CBD marketing is critical for any cannabis product to find success. Demand for hemp products is on the rise as legislation is relaxed, the benefits of hemp are becoming more widely known, scientifically-backed, and the cannabis industry and CBD market are constantly evolving. With the growth in the market demand, a need for good advertising is essential for putting a CBD brand at the forefront.
CBD that is derived from hemp is enticing a wide range of people from all backgrounds and age groups to try it. AnA good advertising and marketing plan must reach various demographics, and that involves understanding the wants of each potential customer.A good understanding of the laws and rules about CBD marketing is important as they can vary for each county or state.
Hemp and CBD
The majority of CBD products are derived from industrial hemp and that market share is growing. Before setting up a CBD marketing strategy, you need to understand the legal status of hemp, CBD, and the cannabis plant.
As of 2018, hemp was removed from the Controlled Substances Act but is still overseen by the FDA. Its regulations are still not clear within the marketplace when it comes to legal marketing and sales.
While it should be monitored the same as other regulated products, the FDA is making sure to watch closely so they can safeguard consumer’s health and well-being. Hemp-derived CBD is allowed from a federal standpoint but is also controlled in various ways at a state level. Consult a lawyer who specializes in this area before tackling advertising.
CBD Marketing Importance
Marketing is critical in finding new customers to grow the CBD business. This can be done by making a brand stand out. Build abrand that is different. Engage with potential customers and find out what they look for in a CBD product. Analytics around demographics and customer interest in these products has to be looked at.
CBD marketing is also about retaining customers that already are on board. Affiliate marketing helps with making retention rates higher while creating essential brand awareness. A boost in reputation can retain repeat customers.
Guidelines
While many people are aware of claims about hemp and CBD’s medicinal possibilities, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) does not allow this in product marketing. Companies cannot:
1. Make health or medical claims. While many articles online will hail all the things CBD can do for various medical conditions, this cannot be used as a marketing tactic. The FDA sees it as deceptive, as the treatments are unproven and can be a risk to the public.
2. Use untested assumptions. While there can be discussion around the potential medical benefits of having CBD in a daily wellness routine, a company can not make claims that it can treat a specific medical condition. Anything said in CBD marketing has to be backed up by sources that are reputable and cited. Everything must be substantiated and real.
3. Use anything that is not FDA approved. It is not legal to add CBD to food, diet supplements or pet food. This includes using hemp, not just CBD.
Advertising Rules
Advertising is limited for hemp and CBD to referral marketing and content creation. Facebook will allow hemp-derived products on the platform; Google is less amenable but is in a research phase. Twitter says no for paid advertising but allows accounts that raise brand awareness. Instagram follows Twitter’s lead by no paid advertising, but accounts are allowed. Frequent posts on any social media can help with branding if they are under an account versus paid ads.
Branding is the Key
The mainstream market has shown it is ready for hemp-derived CBD and other products. This means branding is going to be critical as the marketplace becomes more crowded. Here are some strategies to advertise hemp products creatively.
- Use SEO to the fullest. Pay attention to search engine optimization (SEO). It is a low cost and can be highly beneficial. Having someone on hand that specializes in SEO is a good way to get a solid return on your money invested. They should know the rules and guidelines around hemp and CBD advertising so they can get your brand to the front of searches properly and legally.
- Be smart with your content. Content creation should fit in unnoticed with the SEO plan. Because SEO uses high volume keywords in the posts and online content, sharing it means it is out there even more. Traffic is built this way, which helps with credibility and brand knowledge.
- Trade Shows. Once the world can be together again after Covid-19, word of mouth is important. Meeting other industry companies helps spread the brand name while assessing the competition. Attracting new customers and support is a good strategy.
- Influencers are a creative way to advertise. This type of marketing is highly beneficial in the online world. A diversified marketing campaign that uses influencers can be extremely successful. Various platforms have different demographics, so picking the right influencer on different platforms can highlight the brand to a target demographic.
Keeping the Brand at the Forefront
Advertising for a brand has to stay fresh and current.
- Keyword research is a new part of advertising. Know the keywords you need for search engines such as Google to rank your site on the first page. Put keywords into titles, meta tags, photo, and video descriptions,
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Target your niche market with an SEO optimized website. Be strategic in keyword and search phrase placement
- Content marketing should be done by someone that understands how it works. Regular content updates need to be done properly to curate informative content that is keyword-friendly.
- Analytics is the key to most online content. It helps make creative marketing easier. Knowing the numbers and details of the target demographics helps to build marketing campaigns that are direct and aimed at the group who should get to know your brand. Get a good analytics program to help build the most creative advertising possible for the brand.
Final Thoughts
If a company is entering the CBD and hemp marketplace, working on advertising takes some thinking outside-of-the-box due to the limitations placed on it by advertising platforms. Using social media platforms with a clear content marketing strategy offers a way that these products can be advertised indirectly by educating potential customers and creating strong brand awareness. Using the online world to advertise your brand in creative ways not only builds brand loyalty but keeps a company out of trouble with the FDA and their advertising limitations.