How to Cannabis SEO in 2025 like a Pro!

Running a cannabis brand online is like trying to play Monopoly with one hand tied behind your back while the banker keeps changing the rules. Trust me, I’ve been in this game long enough to know the frustrations. You can’t advertise on Facebook, Instagram treats you like a digital pariah, and Google Ads? Forget about it. One wrong move and poof – your social media accounts vanish faster than a fresh batch of edibles at a music festival.

But here’s the kicker: while traditional advertising channels remain firmly closed to our industry, there’s one path that’s still wide open – organic search traffic. That’s right, I’m talking about SEO (Search Engine Optimization), the art and science of getting your website to show up when people search for cannabis-related content.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Reg, how am I supposed to compete with giants like Marijuana.com who’ve been hoarding prime keyword real estate since before some of us were born?” Well, my friend, this is where things get interesting. You see, while the big players might have a stranglehold on broad terms like “marijuana” and “cannabis,” there’s a whole world of untapped potential in long-tail keywords and niche topics.

The challenge isn’t just about showing up in search results – it’s about showing up in front of the right people. And let’s be honest, if you’re not on the first page of Google, you might as well be selling oregano in a dark alley. The drop-off rate from page one to page two is steeper than that time I tried to explain terpenes to my grandmother.

But fear not! Today, I’m going to share something that could be a game-changer for smaller cannabis brands operating on a shoestring budget: how to leverage artificial intelligence for SEO. That’s right – we’re going to turn the tables on our corporate overlords by using their own tools against them.

So grab your favorite strain, settle in, and let’s dive into how AI can help level the playing field in the cannabis industry’s digital landscape.

Alright, before we dive into the wonderful world of AI-powered cannabis SEO, we need to get our fundamentals straight. Think of SEO as a digital game of hide and seek, except you’re trying to help Google find you while playing by an ever-changing set of rules.

Let’s start with the basics. Meta tags are like the ingredients list on your favorite edible – they tell search engines what your content is about. These include your title tags (what shows up in search results), meta descriptions (that little preview text), and headers (those H1s, H2s, etc. that break up your content). Keywords are the specific terms you want to rank for, while long-tail keywords are more specific phrases – think “best organic CBD oil for anxiety” versus just “CBD oil.”

Now, here’s where many cannabis brands get it wrong – they stuff their content with keywords like a rookie packing their first bowl. “Cannabis dispensary near me cannabis products buy cannabis cannabis deals cannabis cannabis cannabis…” You get the idea. This is what we call “black hat” SEO, and let me tell you, Google hates this more than the DEA hates fun. Pull this stunt, and your site might disappear from search results faster than your stash during a drought.

There’s a crucial difference between organic keyword ranking and paid advertising. Organic ranking is like growing your own – it takes time, patience, and proper care, but the results are worth it. Paid advertising (which isn’t available to cannabis brands anyway) is like buying from a dispensary – quick results but costly. Since we’re locked out of paid channels, organic is our best friend.

Remember this golden rule: while you’re optimizing for search engines, you’re writing for humans. Your content needs to be the digital equivalent of premium flower – high quality, well-cured, and delivering real value. Think of your website as a budtender who needs to both attract customers and keep them coming back.

Google tracks various metrics to determine your site’s quality. Time on page (how long visitors stick around) is like customer retention at a dispensary. Bounce rate (how quickly people leave) is like customers walking out without buying anything. Click-through rate (how many people click your link in search results) is like foot traffic. All these metrics tell Google whether your content is worth recommending to others.

The tricky part? Google’s algorithm is more mysterious than your dealer’s “special” strain. It uses over 200 ranking factors, and they change more often than dispensary daily specials. But one thing remains constant: quality content that serves user intent will always win in the long run.

Now that we’ve covered the fundamentals, let’s talk about crafting an SEO strategy specifically for cannabis brands. Because in this industry, we’re not just competing with other businesses – we’re fighting against decades of stigma, restrictive policies, and platforms that treat us like we’re selling contraband instead of a legal product.

Listen up, cannabis entrepreneurs – before you start throwing keywords around like confetti at a dispensary grand opening, you need to understand exactly who you’re trying to reach. And I’m not talking about some vague notion of “people who like weed.” We need to get specific.

Enter the buyer persona – your ideal customer’s digital avatar. Let me give you an example: Meet “Mindful Michelle,” a 35-year-old yoga instructor who uses cannabis to manage anxiety and enhance her meditation practice. She’s health-conscious, researches products thoroughly before buying, and values organic, sustainably produced cannabis. She shops primarily at boutique dispensaries and follows wellness influencers on Instagram. Her annual income is $65,000, and she’s willing to pay premium prices for quality products.

See what I did there? We’ve created a detailed profile that helps us understand not just who our customer is, but how they think and what they’re looking for. This brings us to user intent – the holy grail of SEO strategy.

Let’s say Michelle is looking for information about CBD for anxiety. She might start with a broad search like “CBD for anxiety,” but as she learns more, her searches become more specific. She might eventually search for “organic full-spectrum CBD oil dosage for meditation” – that’s a long-tail keyword gold mine right there. Why? Because it shows high intent (she’s looking for specific information), and there’s likely less competition for this precise phrase than broader terms.

When crafting content around these keywords, you’ll want to follow some best practices:

• Use your target keyword in the title (naturally, not forced)

• Include it in the first 50 words of your content

• Sprinkle related terms throughout (think “anxiety relief,” “mindfulness,” “natural remedy”)

• Include outbound links to reputable sources (like scientific studies)

• Create internal links to your other relevant content

• Use header tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content logically

But here’s the thing about content length – Google loves comprehensive content that thoroughly addresses user questions. We’re talking 1,500+ words for main pages and blog posts. “But Reg,” you might say, “isn’t that a bit much?” Not if you’re actually solving problems and providing value.

Think about it this way: if Michelle lands on your page about CBD and anxiety, and you’ve got a thorough, well-researched article that addresses dosing, different consumption methods, potential interactions, and the science behind how CBD affects anxiety – she’s likely to stick around. More importantly, she’s likely to bookmark your site and come back when she’s ready to make a purchase.

This is how you build trust in the cannabis space – by becoming a reliable source of information first, and a seller second. Remember, in an industry where traditional advertising is restricted, your content needs to work twice as hard.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – “Reg, this sounds like a lot of work!” And you’re right. Creating comprehensive, SEO-optimized content that actually provides value is no small task. But that’s where our AI friends come in handy. Let me show you how to make this process a whole lot easier…

Alright, my cannabis-loving friends, it’s time to unleash the robots! Not the terrifying kind that might take over the world, but the helpful ones that’ll make your SEO efforts smoother than a well-cured top shelf bud.

Let me tell you, creating high-quality, media-rich content used to be harder than explaining terpenes to your grandma. You’d need a writer, photographer, graphic designer, video editor – the works. But now? We’ve got an entire digital army at our disposal, and it’s surprisingly affordable.

Here’s my tried-and-true workflow that’ll have you pumping out content faster than a hydroponic setup on steroids:

First stop: Perplexity.AI. This bad boy is like having a research assistant who never sleeps and actually remembers everything they read. Feed it your topic, and it’ll spit out relevant scientific studies, market research, and questions you wouldn’t have thought to ask. Want to write about CBD and sleep? It’ll dig up everything from clinical trials to user demographics.

Next, slide into your favorite AI chatbot – whether that’s ChatGPT, Claude, or Grok. If you’re feeling fancy, hit up Openrouter and sample them all like you’re at a cannabis cup. These tools will help you craft content that’s more engaging than your local budtender’s strain recommendations. (I could write a whole article just on prompt engineering, but that’s a story for another day.)

Now, here’s where it gets fun. Need images? Leonardo.ai or MidJourney are your new best friends. Want a stunning visual of cannabinoids interacting with neural receptors? Or maybe a chill lifestyle shot of someone enjoying their evening routine? These AI tools can create custom, copyright-free images that look better than most stock photos. Pro tip: Have your AI writing assistant generate image prompts based on your article – it’s like having a creative director in your pocket.

But why stop at text and images? Let’s get audio in the mix with Elevenlabs. Turn your article into a podcast-style recording that people can listen to during their commute. Then, take those AI-generated images, throw them into Capcut with your audio, and boom – you’ve got a video ready for YouTube. That’s three different ways for people to consume your content, and three different chances to keep them engaged.

Here’s the real kicker – you can “spin” your article (that’s industry speak for rewriting while maintaining the core message) a few times and publish it on platforms like Substack, Medium, or Reddit. Link these back to your original piece, and you’re building a web of high-authority backlinks that’ll make Google happier than a kid in a candy store.

The best part? This entire process takes about 2-3 hours once you get the hang of it. You’re creating a content ecosystem that provides value across multiple platforms and formats, all while building those precious SEO signals that Google loves.

Remember though, always keep your target keywords in mind throughout this process. Have your AI assistants strategically place them in your content, headers, and meta descriptions. It’s like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that leads straight to your website.

And this, my friends, is just scratching the surface. The robots are here to help, and they’re making premium content creation more accessible than ever. Time to embrace the future and let AI help you climb those search rankings!

What I’ve shared here is just the tip of the cannabis cola, if you will. It’s like I’ve taught you how to pack a bowl, but there’s still so much to learn about the whole grow operation. However, these fundamentals should be enough to get you started on your SEO journey.

Here’s the deal: aim to post 2-3 solid pieces of content each week. And I mean solid – not that schwag content that’s just recycled from other sites. We’re talking premium, home-grown content that your users will actually want to consume. Share it across your social platforms (where allowed, of course – we all know how touchy these platforms can be about cannabis content), and weave your products or services into the narrative naturally. Nobody likes a pushy salesperson, but everyone appreciates genuine expertise and helpful advice.

Think of it like growing a healthy cannabis plant – you need consistent care, the right nutrients, and most importantly, patience. Keep feeding your audience valuable content, and they’ll reward you with engagement. When Google sees users spending time on your site, sharing your content, and coming back for more, it’s like getting a five-star review from the most important dispensary rating system in the digital world.

Remember, success in cannabis SEO isn’t about gaming the system – it’s about actually being useful to your target audience. Solve their problems, answer their questions, and become their trusted source of information. Do this consistently, and Google will naturally want to recommend you to others searching for similar content.

And here’s a final nugget of wisdom: the cannabis industry is constantly evolving, and so should your SEO strategy. Stay curious, keep testing new approaches, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different content formats and topics.

Now get out there and start creating some killer content. Your future customers are out there searching for you – it’s time to help them find you.

Good luck, and may your rankings be high and your bounce rates low!

https://www.reddit.com/r/weedbiz/comments/1ig1nwq/why_are_most

_cannabis_seo_agencies_scams_anyone/

CANNABIS SEO GOES HIGH TECH, READ ON…

CANNABIS DOMAIN PRICES GET PRICES FOR CBD AND EXACT MATCH!

Montanans: It’s time to activate to protect your access to legal cannabis from being given away by Montana politicians to drug cartels.

Several new bills require you to raise your voice with your lawmakers, and let them know you oppose repealing the cannabis legalization that a 62% majority of Montana voters approved.

Follow this link to sign up for email notifications and tell state lawmakers ‘don’t tread on my cannabis rights.’ Share it widely.

There are nearly 100,000 cannabis consumers in Montana—it’s high time lawmakers thought twice about infringing on their rights.

What’s going on with Montana legalization repeal in 2025?

Each year, Republican lawmakers try a host of measures to give the legal industry away to illicit market dealers including drug cartels. This year, the new bills include:

Capping THC in any product at 15%

Cannabis flower regularly tests above 20%. Virtually every extract and vape would be banned. The bill—Senate Bill 443—might as well have been written by illegal vape peddlers who sell untested poison to children. Email your lawmaker with the subject headline ‘Oppose SB 443.’ In the body text, state that you are a voter in their district. Calls and texts are even better.

A government watch list of stoners

A different bill—SB255—would charge each recreational smoker $200 and make them register with the state. Very Orwellian. Email your lawmaker with the subject headline ‘Oppose SB 255.’ In the email body, state that you are a voter in their district. Calls and texts are even better.

When should I speak up on Montana’s repeal of legalization?

The time is now. 

‘Political giveaway to cartels’ bill hearing is February 27

The 15% THC potency cap bill that gives the legal industry to the cartels—SB443—has just come out and will go to a committee hearing first. The first committee hearing is one of the best places to nip it in the bud. Email these members of the Business Labor and Economic Affairs committee.

‘Watch list for stoners’ bill gets hearing is also on February 27

The ‘government watch list of stoners’ bill—SB255—also just came out, and heads to a committee hearing on February 27. Flipping just a couple of committee members can kill this bill for this year. Email these members of the Business Labor and Economic Affairs committee.

Who is trying to trample on cannabis consumers’ rights in Montana?

A small cadre of Republican lawmakers opposed the 62% majority of Montanans that approved cannabis legalization. The list includes: the 25 co-sponsors on the drug cartel gift bill SB443. 

The ‘stoner watch list’ bill SB255 comes solely from state senator Greg Hertz. Sen. Hertz took political contributions from police and alcohol groups in 2024.

Why are lawmakers subverting the people’s will?

Because some politicians think they know better than the 62% of Montanans that approved legalization. Even though they are ‘small government’ ‘personal freedom and responsibility’ Republicans—they’ve set aside those values. Some take money from police lobbies. Others take money from supporters of big government ‘nanny state’ paternalism.

Why are Montana Republicans writing bills to benefit illicit drug dealers including drug cartels?

Because they either don’t know or don’t care that restricting lawful access to taxed and regulated cannabis turns the industry over to street dealers that don’t test and don’t card. They believe America is better off with prohibition and the war on marijuana.

Can Montana voters win this year?

Sure. Montana voters, activists, and industry have already defeated one bad bill to limit free speech in the cannabis trade. House Bill 331 tried to gag cannabis operators from talking about marijuana in public. Lawmakers abandoned HB331 on February 6. It could likely return this session, and will surely return in 2027—so supporters must stay vigilant each year for bad bills such as these.

Protecting Montana’s legalization is easier than winning legalization. All voters have to do is get their lawmaker to abstain or skip a key committee vote, and politicians love to do nothing, experts note.

So get involved! We’ve found that cannabis is a gateway to all sorts of civic engagement. Once you know exactly who your representatives are, how to reach them, and see the results—speaking your mind can become habit-forming!

Download the Leafly app, turn on notifications, and get on our email list to stay plugged in.

The fog of the inauguration has cleared, and prospects for weed law reform look dim in Washington D.C. under the second Trump Administration. 

But don’t get bummed—experts say voters have the power to dictate their fate at the level where it most impacts them: their city and state.

According to veterans of the country’s weed wars for decades, no executive order, DEA ruling, or Congressional bill is on tap to deliver the legalization that 70% of US voters want. But a series of state battles are brewing, where regular folks can defend and advance their freedoms.

“No one is coming to save us. There’s no hero here,” said cannabis investor Emily Paxia, co-founder at Poseidon Asset Management. Paxhia is a veteran of the major reform group Marijuana Policy Project. “Every victory has been at the state level, and I think there’s still hope.”

Before we dive into the weed reform battles brewing in California, Ohio, Montana, Nebraska, and Texas, let’s run down prospects in the three branches of government: a distracted Executive; a hostile Legislative; and a wild card Judicial.

Conflicting White House priorities

Many experts don’t see legal weed as a priority at a Republican White House. 

During the election, the famously straight-edge candidate said he supported Florida legalization Amendment 3, rescheduling, and a State’s Rights approach to pot policy. Since then—silence. Some take the President at his word, including the major lobbying group the US Cannabis Council.

“President Trump has clearly stated his position on cannabis reform. He supports rescheduling, banking access, and state-level legalization,” the USCC wrote to Leafly. “We have every expectation that he will follow through on his commitments, and we look forward to working with his administration to move our nation forward.”

Conversely, Paul Armentano—Deputy Director of America’s most notable reform group, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)—doubts the President will lift a finger for potheads.

“There is really nothing in Trump’s history that would lend one to believe that this is an issue that he wishes to prioritize.”

Paxhia said industry and experts have briefed the President, and he understands legal cannabis is about taxation and regulation, not underage use.

“But the biggest question is where the priority lies for his new presidency.”

A dead end at HHS and DEA

President Biden’s bungling of rescheduling showed how the White House can’t just snap its fingers and take marijuana off the Controlled Substances Act. It requires the Drug Enforcement Administration or an act of Congress. The folks at both of those places are no friend to grass.

President Trump nominated pro-pot Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary, but then RFK. Jr. promptly demurred to the DEA.

Moreover, President Trump then nominated a longtime drug warrior to run the DEA—Terry Cole. That’s bad news for those hoping the DEA would give rescheduling marijuana a fair hearing.

Armentano said from years of experience that rescheduling is a catch-22: “There is no way you’re ever going to get a level playing field in that process.”

So legalizing administratively looks like a dead-end. What about Congress?

Congress: Dim and dimmer

Congressional Republicans promise to do less on weed law reform than the do-nothing Democrats that preceded them.

For example, former Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer never brought even a modest pot banking bill to the Senate floor. The first Republican pot bill this session would retain prohibition-era taxes on any cannabis business deemed legal.

Congress rewards seniority, and the shot-callers in both houses are veterans of prohibition, said Armentano.

The Supreme Court: Joker’s wild

One bright spot might turn out to be the judicial branch. The highest court in the land now envisions a less powerful federal government. That vision could net a win for state weed programs.

The Supreme Court has taken a more federalist turn after several Trump appointments. Specifically, the new conservative majority could narrow the reach of 1970’s Controlled Substances Act, and thus protect state-legal cannabis systems. 

In particular, a pending case questions the application of the US Constitution’s inter-state Commerce Clause to quash intra-state weed commerce. 

“This is an avenue that doesn’t get enough attention,” she said.

The real action: Back in the States

Cannabis fans can score real wins defending the weed rights they’ve already won and advancing new ones at the state level this year.

It’s an opportunity to hold your elected representatives accountable for real change. Take a look:

Protecting Montana

For example: Montanans must rally to protect legalization there. It’s under threat by a new bill to charge each recreational smoker $200 and make them register with the state. Another bill caps THC at 15% across the board—a giveaway to street dealers and the illicit market.

“They are really after us this time,” David Liberman, general manager at Lionheart Cannabis. Montana’s 100,000 or so cannabis consumers can get engaged here.

Tax equality for Californians

Californians can meet their representative Sacramento Lobby Day on March 24 to stop another tax hike. Cali weed smokers pay 150 times the taxes on a joint compared to a glass of wine, and 60 times more taxes than beer drinkers.

Defending Ohio, Nebraska, and South Dakota

Ohio, Nebraska, and South Dakota have legalized adult-use, or medical cannabis, but politicians didn’t get the memo. Supporters in each state will have to defend their voter-approved measures against Republican efforts to undo the people’s will.

Pennsylvania’s push

Furthermore, Pennsylvania’s Governor Josh Shapiro wants to enact majority-supported adult-use legalization there, but he’ll need voters to lean on their representatives.

“Legalizing adult-use cannabis will make Pennsylvania more competitive, bring in more money to help our communities, and create real opportunity for small businesses all across our Commonwealth,” he wrote Feb. 24.

Freedom to grow in Washington state

Talk about a bellwether: one of the nation’s oldest adult-use cannabis states—Washington—will still lock you up for growing a single weed plant. Will voters speak up to help pass House Bill 1449? Weigh in here.

Find your voice

With 41 medical states, and super-majority US support for legalization—no voter should fear raising the cannabis issue with their state representative, or state senator, said Armentano. There are about 34 million regular cannabis users in America. It’s high time elected officials heard from them.

For example, weed voters defeated an Ohio legalization attack in 2023 with 7,500 emails to legislators.

“We have seen when a lot of cannabis consumers push this issue, politicians will respond,” he said.

Even better, defeating many state freedoms often requires politicians to just skip or abstain from a committee vote. And politicians love to do nothing.

“Typically it’s easier to defeat legislation than it is to pass legislation,” Armentano said. “We have that home-field advantage in a lot of these instances.”

So don’t pout, doom scroll, or hold your breath for some savior. Lend your voice to stir up change that’ll percolate up from the states. Indeed, that’s how lasting change happens.