For the cannabis industry, digital marketing can come with a few hurdles. With strict restrictions from major online advertising, such as Google and Facebook, marketers have to call on their creative side to help cannabis businesses reach their audience.[1] By utilizing social media influencers, brands can create personal connections to their audience, building trust and loyalty. Let’s take a look at some highlights of influencer marketing.[2]

• In 2019, the influencer marketing industry was worth $8 billion and is expected to grow up to $15 billion by 2020
• 79% of brands choose Instagram for their influencer campaigns, followed by Facebook at 46%, YouTube at 36%, Twitter at 24%, and LinkedIn at 12%
• Brands prioritize long-term partnerships with a smaller pool of influencers

Since cannabis companies can’t rely on ad spend on social media platforms, influencers are the next best thing. With incredibly large followings, your brand is going to get directly in front of your target audience. Keep reading to discover our best tips on running a successful cannabis influencer marketing campaign!

Tips for Cannabis Companies Conducting Influencer Marketing 

1. Find a small group of influencersthat work for your brand. Having a long-term relationship with a few key personnel will create a trusted voice and face for your brand and products. Ensure they completely align with your brand’s image, including personality type, focus in a genre, their niche presence, covered topics, and kind of reach they will produce.
2. Stay away from branded content and encourageyour influencers to create imagery for the social post. Branded content is more likely to be picked up and flagged by Instagram’s algorithm than user-generated content. Influencer generated imagery is also great to repurpose in other campaigns you may run.
3. Use your influencer’s unique voice to reach their audience. After all, they know their followers the best. By working with your influencer to create copy, it will instill confidence, trust, and authenticity in the post and in your brand. Allow them to create promotional content that feels natural for them while still being aligned with how your brand wants to be seen.
4. To avoid being shut down,don’t advertise prices or promotional discounts, or provide any direct link for users to order your products. While Instagram may be unspecific in its guidelines, follow all rules and regulations as carefully as possible. Always be sure to include disclaimers, such as age 21+, specified for medical or recreational use, and, of course, when an influencer’s post is sponsored.

With the right help, social media for cannabis brands doesn’t have to be so tricky. Herban Creative specializes in digital marketing for the cannabis industry and knows just how to get those high engagement and conversion rates. Discover the world of social media and influencers with our expert team! Reach out to us today!

[1] “Facebook and Other Marketing Platforms Continue to Stifle Cannabis Ads.” High Times, 10 Sep. 2019, https://hightimes.com/business/facebook-other-marketing-platforms-continue-stifle-cannabis-ads/

[2] “Influencer Marketing: State of the social media influencer market in 2020.” Business Insider, 17 Dec. 2019, https://www.businessinsider.com/influencer-marketing-report