How can two websites, no matter how similar, be better or worse than one another? The answer is search engine optimization. Even if you know the acronym, SEO, what exactly does it mean and how can your business benefit from it?
Search engine optimization is the process in which a site is made accessible to increase exposure, visibility, and traffic from its users. Right away, you can see how optimizing the accessibility of your site can help increase potential customers and sales. Improving your dispensary SEO can not only grow your business but also set you apart from the competition.
Keywords
The first step in improving your website’s SEO is gathering a list of keywords. SEO is built from keywords sending signals across the web. These signals are what allow users to access, browse and use your site. While it might seem obvious to cover “dispensary” or “cannabis,” but some users may be searching for your product by other names. In addition to alternate names, you can also consider expanding your dispensary marketing by including keywords within a larger community.
For example, CBD has been used increasingly more in the world of cannabis, sports recovery, and even healthcare, so it may be beneficial to look into overlapping keywords within sports and other industries. Create a word web for relevant or similar words and topics that might overlap with your immediate key words. When you begin to work your keywords into your site and SEO framework, focus on your top 3-5 keywords that most directly target your intended audience.
Meta Descriptions
The next step to improve your site’s dispensary SEO will be crucial for your cannabis related digital marketing and e-commerce. You’ve woven your keywords into your platform, but what about the actual listing on search engines itself? How will your site appear on Google and why would a user be inclined to click on it?
Meta description tags are small texts underneath your site’s listed link that briefly describe or advertise what your site is all about. The important thing to remember here is that every word counts and the number of characters is limited. If your meta description tag lacks, your site’s traffic could suffer. Avoid ellipses by keeping the content brief and direct, but not too generic. You still want your site to stand out and invite the user. Think of how you can advertise your site so the customer wants to know more, but still be direct enough to not leave anything open to question or misunderstanding. Focus on your keywords and keep it simple.
Online Reviews
Another important factor to consider in your dispensary marketing is the importance of online reviews. Positive reviews will not only increase your visibility on Google, but studies have shown online reviews are trusted almost as much as a personal referral. If someone people are questioning why they should choose online vendors, this will help to reassure them as they can see you’re a reputable company selling online. Don’t be afraid to ask customers for a review, most of the time they’ll likely leave one. In addition to gathering Google and Facebook reviews, ensure you are engaging with the reviews and responding online. Interacting with reviews and responding will be just as important as acquiring the reviews to build your business and improve your dispensary SEO. Accordingly, if you would like to see an example of how customer reviews can be included on your dispensary homepage to attract potential new customers, you can take a look at the Area 52 website for inspiration.
It’s clear that building a strong SEO framework is vital to grow and sustain your dispensary. Since the cannabis industry is constantly developing and changing, investing in some outside assistance from a marketing agency could be very helpful. In order to ensure everything is up to par and in accordance with the law, it’s best to leave some links, digital signals and citations to the professionals. The industry will continue to grow and more websites will be popping up. Beat out the competition with a flawless dispensary SEO framework.
