CBD gummies are all the rage right now, and the industry has been steadily growing since they exploded onto the scene in 2018. While it is now fairly common knowledge that safe CBD gummies are excellent for a multitude of symptoms and ailments, you have to wonder exactly how that fact became common knowledge.
Less than two years ago, CBD was a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning that it was highly illegal. Right next to crystal meth and heroin. Now, everyone and (literally) their mother is taking it. Last year, people were afraid to speak the name of CBD in the presence of certain company. Now, that certain company is offering you some of the delicious gummies they just got in the mail from Verma Farms. You’ve heard of them, right?
Of course, CBD gummies and all the other products are awesome. And yes. The hemp that CBD is derived from has been used as a medicine for thousands of years of human history.
But what gives? How did we have such a quick turnaround from controlled substance to the answer to all our prayers?
Marketing. Don’t get me wrong. People have good reasons to love CBD. Its powerful anti inflammatory and anxiolytic properties are enough to help people lead healthier, happier lives notwithstanding all the other potential benefits of being on a regular dosing schedule of CBD. The incredible outreach of the most successful brands, however, has been something to behold.
Limited Marketing Has Forced Better Strategies
CBD brands face major challenges when trying to get their products in front of consumers. The legal grey area that CBD still sits squarely within has contributed to a delay in getting products into stores. Google, Facebook, Instagram, and every other social media platform had banned paid advertising, and sometimes the platforms shut down accounts with no warning or explanation.
Still, CBD has found a way into our daily vocabulary through a massive output of high-quality advertising, a few fortunate influencers, and a dash of really great historical timing. Let’s take a look at a few things we can glean from the robust SEO marketing strategies of the best CBD brands on the market today.
People Want Informational Content
Living in the digital age, people love to research the products they are considering investing in. This is where CBD is clearly cashing in: By getting content out there that answers every possible question anyone could ever have about CBD oil, CBD gummies, or any other product you can think of. Want to know if CBD is good for eczema? There are certainly at least five articles on the first page of a Google search about that very subject, with each article either appearing on a brand’s blog or including links back to that brand so you can buy relief for your itchy skin.
The takeaway: Stop giving your customers empty filler and create something of substance they can learn something from. You gain credibility and customers will invest in you when you invest in them.
Building a Community is What’s In Right Now
People love to find other like-minded people to talk to about their experiences with CBD products. They love to share that CBD helped their seizures or their chronic back pain, and they want to hear what it has done for others as well. Though paid advertising is restricted on social media and brands are constantly at risk of having their account taken down, the platforms are an excellent place to build a following of loyal customers. Fans go nuts when companies share user-generated content, and they love building relationships within the communities surrounding their favorite brands.
The takeaway: If you want to build customer loyalty, give them your attention and recognition.
Consumers Care About Brand Identity
And they are loyal to the brands they identify with. The most successful brands have built a personality into their advertising and it has paid off with consumer loyalty. Some brands focus on good stewardship, others focus on personal wellness from a holistic perspective, and still others are just plain fun. Once someone finds a CBD brand they love and trust, they are quite hesitant to change.
The takeaway: If your customers know who your brand is, they will love your brand like a trusted friend.
There Really is a Brand for Everyone
Because CBD is so good for so many different things, almost everyone is a potential customer. CBD brands have taken that to heart and optimized their SEO strategy for highly targeted markets. There are CBD brands just for gamers, just for athletes, just for women, just for yogis, and the list goes on.
The takeaway: If your market is flooded and you want to rise above the roar of the waves, target, target, then double down and target some more. Niche is the new way to reach your people.
Final Thoughts
CBD marketing is truly awe-inspiring when you step back and take a look at what it has accomplished under the restrictions in place. Sure, there are not-so-great brands with not-so-great marketing strategies, but those brands are hanging around the bottom of the pond picking up what falls. The top brands are building communities and relationships, genuinely caring about their customers, and putting out volumes of useful content that educates and entertains. Anyone looking to beef up their content marketing strategy would do well to take a look at what CBD gummies brands are doing right now.
The takeaway: Sometimes it is a good exercise to limit your options and find ways to make the absolute most of what you have.