Finally, the holiday season is over and business can resume! 2019 is set to be a year of productivity, and many content marketers are taking a lot of time this time of year and dedicating it to speculation and future-forward thinking regarding the landscape of the cannabis industry and how content marketing will evolve within it.
Instead of taking a bunch of time to write a post that everyone else has written, this year I’m going to talk about the best tactics we found successful in the cannabis industry this year and how to keep them in mind when speculating the future of your own marketing this year.
Best blog content in 2018:
The best blog content that an audience of normal customers will actually read through can cover just about any subject, including really technical stuff, but it must be a 2-minute or less read. Content that is broken up with headings and subheadings, bulleted or numbered lists and imagery or videos is highly consumable and shareable. I don’t expect this trend to change any time soon. In 2019, just be sure to stick to what you know and keep your voice consistent throughout.
Most effective media type in 2018:
In the cannabis industry, an audience tends to prefer video content to any other form of content. Videos are sharable and can be informative, entertaining and even persuasive. Branded videos should always maintain your brand’s voice or digital persona. It works best via social media, and can encourage your audience to view other forms of your content, like your menu, your social media profiles and blog content. In 2019, we should focus on expanding our video content into more interesting visual experiences or interactive adventures to keep it fresh.
Most effective social media platform in 2018:
A vast percentage of users were mostly hanging out on Instagram and Twitter. Both of these platforms have their own set of rules to navigate, but many different forms of content can be uploaded to these sites and shared around. Each offers a new way for an audience to experience and interact with your brand. As with everything else, keep branding and your persona consistent throughout your entire online presence in 2019.
Most effective content type in 2018:
The most effective content we craft for our clients is varied. For dispensaries, it’s important to always keep the menu updated. For concentrate and processing companies, it’s successful social media campaigns and drool-worthy photos. For industrial hemp farmers, it’s informational blog content in the form of infographics. There are different content types for just about every occasion, so there is no real winner to hold onto into 2019.
Most effective social media marketing in 2018:
Influencer marketing is still huge in the cannabis industry. As one of the best legal ways to attain a following and market your cannabis products on social media, cannabis companies have to utilize paid influencer ads to showcase their brand. We saw a lot of Dabbin’ Granny in 2018, and though she isn’t as popular as she was, she was initially praised for being both unique, herself, and using marijuana as medicine. These are still important characteristics for influencers in 2019. Good cannabis influencers are easy to come by on Instagram. Look for people with a large following who will talk about your brand in whatever media they make.
Most effective website feature in 2018:
Online ordering was groundbreaking in 2018. Dispensaries that are capable of processing online orders make more money per quarter than dispensaries that don’t offer online ordering. Online ordering makes it easier for your staff to avoid rushes, and it makes it easier for more customers to purchase your products even without ever stepping foot in your store. As long as your website is full of enticing photographs and an updated menu, online ordering will always be a valuable option, so if you don’t have that option coming into 2019, it’s time to figure it out.
Cheers to another year of health, wealth and growth.
Though 2018 has come to a close, your brand can still use these effective methods to give proper direction to your digital marketing strategy in 2019. By utilizing these tips you can expect to see more user-generated content which can lead to more sales, better relationships with your customer base, and a better reputation. You can also expect to see a larger, more engaged audience and a larger fanbase.
As the top cannabis marketing firm in Denver, the cannabis marketing professionals at Team Maryjane still bring it when it comes to creating running and maintaining effective content marketing and social media strategies. Shoot us a chat or give us a call today to get started on your very own audience of hungry readers