While rules for advertising and marketing CBD products can change at any time, media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, & Google Ads and FCC controlled television and radio stations do not allow advertisements for CBD products. However, CBD is legal in some form in almost every state. Suppose you’re a retailer of CBD for humans or the rapidly emerging pet market. In that case, you may think that you are being blocked from using the low-cost convenience of Social Media to reach millions of potential customers. Or are you? Because of current restrictions in marketing CBD products on Social Media, retailers may need to be a little more creative and think outside-the-box to get their messages on key platforms.

Here are five tips to help you bypass those seeming roadblocks so you can get the word out:

Tip #1: Educational Content

Inform your target audience about the advantages of CBD products without trying to sell them on your products. For example, you could advertise a blog article about the benefits of topical oils or ingestible natural herbs. You can post content that directs consumers to a website or landing page that features or even sells CBD or Hemp. You can not include images of, or references to CBD or Hemp in the ad itself. Testimonial videos can add to your promotional reach without infringing on advertising restrictions because no one is telling your target to buy the product. By informing rather than selling, you are letting your viewers decide whether or not to contact you.

Tip #2: Make Your Content Shareable

By creating content viewers want to share with others, you’re increasing your reach without having to pay for it. Shared content can appear on different pages, sites, blogs, and forums where additional viewers can continue sharing your content elsewhere. Shareable content can address various topics from questions to news of interest to your target, even cute pet CBD videos. Build a multi-platform base so sharing can occur on more than one outlet, increasing your chances of success. And of course, posting high-quality content that is of value for a laser targeted audience will creatively promote your products and your business, even if it’s not a paid advertisement.

Tip #3: Create a Community

The result you want is not to directly sell your products. Your goal should be to create a group of like-minded people who want to talk about CBD and its benefits, resulting in your story being shared with a wider audience.  Develop your buzz-worthy community using Facebook groups or by promoting communication on your own Twitter feed.

Tip #4: Influencers and Brand Ambassadors

Influencers are people that are respected authorities that have their own significant Social Media following. You would have to find an Influencer in the CBD community that would publish or re-work your content and develop creative ways to link your business to the content. Influencers get paid for their help. Another way to go is Brand Ambassadors. Usually, a Brand Ambassador is a happy customer that agrees to post content about CBD, creatively crediting your business as the source. In this way, you continue to expand your reach and awareness while increasing customer knowledge about CBD benefits. Incenting loyal customers to become social Brand Ambassadors is a great way to get others to market for you, and there’s no limit to the number of Ambassadors you may have.

Tip #5: Blogs and Podcasts

Blog posts that appear on your website don’t face the same restrictions as on Social Media platforms. You can tell your story your way. Did you know that you can also post guest blogs and swap blogs with some of your customers who might want to support you on their websites?  Creating your own podcast can be time-consuming but can separate you from your competitors and gain attention.

And here’s some good news. The latest CBD stats show that you’re on the right track using Social Media to promote your business. As of January 2021, Hootsuite Statistics reports that Facebook has 2.74 billion monthly active users and 59% of the world’s social networking population. 32.4% of Facebook’s audience is aged 25-34.¹  Statistica forecasts over 115 million active Instagram users in 2021.² A recent Consumer Reports survey reveals that 1 in 7 adults use CBD products, and they skew young. According to the same  Consumer Reports CBD survey: ³

• 40% of people ages 18-29 have tried CBD two or more times
• 32% of people ages 30-44 have tried CBD two or more times
• An estimated 64 million Americans have tried CBD in the last 24 months.

When you develop your marketing messages, you may want to target adults 18-49. Your primary objectives are to attract current users, convert them to repeat customers, and inspire new users to try CBD.

Suppose you are thinking of using Social Media marketing as a tool to take your CBD business to the next level. In that case, you may also want to consider changing your credit card processing company to keep pace with your anticipated sales. One example of a company responsive to your needs would be Unity Payments, a subsidiary of Nuvo Company, an established leader with over 35 years of experience in the merchant services industry. Unity Payments was explicitly founded to support high-risk industries such as the CBD and Hemp industries. Their advantages include no contracts, no cancellation fees, locked-in service rates, 24/7 tech support, and loss prevention specialists. As a services provider to the CBD and Hemp industries, Unity Payments will approve vendors selling all types of CBD and hemp products with THC levels below 0.3%. If you are ready to change processors or would like a free audit of your existing processor, call Unity Payments at (321) 972-9838 or sign-up online.

 

Sources:

¹ HootSuite – 47 Facebook Stats That Matter to Marketers in 2021 – 2021
² Statista – Number of Instagram users in the United States from 2019 to 2023 – 2021
³ Consumer Reports – CBD Goes Mainstream – 2019