The marijuana industry is here to stay thanks to the immense support of millions of patients and consumers across the United States. With its potential in helping address the economic effects of the pandemic, there’s no doubt that this sector will continue to grow and the numbers agree. Research estimated the 2020 market value of the market to be at $9.1 billion, which is expected to show growth annually by 26.7% from 2021 to 2028.
Given the enormous market size and projected growth of the sector, dispensary owners want to make sure that they ride the tide. One way to do this is by tapping into cannabis directories. These platforms compile the names and contact details of retail stores, and categorizes them by location. This way, customers can easily find dispensaries near them or relevant information of particular stores.
The thing is, these directories do not just usher in new customers. It also works behind the scenes to improve your digital marketing potentials. Keep reading to know more.
SEO: More than Content Creation
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of refining your website to boost its chances of appearing in search results. A well-planned and perfectly implemented marijuana SEO strategy is bound to help your site reach the first page of search engine results pages (SERPs), and even better, at the very top of such pages. To achieve this goal, website owners could use different techniques. One of the methods associated with SEO is content creation.
However, many people do not realize that SEO has two sides: on-page and odd-page. Content creation falls under on-page SEO which deals with everything that can be observed when entering a website and its web pages. This includes meta-descriptions and -tags, headers, page names, URL, images alt texts, internal links, keywords, and responsiveness. Of course, the content itself is part of on-page SEO such as articles, e-books, audio, videos, images, polls, and quizzes.
Don’t get us wrong, though. Off-page SEO still involves content creation. The type of content it deals with are those posted on other websites.
All of these combined can help optimize your site and pages to conform with Google’s SEO standards. Here’s how it works: Google deploys crawlers to find sites and pages and include them in its index. Once Googlebots find your website, it will be included in the index, which means that the next time someone makes a query using the keywords you used, your pages will appear on the results page.
What you want to make sure of is that crawlers will find your site, but how? This is where off-page SEO comes in. it deals with your site’s relationship with other websites to build your domain authority through link-building.
According to Google, there will be times when even its crawlers will miss some sites and pages. There are a few things that can result from this. Usually, newly launched sites may not be included until Google can crawl them. Unoptimized design, errors, and policies can also prevent these bots from crawling your site.
Another important reason is that your site is not well-connected with other websites. Off-page SEO can help you deal with this problem thanks to links. Building a network of links is the primary function of link-building in cannabis SEO. You want to make sure that you have links going to your website posted on other sites. Such links are called backlinks or inbound links.
Seems easy right? What you need to keep in mind is that there are two things that matter when trying to increase your domain authority. First is to make sure that you have backlinks from related websites, especially high-authority ones. These links may have little impact without the second thing: traffic. Your site’s popularity is also an important factor in building authority.
Combined, you want to ensure that your backlinks are clicked and followed by visitors coming from the host website. The more clicks you get from more authoritative sites, the better.
The Significance of Cannabis Directories
So, how do cannabis directories figure into all of these? The simple answer is many of the websites that host directories have high domain authorities. As mentioned, getting visits through cannabis backlinks posted on high-authority sites can increase your authority
If you think that having a high domain authority is only essential in getting under Google’s radar, you have to know that it can also help in your cannabis marketing campaign. Imagine your potential customers looking for a dispensary near them. The most obvious way to do so is to ask Google for answers, so they tend to type “dispensaries near me” or “dispensaries in DC” for example.
You want to make sure that your website appears on such searches. High-authority and popular sites tend to have higher ranks in SERPs.
Now, this is the fun part. Cannabis dispensaries do not only provide you with high-quality inbound links and additional traffic. They also provide free advertising and vouching. Take PotGuide, for example. Going to its homepage, you will easily sport featured brands. With the right marketing strategy, you can also be on that list.
The best part is you will be given a profile of your own where you can show off your location and products. It offers you a small platform to give an extra push to reach your customers. Moreover, these directories often have their own reviews and rating section, which you can use to your advantage with the right reputation management techniques.
Other than offering a way to advertise your brand, that the fact that you appear on these directories says something about your dispensary. It shows that you are doing everything you can to make your products accessible to consumers in need of your services.
Plus, while the directory does not directly endorse your business, visitors can take it as such. Just think about it from the perspective of buyers: your brand is featured on a reputable site, so it must be a reliable business, as well. When combined with good reviews, you are bound to rake in more customers.
Top 5 Cannabis Directories You Should Aim to Be On
The thing about getting into these directories is that there are a lot of them on the Internet that it can be overwhelming. The best way to go is to pick the ones with the most comprehensive lists and are easier to navigate. From the customer’s perspective, this is much more convenient and gives them more options without having to do much. Here are some of the websites you should aspire to be on.
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PotGuide
PotGuide is great from the get-go. From its homepage alone, you will see that it took care to properly categorize dispensaries depending on their location. It even features a map of the United States highlighting all states with dispensaries listed under them. Users just need to select their state and they will be taken to a page where they can choose from a list of dispensaries in each city.
What’s better is each state’s page comes with information on the legality of marijuana in that state, so you can keep yourself updated on important affairs. It is also one of the most popular sites for all things related to cannabis
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com
This website makes it easy to apply to be listed on its directory. With its built-in application form, you can submit your information without even leaving the site. It incorporated tools that can help you boost your following and retain your customers. The best part is its platform provides a way to aid your current marketing campaign through a more modular approach.
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WeedMaps
WeedMaps has been around since 2008, so you can say that it has a lot of experience making cannabis accessible to the public. It has already established its name as a marijuana advocate, while also helping businesses reach their consumer base. It even has a global presence, showing just how wide its reach is.
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Wikileaf
What makes this platform special is aside from its significant reach, it also offers details about pricing within the location, so consumers will have an idea of what to expect when it comes to cost. Because an informed consumer can decidedly make purchases, you are bound to find an increase in your sales when you apply and are approved to be on this directory.
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CannaMaps
This website is a great choice for consumers who want to save some cash while purchasing cannabis products. It features deals on its homepage, enticing visitors to get items from dispensaries currently running promos. One thing you should remember, though, is it has a comprehensive list for California, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania only.
Closing Words
Getting your website on cannabis dispensaries can definitely help you compete in this ever-competitive market. With more and more people getting into marijuana, it is only a matter of time until your dispensary beats your competitors. To get into the best dispensaries, make sure to work with a reliable cannabis marketing agency with a good network