So you’ve started a cannabis business. Congratulations! Now it’s time to spread the word and attract new customers. The key to success in this fast-growing industry is mastering the message. You need a copy that catches attention, builds trust, and compels people to choose your products.
Whether you’re selling CBD oil, edibles, or growing equipment, the principles are the same. You need to tap into your audience’s desires and speak to them in an authentic way. Share your passion for the plant and your vision for the future of cannabis. Help readers understand how your products can enhance their lives. And do it all in a friendly, engaging tone.
If you follow our advice, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a cannabis copywriting pro in no time. So roll up your sleeves and let’s get started!
The Importance of Cannabis Business Copywriting
As a cannabis business, your copywriting is one of the most important tools you have to connect with customers and drive sales. Strong, compelling copy that speaks to your target audience can be the difference between someone browsing and someone buying.
Know your customer: Conduct market research to determine your target demographic and what motivates them. Are they wellness seekers? Recreational users? Medical patients? Tailor your messaging to their needs and interests.
Focus on benefits and solutions: Rather than just listing features or strain names, convey how your products can improve customers’ lives. Will they feel less anxious? Sleep better? Manage chronic pain? Promising benefits and an enhanced experience will capture interest.
Use an engaging and friendly tone: While professional, your copy should be warm and establish a personal connection. Explain complex topics in an easy-to-understand way. Share your brand’s story and passion for the plant. Forming an emotional bond with your audience will turn them into loyal customers.
Optimize for search engines: Include important keywords, synonyms, and related terms throughout your copy, especially in headings, page titles, and the first few sentences. This will improve your ranking in search results and visibility to customers.
Review and test your copy: Get feedback from others in your target audience. Check that the message is clear and consistent across platforms. Analyze metrics like click-through rates to see what’s resonating and make improvements. With regular optimization, your copy will become more and more effective at attracting your ideal customers.
Copywriting is a craft, but by focusing on your audience, promoting benefits, using a friendly tone, and optimizing for search, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the message. Your cannabis business will thrive as a result.
How to Craft Compelling Cannabis Copy
To craft compelling copy for a cannabis business, you need to speak your customers’ language. That means using a casual, conversational tone and simplifying complex ideas.
Keep it relatable
Use a friendly, engaging tone to connect with your audience. Refer to your customers as “you” and speak to them directly. Explain benefits and solutions in a way that resonates on a personal level. For example, say “Relieve your anxiety and sleep better at night” instead of “This product contains compounds shown to decrease symptoms of anxiety and insomnia.”
Focus on solutions and benefits
Your customers want to know how your products or services will improve their lives. Focus on the key benefits and solutions you provide rather than technical details. For example, say “Unwind from a stressful day and recharge your creativity” instead of “Contains a 1:5 THC to CBD ratio.”
Use simple language
Avoid industry jargon and complex terms whenever possible. Your copy should be easily understood by someone without expertise in cannabis. For example, say “ease symptoms like nausea or chronic pain” instead of “analgesic and antiemetic effects.”
Include a clear call-to-action
Every piece of copy should motivate the reader to take action, whether that’s purchasing a product, signing up for a newsletter, or contacting your business. For example, end with something like “Visit our dispensary today to discover the natural solution you’ve been searching for.”
Cannabis Copywriting Dos and Don’ts
When writing copy for a cannabis business, there are a few key dos and don’ts to keep in mind. Following these guidelines will help you craft an effective message that resonates with your target audience.
Do be authentic and transparent.
Cannabis consumers value honesty and authenticity. Focus on educating your audience and speaking genuinely about your products and services. Avoid exaggerating claims or making unrealistic promises.
Don’t use stoner stereotypes.
While some of your audience may fit certain stereotypes, cannabis consumers are diverse. Avoid using slang terms, references to being “high”, or other tropes that promote a one-dimensional view of cannabis users. Speak to your audience with the same respect you would afford any other.
Do focus on experiences and outcomes.
Rather than just listing attributes of your products like THC percentages or strain names, focus on the experiences and outcomes they enable. Discuss how your products can enhance activities, social interactions, rest and rejuvenation, health and wellness, creativity, and more.
Don’t make unsubstantiated health claims.
Be very careful about making claims that cannabis can cure or treat health conditions. While research shows promising medical potential, cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I controlled substance federally, limiting large-scale clinical research. Until there is FDA approval, it is illegal and unethical to make unsubstantiated health claims.
Do optimize for search.
Use keywords and phrases related to cannabis, CBD, medical marijuana, recreational cannabis, and your product types and strains throughout your copy. Adding metadata, internal linking, and optimizing page titles and headers can also help improve your search ranking.
Don’t forget compliance.
Stay up to date with cannabis regulations in your state or country and ensure all copy, images, and calls-to-action comply with the law. Regulations cover everything from medical vs. recreational, lab testing requirements, licensing, and more. Non-compliant marketing can result in penalties and damage your brand reputation.
Hiring a Professional Cannabis Copywriter and Content Writer
When it comes to cannabis copywriting, hiring a professional copywriter can be a smart move, especially if you’re not a writer yourself or if you want to take your business to the next level. A cannabis copywriter and content writer understand the industry, your target audience, and how to craft persuasive messaging that gets results.
Knowledge and Experience
An experienced marijuana copywriter has been writing in this niche for a while and stays on top of trends, news, and changes in laws or regulations. They understand the language that resonates with your customers and how to highlight the benefits of your products or services. Their portfolio of past work in the cannabis industry shows the level of knowledge and skill they can bring to help promote your business.
Tailored Messaging
A professional cannabis copywriter will take the time to understand your brand, products, and target audience. They can then create messaging tailored specifically to your needs. Whether you need website content, blog posts, email newsletters, or product descriptions, a pro will craft copy that speaks directly to your customers in an authentic way. Their work will have a consistent tone and style, reflecting your brand’s unique voice.
Optimized for Search
If boosting your search rankings is a goal, a cannabis copywriter knows how to optimize content for search engines like Google. By including important keywords, internal linking, meta titles and descriptions, they can help raise your visibility in search results. Over time, a optimized content strategy may lead to higher organic traffic and more conversions.
Frees Up Your Time
Hiring an expert cannabis copywriter allows you to focus on other areas of running your business. You don’t have to spend hours writing and editing content or worrying if it’s persuasive enough. The copywriter handles it for you, delivering drafts for your review and approval on schedule. They have dedicated time to devote to crafting high-quality copy for your brand so you can work on growth and strategy.
Optimizing Your Copy for SEO: Keyword Research and Implementation
To get your cannabis business website ranking higher in search engines like Google, you need to optimize your copy for SEO. This means doing keyword research to determine what terms your target customers are searching for, then strategically including those keywords in your page content.
Identify Important Keywords
Brainstorm a list of keywords and phrases related to your cannabis business offerings. Think about what your customers might search for, including:
- Marijuana strains
- Cannabis products
- Dispensary locations
- Cannabis health benefits
You can use free keyword research tools like Google’s Keyword Planner to see how often people are searching for these terms and how much competition there is. Choose 10-20 primary keywords to focus on for each page.
Place Keywords Strategically
Include your target keywords in the page title, URL, and headers. For example, if one of your keywords is “recreational cannabis”, your page title could be:
Recreational Cannabis Products in Denver
You’ll also want to include keywords in the page content, but don’t overdo it. Aim for each keyword to appear 2-5 times in the first few paragraphs. Use related terms and synonyms as well to sound natural. For “recreational cannabis”, you could say:
“Cannabis for recreational use is now legal in Colorado. At our Denver marijuana dispensary, we offer a wide selection of recreational cannabis products including dried flower, edibles, topicals, and concentrates.”
Internal Linking
Link to other relevant pages on your site using your target keywords as the anchor text. For example, link to your “edibles” page like this:
“We offer a wide selection of recreational cannabis products including dried flower, edibles, topicals, and concentrates.”
Optimize Page Content
In addition to keywords, make sure your page content is optimized for SEO in other ways:
- Use an H1 header with your primary keyword
- Include longer-form (300-500 words minimum) content
- Use images and alt text with keywords
- Keep content up-to-date
- Make pages easy to navigate
By researching important keywords and strategically optimizing your page content, you can improve your search ranking and drive more organic traffic to your cannabis business website.
Canna Folks: Your Key to Persuasive Cannabis Copywriting
So there you have it, the essential elements of cannabis business copywriting to get your message across and make those sales. When you speak to your customers like real people using a friendly, helpful tone, keep your copy clear and concise while highlighting the key benefits, and close strongly with a call to action, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the message.
If you need assistance with crafting compelling cannabis business copy, consider turning to experts like Canna Folks. Canna Folks specializes in helping businesses in the cannabis industry develop persuasive and professional communications. They understand the importance of authenticity and transparency, and they can guide you in connecting with your target audience to transform curious readers into loyal customers and patients.
The cannabis industry is ready for persuasive and professional communications – are you ready to deliver? Now get out there, start spreading the good word, and build your cannabis business one compelling message at a time with the assistance of experts like Canna Folks!
