Properly chosen keywords unlock the full potential of SEO for online dispensaries. You make your website more visible in search, so more users see it and place orders. Help your target audience discover your brand by optimizing for the right words and terms. Our guide helps you tackle keyword research in this highly censored industry.
Why Do You Need Keyword Research?
A keyword strategy is the cornerstone of SEO for cannabis companies, according to MjSeo.Agency experts. The crucial question is: What do users enter into the search engine to find the products/services available at your store? The research shows how, when, and what they google.
Armed with this knowledge, you optimize your content for the right words and phrases. Keyword optimization is one of the biggest tips to grow your cannabis business in 2022. However, it will not work unless you have a solid website.
Hire professional developers to impress customers. While you could use builders like Wix, free templates lack customization and versatility. Make your website stand out from the crowd, and lay the right foundation for successful SEO. Optimization starts even before your website goes live! It includes many technical aspects like page load speed, sitemaps, and responsiveness.
As Google still prohibits any cannabis-related ads, optimization is your primary promotional channel. Here is how to make the most out of it.
Research Tools
Google’s mission is to provide the most relevant and useful results for a research query. Keyword research tools and platforms tell you what words and phrases are googled the most often. Try these services:
- Google Ads Keyword Planner Tool;
- Moz Keyword Explorer;
- Microsoft Bing Ads Intelligence; and
- SEMrush.
The Google tool is great for beginners, as it is very informative and easy to use. It shows popular search terms with estimated monthly volume, the estimated cost of PPC campaigns, and the level of competition. Every keyword receives a difficulty rate, which indicates how difficult it is to rank for it.
Conduct keyword research yourself or collaborate with an experienced SEO agency. Professionals who know all the ins and outs of cannabis promotion leverage industry resources to drive high-impact results.
Key Terms to Know
- Keyword value is a self-explanatory term. It shows how much a keyword is worth considering its accuracy, relevance, and potential dollar value.
- Branded keywords are terms containing the name of your business (for example, brand name + address, brand name + hours, etc.)
- General keywords refer to cannabis and CBD, but not your specific business. They are always the most difficult to rank for.
Choosing Target Keywords by Difficulty
Generally, ranking for long-tail keywords is the easiest. These are phrases of 3 – 5 words that are more specific than generic queries. You just launched your site. Choose difficulty levels below 10. For example, “CBD oil” is much more competitive than “CBD oil types” or “CBD oil spray”. In addition, use:
- synonyms;
- specific terms;
- negative keywords;
- only relevant phrases; and
- Less competitive combinations.
Tips for Efficient Keyword Research
Keyword research is not rocket science, but it is quite time-consuming. To speed up your search and get the best results, follow these simple recommendations.
1. Create a Shortlist
Note down all potential phrases ― both high- and low-intent. The former are particularly effective for conversions, as they reflect a high likelihood of making a purchase. Typically, they include words like “buy”, “get” and “purchase”.
In the beginning, you could have a long and diverse list. Subsequently, after your content marketing plan is ready, you can narrow it down.
2. Ask Customers
What words and phrases did your customers google to find your dispensary? Collect insights from real people, not only search tools. You will understand what they associate with your dispensary. Their responses reveal that real customers do not use some words on your shortlist.
3. Accept That Keyword Research Never Stops
Even after you make all the necessary improvements, your work is not finished. Keep an eye on the click-through rate and keyword search volume. Online search trends change all the time. Perform regular audits and make adjustments.
4. Optimize for Local Search
This dimension of SEO makes your website visible to users looking for products or services nearby. If your dispensary has a physical location, it appears on Google Maps.
Local search requires a Google My Business profile with detailed and accurate information about your products, location, hours, etc. Double-check the description, and add professional photographs showing your interior and exterior, staff, products, etc. Encourage customers to leave positive reviews.
5. Get Professional SEO Services
Managing SEO on your own is feasible but challenging. While you learn about on-page tactics and even build a backlink profile, technical SEO probably poses a challenge. Without a solid background in technology, you cannot optimize your website’s responsiveness or sitemap.
Professional optimization services save you time and money in the long run. Focus on your core activities, and let experts work out a comprehensive strategy. Take advantage of professional expertise to speed up progress. This initial investment guarantees to pay off in the long run.
