cannabis social media Archives - Canna Communication

The social media platforms have made cannabis companies social media misfits. As a cannabis company, if you have not been scared off or annoyed beyond recognition by this point, we applaud you. You realize everyone is pushing out the same content with a different brand name because that’s all anyone can really do. You also realize your presence there is expected and necessary. It’s all about how you look at it though, so make your brand stand out from the herd. Be creative and have fun with what you can do and dismiss what you cannot, but whatever you do, do not push the boundaries. These platforms can and will suspend or permanently remove your account if you do not adhere to their guidelines, so you must know what they are.

Ultimately, what really serves your cannabis company is driving traffic to your website. Your website is your online storefront where you can showcase your goodies and the deals you are offering. As your web traffic increases so does its quality rating with Google which is advantageous in searches. Your social media channels can certainly help get people to visit your site, so they serve a meaningful purpose. Here are some guidelines to adhere to, so you can make sure to stay in good standing.

Very strict regulations are an ongoing battle for cannabis businesses marketing on social media. Cannabis violates every platform’s terms of service and community guidelines just by being there and every cannabis brand wants to dominate. Unfortunately, today you can only expect to reach about 3 percent of your audience on most social media platforms. Even with amazing content, algorithms change often, and hashtags help, but not as much as most people think.

Simply put, follow the rules and you’ll be fine and remain in good standing.

You can post…

Educational, informative content.

Advocacy content including data, statistics, quotes, legislative updates, health reports, research results, and so on.

Images of products – just don’t post anything that implies the products are for sale, trade, or delivery.

Keep an eye on all social media updates to its guidelines so you’re always adhering to the current rules. This includes Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit and Tik Tok.

Closely monitor the activities on your page, particularly if you outsource content creation, sharing, and communications on your business page to a marketing agency, freelancer, or another third party. It’s equally important to monitor your employees’ activities on your page as well to ensure they comply with Facebook’s rules.

You cannot…

Say that a product is for sale, trade, or delivery.

Ask people to buy a product, i.e. put in bio “Nothing for sale and 21+ only”

List prices.

Encourage people to inquire or contact your business about a product.

Show images that depict the sale of cannabis products.

Post anything that gives instructions on how to grow, sell, or use cannabis.

Provide any contact information for people to buy cannabis products.

Make any medical claims.

Safe content looks like this:

Budtender bios and recommendations

Cultivation behind-the-scenes

Cannabis lifestyle imagery and content

Memes for cannabis enthusiasts, nothing cartoonish or child-related, i.e. Mickey Mouse

General cannabis education

Product education

Dosing tips and guidelines

Having an experienced marketing team creating your content makes a difference, but not everyone has access to that initially. If you are going at it alone to begin, start with some objectives you can measure like increase in number of followers per month and number of engagements per post. Focus on the power of your social content more than the frequency. Variety is the spice of life, so get creative and bring something new and fun to your audiences. A lot of different types of people use weed. You can still stay on brand and market to Deadheads and soccer moms alike. Sometimes they are the same people. Never judge a book, right?

I was talking with a colleague the other day about marijuana memes. You know the ones—funny photo of a person, celebrity, animal or cartoon with droopy eyes, big grin, smoking a big joint or bong and ending with the punchline HAF.

I think these are funny, I really do. Researching this article, I fell into the rabbit hole of marijuana memes and spent way too much time looking at them and thinking about how true they are to my experience. On a personal level, they’re funny, but for professionals and businesses, they’re better left behind.

Here’s why.

Stereotyping.

We’ve written before about stereotyping in cannabis we see it in music, movies and TV shows. These images of forgetful, goofy characters don’t help legitimate cannabis consumers and businesses. People who need medical marijuana to survive a day of chronic pain, to relieve the symptoms of chemotherapy, to sleep or keep seizures at bay deserve better than a stereotype. As we work toward public acceptance of cannabis use and continue to persuade municipalities that cannabis businesses are legitimate and healthy for a community, we need to leave the stoner stuff behind.

marijuana meme featuring sponge bob squarepants — And improper punctuation.

Copyright use.

Business owners need to be aware of copyright and fair use laws. We understand that by using a marijuana meme, you’re not taking anyone’s intellectual property, but you are using something that was created and belongs to someone else. You are also using it in a manner that wasn’t as intended by the creator. Sure, there are plenty of images in the public domain, but be assured, a stoned Mickey Mouse isn’t what the Walt Disney Corporation intended for its brand.

Advertising to Children.

It’s pretty clear that advertising marijuana to kids is wrong, and in many states, it is illegal. Putting a cartoon character on your marijuana social media crosses that line.

Target audiences.

Every business has a target audience that it’s trying to reach and knowledge of that audience is essential to your success. You can’t be everything to everyone. If you’re using stoner marijuana memes on your social media, you’re targeting young men ages 18-24 right? But what if you’re looking to attract women ages 35-50? Or older adults? Probably not the best thing to be sharing.

In Michigan, it’s still medical marijuana, and we have to ask: do HAF and SpongeBob meet the information needs of patients? Does it help build credibility, or does it distract from what you’re trying to do? Does it build interest or loyalty in your business, does it fit with the image and you’re trying to create for your company? If it doesn’t help, then it needs to go away.

Quality information.

We believe that cannabis brands, above all, need to be purveyors of quality products and information. Education of the public, cannabis consumers, and those interested in trying marijuana products for the first time is something we need to focus our efforts on doing well. We’re still overcoming a reefer madness mindset as well as new criticism of our industry from the outside.

A Few Content Ideas.

If you’re looking for social media content here are some things we suggest—because we know there are days when you can’t find anything to post.

Use google alerts to receive information that is curated for you. Using keywords like medical marijuana, cannabis, Michigan medical marijuana dispensary, hemp and CBD will bring dozens of articles to your inbox. Find something that works with your brand and your audience and share it. If nothing is interesting in that collection, jump over to the sites of Marijuana Moment, Norml, Leafly, High Times or one of the cannabis trade organization publications.

quote from Willie Nelson instead of a marijuana meme. It says, I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is a flower. God put it here.

Share a quote about marijuana history or legalization. There are plenty on this site. We post a quote on a client’s Facebook page on Sunday mornings, and they usually receive multiple shares and likes. Share a non-cannabis inspirational quote—something that reflects your brand values.

Ask a question to your audience—what’s their favorite strain, the best way to consume, advice for a new cannabis consumer or other tips. Share your own experiences or show your expertise. This type of message will help develop your voice and brand personality and gain insight into what works for you.

Photos and videos can’t be beaten—show your operations and processes, your products and people. It allows audiences to get to know you better and to see what you have to offer and who makes things happen in your business.

Social media is an integral part of any marijuana business communication plan—but it needs always to be audience-centric and true to your brand so leave the marijuana memes behind. If you need help with your brand development or social media strategy—give us a shout.

Feature image by Mike Renpening from Pixabay