Local SEO for cannabis: Get top rankings the right way

Analysts expect the US cannabis market to reach $41.5 billion by 2025—and local dispensaries play a significant role. But traditional marketing channels like TV and social media often restrict cannabis-related promotions, making it challenging for businesses to reach their target audience. Navigating the highly regulated and competitive cannabis industry requires innovative marketing solutions. Local SEO is a potent tool in this landscape, enhancing cannabis businesses’ visibility with far less red tape.

What is local search engine optimization (SEO)?

Local SEO is about improving your online presence to attract more business from relevant searches in your area. This involves managing online listings, optimizing Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business), and earning local backlinks.

Google Local Pack results for a user search for cannabis dispensaries

Local SEO has the ability to put your business in front of more potential customers searching for cannabis in your geographical area. While there are restrictions involved in managing local SEO for cannabis businesses, it’s less complex than other channels.

Why is local SEO such a valuable marketing channel for the cannabis industry?

The cannabis industry is growing rapidly, and with this growth comes increased competition. As the legal landscape continues to evolve, cannabis businesses must also navigate complex marketing rules. In the US, cannabis remains a Schedule I substance at the federal level, making it illegal. However, many states have legalized cannabis for medical or recreational use, creating a patchwork of regulations:

• Advertising restrictions: Many states prohibit cannabis advertising on billboards, public transit, and near schools or playgrounds. In Delaware, authorities have banned advertising cannabis altogether (local listings are fine as long as they adhere to regulations).
• Geographic targeting: Digital cannabis ads may only target states where cannabis is legal.
• Truth in Advertising: At a federal level, cannabis marketing cannot claim to cure disease or otherwise mislead customers. Businesses must back up any claims to benefiting non-disease functions (like sleep and mood) with research.
• Age verification: Most states require websites to confirm users are over 21 before showing cannabis marketing content.
• Specific word use: To protect children, some states prohibit any terms or marketing styles that depict cannabis as candy.

You can technically advertise cannabis businesses on Facebook, Instagram, and X, but there are heavy restrictions. No direct selling, offering contact details, depicting the use or effects of cannabis, or appealing to children. Meanwhile, local SEO provides an alternative marketing strategy by focusing on digital presence and organic search traffic.

A Google search result for Virginia cannabis stores
Whatever cannabis marketing you decide on, you must understand local regulations before launching. It may be wise to seek advice from a local lawyer, ideally one with marketing and cannabis industry experience.

How to leverage local SEO for cannabis companies

Getting better local rankings requires a strategic approach tailored to the unique needs of the cannabis industry.

Optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP)

Ensure your profile is complete and accurate, including business name, address, phone number (NAP), and opening hours. GBP has just two categories for cannabis businesses:

• Cannabis club
• Cannabis store

Google classes cannabis as a dangerous product or service. Businesses in a cannabis-related category cannot post updates, upload products and services, or offer bookings. You can, however, upload professional photos of products, stores, and teams to make your profile more appealing.

Photos of cannabis products in a local search result

Take care with your photo choices to avoid anything that seems overtly like an advert.

Leverage local keywords

Identify relevant local keywords that potential customers use when searching for cannabis products, such as:

• Cannabis dispensary in [city]
• Buy cannabis in [neighborhood]
• Best cannabis store in [city]

Use this local keyword research in your website content, blog posts, and meta descriptions. For example:

• Homepage: Welcome to [your dispensary], the top-rated cannabis dispensary in Denver.
• Meta Description: Visit [your dispensary] in Denver for the best cannabis products. Our dispensary offers a wide selection of top-quality cannabis in Denver.

Write local content

Whether you target medical cannabis patients, recreational users, or curious newcomers, create local content that speaks to them. Find out what customers want to know about before purchasing cannabis products and answer them in blog posts and FAQs. Cannabis legislation is always changing, especially at a local level. Staying up to date and reflecting that in your content positions your business as a reliable and knowledgeable resource. For example, you might write blog posts about new laws, compliance tips, or how legislative changes impact local consumers.

Given the regulated nature of the cannabis industry, it's important to educate your audience about responsible consumption and safety. Post content on the benefits and risks of cannabis and compliance with local laws.

Develop local landing pages for each dispensary and include the address, contact details, and hours of operation. You can also embed a Google Map and highlight NAP with local business schema code.

Added value: Share local content on social media to engage with your target audience. Semrush’s Social Poster saves time by scheduling content weeks in advance.

Build local backlinks

Reach out to local blogs and websites to feature your business. This could be through guest posts, interviews, or press releases. Local cannabis influencers have established audiences that trust their recommendations, making their backlinks valuable for your SEO. Cannabis businesses can find local influencers by state at Hi-Curious content marketplace. 

Expos and cannabis-related events are also good ways to network and create opportunities that might lead to backlinks.

Manage online listings

Your NAP SEO should be consistent across all major directories. Inaccurate NAP confuses search engines and potential customers, negatively impacting local SEO rankings. Regularly update listings with any changes to business information, such as new opening hours or contact details. Also list your business in cannabis-specific directories such as Weedmaps, Leafly, and I Heart Jane. These directories are authoritative sources within the cannabis industry and can provide valuable backlinks that enhance your local SEO.

Listing Management: Managing multiple listings manually can be frustrating, time-consuming, and prone to errors. Semrush Local’s Listing Management simplifies the process by handling multiple listings simultaneously, ensuring consistency and saving time.

Ask customers for reviews

Managing public perception and addressing the stigma associated with cannabis requires careful online reputation management. The foundation of earning positive reviews is delivering excellent customer service. Ensure staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and able to provide personalized cannabis recommendations. A positive in-store experience encourages customers to leave glowing reviews.

A Google review for a cannabis dispensary
Ask satisfied customers to leave a review at the end of a transaction, through follow-up emails, or via SMS. Politely request feedback and guide them to your preferred review platform. Simplify the process by providing direct links to your review pages or use QR codes on receipts, business cards, or in-store posters.

Respond to reviews promptly, whether they are positive or negative. Thank customers for their feedback, address any issues raised, and show that you value their input. This engagement can encourage more customers to leave reviews, knowing that their opinions matter.

Get your website running smoothly

A well-optimized website is the cornerstone of good local SEO for cannabis businesses.

A site audit by Semrush
Fast-loading pages and mobile-friendly designs are essential for user experience and search rankings. Ensure your website loads quickly and is easily navigable on mobile devices. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix performance issues. Follow technical SEO best practices, like using heading tags, meta descriptions, and a valid SSL certificate.

Measure local actions

Investing in local SEO for cannabis dispensaries without measuring the impact is just stumbling in the dark. Start by looking at free performance analytics tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. These tools provide insights into traffic, user behavior, and search performance, helping you understand your local SEO efforts.

Use tools like Semrush’s Map Rank Tracker to monitor local keyword rankings. This helps you understand which keywords are driving traffic to your site and where there are opportunities for improvement.

Map Rank Tracker by Semrush
For cannabis dispensaries, phone calls are a significant source of leads. Implement call tracking to measure the number of calls generated by your local SEO efforts. Tools like CallRail track and analyze call data, providing insights into the effectiveness of your marketing strategy.

A cannabis local SEO success story: 100% growth!

Cannabis SEO agency Skyodin started working with a store that faced stiff local competition. The retailer was up against 15 rival cannabis outlets in a five-mile radius. Skyodin began with Semrush Local’s Listing Management to quickly unify business information across all major directories.

A cannabis store client of Skyodin

Simple changes such as these helped them double a cannabis store’s client $150k/week revenue to $300k/week in just four and a half years. The client also saw a significant reputation boost with more than 1,561 reviews and only one competitor ahead.

With an influx of feedback, Semrush’s Review Management allowed Skyodin to handle reviews with AI responses. The agency worked out that it saved approximately 14 hours per week with this tool. 

Impressed by the dramatic results, Skyodin extended their local SEO strategy to all their clients. Founder Jacob Steeholdt said, “Listing Management took my business to a whole new level.”