make a purchase!”
Such an approach, while seemingly engaging, disregards critical regulatory standards, which can result in severe penalties and damage a brand’s reputation.
How To Properly Utilize Organic Social Media
Utilizing organic social media effectively requires a clever blend of creativity, engagement, and respect for regulatory guidelines. One avenue to explore is the creation of fun, engaging content that leans into the educative aspect.
Take inspiration from creators such as @highsocietymama, who generates compelling reels that appeal to a diverse audience without violating promotional rules set by Health Canada.
Here are some content ideas that not only engage your audience but also adhere to regulatory norms:
- Trivia or IQ Quizzes: Use fun quizzes to engage your audience, and as a bonus, you can collect their emails for future communication.
- Interactive Polls: Utilize polls to gauge your audience’s preferences or opinions, encouraging interaction.
- Conversation Starters: Posting questions invites comments and engagement, allowing you to initiate meaningful conversations with your audience.
- Safety Tips: Educate your audience on how to “stash your stash” safely out of children and pets’ reach.
- Emergency Contacts: Share local phone numbers for emergencies related to humans or pets.
- Legal Use: Offer guidance on ensuring cannabis is being used legally in the community, promoting responsible consumption.
- Possession Limits: Inform your audience about the maximum amount of cannabis they can legally possess.
- Transportation Tips: Provide advice on transporting cannabis products safely and within legal boundaries.
- Showcasing Employees: Highlight your team members, their roles, and their expertise to humanize your brand.
- Behind-the-scenes Content: Giving your audience a peek into the making of your products can build transparency and trust.
Highlight Customer Testimonials: Sharing positive experiences of other customers (while respecting privacy rules) can encourage potential consumers to consider your brand.
Do’s And Don’t For Posting Cannabis Related Content
Dos:
- Engage Your Audience: Prioritize creating content that engages and informs your audience, stimulating interaction.
- Use Disclaimers: Clearly state on your profile that your content is intended for audiences aged 19+ (or as per regional norms), underscoring your commitment to responsible communication.
- Adhere to Regulations: Always follow Health Canada’s guidelines or the local regulatory body in your region when posting content.
- Prioritize Education: Focus on educational content about cannabis, sticking to verified scientific facts.
- Respect Privacy: If sharing customer testimonials, ensure you have consent and maintain the individual’s privacy.
Don'ts:
- Price Advertising: Never disclose the exact prices of your products since it detracts from the organic nature of your social media.
- Direct Sales Promotion: Do not provide a direct method for users to order your products on social media platforms.
- Close-up Product Images: Avoid posting close-up photos of plants, buds, or other cannabis products.
- Inducements: Do not induce a purchase to benefit from a contest, giveaway, or loyalty program.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, social media offers a powerful platform for cannabis brands to interact with their audience, promote brand awareness, and foster growth. And creativity, engagement, and compliance are the key ingredients to success! Your brand can flourish in the digital sphere, with the right blend of these elements.
- About the Author
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Darlene is a search marketer, analyst, speaker, trainer, and owner of DriveTraffic Digital Marketing. She has been working in the digital marketing industry since the mid 90s and has narrowed her specialty to SEO, Google Ads and Google Analytics. She is especially interested in Google’s new Search Generative Experience and how businesses will need to adapt to remain visible. Want to see how DriveTraffic can help? Let’s chat!
