With the ever-growing popularity of CBD products, competition for online visibility is heating up. So how do you get your products to stand out in the crowd?
SEO for CBD is the answer.
As a CBD business owner, you need a robust SEO strategy in place so your brand is easily discoverable online. However, developing this type of blueprint is no walk in the park. Optimizing your CBD business’s online presence requires time, energy, and an understanding of how search engines operate.
The Complexities of SEO for CBD Companies
CBD businesses face unique challenges when it comes to digital marketing, mostly due to evolving regulations and restrictions on CBD marketing and advertising. Before you can start leveraging SEO to benefit your brand, you must navigate through these often-overlooked complexities of digital marketing for CBD companies.
High Competition
Because there is limited access to digital ad platforms and an ever-growing number of players joining the game at every level – from small start-ups to well-established corporations – those involved in selling cannabidiol-related items must constantly stay ahead in terms of innovation and creativity if they want their hard work translating into substantial visibility within coveted search rankings where potential customers flock daily seeking answers about how best these oils fit lifestyle needs holistically.
InSync Media has worked with numerous clients in the CBD and cannabis industries. We understand how competitive the local and eCommerce markets are in this niche. Our proven strategies will help boost your company’s online presence and help you grow your business in a sustainable way. We combine SEO with creative brand messaging so that your company is truly unique in an industry with cookie cutter brands who are indistinguishable from the rest.
Strict Advertising Regulations
One major challenge those promoting their CBD offerings faces is the inability to use traditional methods such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads—which are strict regarding products derived from hemp plants—forcing them into organic SERPs (search engine results pages). Thus, placing even more importance on implementing proficient SEO strategies.
Content Restrictions
Moreover, content production for CBD content writing becomes complex as certain topics might be banned or frowned upon by search engines like Google—making it essential that writers remain knowledgeable regarding which avenues remain open for exploration within this niche marketplace so they don’t inadvertently ruin hard-earned gains through penalizations due merely attempting to showcase various offerings from their brand roster.
When writing FDA-compliant copy, whether it’s for product labels, packaging, advertising, or promotional materials, there are several key considerations:
- Accuracy and Truthfulness: All claims made in the copy must be accurate, supported by scientific evidence, and not misleading. Exaggerated or false claims can lead to serious consequences.
- Approval and Clearances: Certain medical products require FDA approval or clearance before they can be marketed. Ensure that all necessary approvals have been obtained before promoting such products.
- Labeling Requirements: Products must be correctly labeled with all the required information, such as indications for use, dosage instructions, warnings, and contraindications.
- Fair Balance: If the copy discusses the benefits of a medical product, it must also provide fair and balanced information about potential risks and side effects.
- Use of Technical Language: Appropriate technical language is essential to convey information accurately and professionally.
- Non-promotional Information: Some materials may require the inclusion of specific non-promotional information, such as Medication Guides or Patient Package Inserts, to educate consumers about potential risks and side effects.
- Adherence to Specific Regulations: Depending on the type of medical product, specific regulations may apply. For instance, prescription drug promotion has different requirements than over-the-counter products.
- Adverse Event Reporting: There are guidelines on reporting adverse events related to medical products, and it’s essential to be aware of these requirements.
- Prohibited Claims: The FDA strictly prohibits certain claims or statements and must be avoided in the copy.
In the case of CBD, many claims and phrases must be avoided for the content you produce to be considered FDA-compliant. Having a marketing team on your side who knows how to write FDA-compliant copy and has experts they can run the content by can really help.
Industry Misconceptions
Ensuring that you diligently manage your company’s reputation is key in combating the many misconceptions and lingering stigma around CBD products. By offering clear, accurate, and reliable information about your offerings via EAT Ready content (Expertise, Authority, Trust), you’ll position yourself as an industry leader while helping change consumer mindsets simultaneously regarding this powerful plant-derived supplement.
SEO for CBD Best Practices
Operating a CBD business requires sustainable strategies that help drive traffic to your website. The way to achieve this is through effective search engine optimization (SEO) practices specifically tailored for the CBD industry.
Through our digital marketing efforts for CBD and cannabis brands throughout Colorado, we have learned that SEO best practices for the CBD industry include a mixture of work on your website and off-page efforts.
1. Start with a Technical SEO Audit
The first step is to conduct a thorough technical SEO audit. Technical SEO ensures that Google can properly index your website and that your site functions correctly for visitors.
At InSync Media, we run a technical SEO audit anytime we onboard a new client. Technical audits are largely tool-assisted endeavors. The primary tools we’ll use are SEMrush, GTMetrix, and Screaming Frog, and double checked against Search Console where applicable. However, there are technical things we’ll take stock of that a tool only sometimes captures, like revision history bulk, unused or dangerous plugins, and site structure that doesn’t make sense.
Typically, a technical audit looks at the following aspects of your website’s performance, all of which impact your brand’s search engine rankings:
- Site Speed: This is a measurement of how quickly your website loads when someone enters the URL or clicks a link to it.
- Mobile Responsiveness: Having a “mobile friendly” website is essential, given how many people use their smartphones to surf the web.
- Meta Data: Information like title tags, meta descriptions, and headings help Google understand the content on your website.
- XML Sitemap: Having an accurate XML sitemap in Google Search Console ensures every page on your site is indexed (viewed) by search engines.
- Errors and Broken Links: An audit can identify any broken links or missing pages within your site so we can find suitable alternatives or fix them to improve user experience.
Addressing these issues in the audit process will lay a strong foundation for optimization success.
2. Tackle On-Page SEO
Once technical errors are corrected, the next thing any CBD or cannabis company can do to boost SERP rankings is complete on-page optimization. On-page SEO involves optimizing individual pages on your website to rank higher in search engine results.
Implementing proper on-page SEO techniques includes:
- Keyword Placement: You want high-potential keywords in headers, titles, paragraphs, and image alt text without overstuffing.
- Quality Title-Tags & Meta-Descriptions: Compelling title-tags & meta-descriptions with relevant keywords drive click-through rates from SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages).
- Header Tags Relevance (H1-H6): Placing primary (H1) & secondary headings (H2-H6) naturally in descending order throughout the content makes it easier for search engines (and your readers) to see the structure of your content and find what they’re looking for.
- Internal linking structure: You should arrange internal linkages/navigation within the content, relevantly connecting similar pieces of information.
- Multimedia Usage: High-quality images, videos, and infographics supplement written content and make your website more visually appealing. Alt text for the images can also help search engines understand the relevance and importance of these items.
3. Gain Quality Backlinks
Backlinks are essential for building your site’s domain authority (DA) and achieving higher rankings. Focus on earning high-quality backlinks from reputable and authoritative sources through manual outreach and producing valuable content that others want to link to.
At InSync Media, backlinks are a regular part of our SEO contracts. We build new backlinks for you monthly using our network of thousands of websites. We ensure that the actual content your backlinks go into is well-researched, topically relevant, and linked in a way that best aligns with your company’s overall SEO strategy.
4. Create Quality Content
Search engines prioritize websites with valuable and engaging content. Therefore, you should invest in creating informative, original, and engaging content that resonates with your target audience and provides a solution to their needs.
This is another standard part of InSync Media’s SEO contracts. We will research, write, and post anywhere from one to four blog posts per month for your brand. We start by nailing down your brand voice, then we provide a list of topics related to keywords we believe you need to rank for. We also provide time for you to proof blog posts each month (should you like), so that you always remain in control of your company’s content.
CBD Content Writing Strategies That Win
To maximize your CBD content’s impact, follow these winning strategies:
1. Do Keyword Research The Right Way
Identify high-performing keywords in your niche and incorporate them into your content. Use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMRush to find high-volume, low-competition keywords to drive your site traffic.
2. Write ‘EAT Ready’ Content
When ranking websites, Google values Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness (EAT). Demonstrate your brand’s expertise by providing well-researched, accurate, and authoritative information in your content.
3. Don’t Skip FDA Compliance
Avoid making exaggerated or false claims about the benefits of CBD or cannabis products. Stay compliant with FDA guidelines to preserve your site’s EAT standing and avoid potential penalties.
4. Meta Data Matters, Too
Optimize your meta titles, descriptions, and header tags with target keywords for better search engine visibility. This helps boost your website’s search engine rankings and improves click-through rates.
Is it Time to Hire an SEO Agency for CBD Industry Wins?
While you can implement some of these SEO tactics on your own, partnering with an SEO agency for the CBD industry has advantages. A specialized agency is well-versed in the unique challenges, regulations, and marketing restrictions in the CBD space, ensuring the best possible results for your business.
As a Colorado-based marketing agency, InSync Media has worked with various clients in the CBD and cannabis space. We know how to develop a winning strategy for your business that not only follows SEO best practices but also speaks to your client base in a way that converts interest into sales. We also understand the delicate balance of writing effective marketing copy and following the regulations of FDA-compliant copy so you don’t run into issues down the line.
We’d love to hop on a call with you to see if a strategic partnership between your CBD business and InSync Media will be the right fit.
Watch Your CBD Sales Soar With Rock Solid SEO
SEO for CBD companies can be manageable. By implementing these best practices and considering whether to enlist the help of an SEO agency for CBD industry wins, you can improve your search rankings, reach more potential customers, and ultimately see your sales soar.
The key is to remain patient, as SEO results take time. However, with persistence, a solid strategy, and quality CBD content writing, you’ll position your company for success in the booming CBD industry.
