If you are setting up a CBD oil business, there are a huge number of considerations you need to take into account. One of the big areas you need to concentrate on is a web design and digital marketing for the CBD industry. It is essential that you have a solid digital strategy for your CBD business, in order to capitalise on the huge potential market that just keeps on growing.
We have put together a guide to web design and digital marketing for the CBD industry to help you navigate this tricky field. Find out how to rank higher than your rivals on Google, what you can say in your adverts, and what you can’t, as well as general advice for setting up an online CBD business.
Legalities of Digital Marketing for the CBD Industry
CBD oils are perfectly legal in the UK and there is no problem with a business selling CBD products. However, there are restrictions on the claims people can make in digital marketing for the CBD industry. You cannot suggest a CBD oil has medicinal properties unless it is licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. These medical-grade CBD products tend to be available by prescription only, rather than being on sale to the general public, so it is likely that you will have to avoid medical claims in your digital marketing.
The Advertising Standards Agency suggests that CBD businesses refrain from using terms like “cure”, “restore”, “prevent”, “avoid”, “fight”, “heal” or similar in their digital marketing unless they possess the correct medical licence for their products.
As with selling any product, you must adhere to the rules on advertising and trading standards. You can’t make claims about the amount of CBD in your hemp oil if they are not true, for example, and you could face fines if you were found to be purposefully misleading shoppers.
Can You Use Google Ads to Sell CBD Oil?
With many other new online businesses, you would set up a series of Google ads to sell your product. However, Google’s policy is to not promote CBD oils, which is a real headache when it comes to digital marketing for the CBD industry.
Some CBD businesses try to work around the rules by bidding for terms such as Hemp and CBD, but not specifically promoting their product in the adverts. They might also direct users to a landing page that promotes their CBD product, but which does not actually directly sell any items. There are some issues with this. Firstly, if Google discovers what is going on, it may close down your AdWords account. Secondly, the campaign is likely to be less effective because you cannot be as direct with the potential customer and you are expecting them to make an additional step before they buy, something which can lead to a big drop off in the sales funnel.
Can You Use Facebook Ads to Sell CBD Oil?
Unfortunately, you can’t sell CBD oil through Facebook adverts either. The company’s advertising policy states: “Ads must not promote the sale or use of unsafe supplements, as determined by Facebook in its sole discretion.” Even though CBD oil is legal and harmless, the social media giant has made this decision and has thrown another spanner in the works for digital marketing for the CBD industry.
Legal Digital Marketing for the CBD Industry
Although it is unfortunate that you cannot advertise using two of the big beasts of digital marketing, there are ways of getting your message out there. Concentrating on SEO for CBD oil products is hugely important as an organic way to leap ahead of your competitors.
The good news is that the CBD industry is still a fledgeling sector, and there are plenty of opportunities to shine. Many of the early CBD sellers have relied on there being little competition to flourish, rather than invest in Search Engine Optimisation in order to earn a place at the top of Google’s rankings. As more competition enters the market, they will find themselves struggling and the businesses that spend time optimising their websites for search will reap the benefits.
Making sure you feature relevant, engaging and accurate copy on your site is a great start. Google loves it if users naturally work their way around a few pages on your site, rather than backing straight out. This shows that your website contains valuable information and this helps it rank better. You can further improve your SEO for CBD oil products by blogging regularly. This fresh content shows that your site is active while giving new users more opportunity to find you on search engines and offering a reason to return for previous users.
The more interesting, relevant information about CBD oil you can offer up, the better your chances of ranking highly on Google.
Need Help With Web Design and Digital Marketing for the CBD Industry?
If you need help with web design and digital marketing for the CBD industry, talk to Delton Digital. We can work with you to create the perfect website and SEO marketing campaign to promote your brand and drive sales. Contact us today to talk about what we can do for you.
