The cannabis industry is highly regulated and ever-changing. While the legalization of recreational cannabis for states has recently hit double digits, federal law still deems it illegal.
Legal barriers make it quite the challenge for cannabis businesses to expand, as laws restrict shipping companies from transporting marijuana, and major online payment sources, such as PayPal and Shopify, are not willing to participate due to federal law.[1] More so, banks refuse to accept money earned from online cannabis sales, leading businesses to an e-commerce dead end.[2] Even Google, as well as many social media platforms, have restricted the use of ‘cannabis’ and ‘marijuana’ from paid ad campaigns.
However, where some may see these as restrictions, we view it as an opportunity to get creative. Keep reading to discover how your cannabis website can still receive an increased conversion rate!
4 Tips to Increase the Conversion Rate on Your Cannabis Site
A conversion rate is determined by how many users complete the desired action. Most commonly, it is tracked by how many users purchase through an online store. However, several other actions can be used to measure conversion rates, including:
- Calling your business
- Utilizing your online chat support
- Creating an account on your site
- Signing up for your newsletter
These are especially important for cannabis businesses to determine the success of their online presence, as it cannot be measured through e-commerce sales. Here are our best tips on how to increase those conversions!
- Utilize landing pages.When directing users to your site through social media, first impressions matter most. They’ll take seconds to decide if they want to stay and learn more or leave and go back to scrolling through their feed. By curating a landing page specifically for users coming from a social media post, you’ll provide them with the right information and push to take that desired action.
- Get crafty with your call to action.Forget boring ‘submit’ and ‘enter’ buttons. Make your uses excited to click by prompting them to do so with action-centered buttons! Try incorporating phrases such as sign up, subscribe, try for free, get started, join us, send me more, or find out more. We can go on and on.
- Showcase your best products.While you may not be able to sell your cannabis products online, you can still show them off! Provide users with photos, descriptions, and a call to action to learn more, leading to an email or phone call inquiry.
- Make your site all-inclusive.When users can’t find what they are looking for, they will leave the website. Creating a well-designed, easy to navigate website is just the first step. You also have to ensure your site’s content is up to date and relevant to your customers. They’ll want to know the latest cannabis news, retail locations, frequently asked questions, and more.
Navigating digital marketing as a cannabis business can be overwhelming. Luckily, there are agencies available to get your online presence thriving with high conversion rates, such as Herban Creative. We specialize in the digital marketing of cannabis dispensaries and know just how to get users engaged! Get in touch with us today!
[1] “How Cannabis Ecommerce Challenges Are Driving Web Innovation.” GreenEntrepreneur, 31 Jan 2017, https://www.greenentrepreneur.com/article/288022
[2] “The Cannabis Rush: Where There’s Smoke, There’s E-Commerce.” Ecommerce Times, 31 May 2019, https://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86049.html
