So you want to advertise your cannabis product and have decided to make a website. That’s a great idea; a website is usually the first point of contact that a potential consumer makes! You might know the basic information it should contain, such as location, contact info, and more. However, there are specifics to cannabis website design that may catch you off guard if you’re not careful.
Here are some things every cannabis website needs:
Age Restriction Portal
The first thing you have to do is find some way to bar the entry of minors into your website. This is necessary not only because most states demand it but also because you don’t accidentally sell marijuana to minors, thus breaking the Cole Memorandum. One of the most common ways of accomplishing this is creating a form users must submit stating their age. Should they submit an age below 18 or 21 (depending on local laws), the website will kick them out.
Don’t think of this form as just a requirement, however. This form is also an opportunity to tailor your website’s experience to your visitors. For example, you could ask if the user is a medical patient or a recreational consumer. This would allow you to send them to different parts of your website, depending on what that specific user needs.
For instance, the medical user will be taken to a page where they select what symptoms they want to relieve with medical marijuana. On the other hand, the recreational user will be led to a page where they can choose what kind of high they are looking for. Examples of this include Cerebral vs. Body High, and Energetic vs. Relaxed.
This method is much better than just showing a set of “strains” and hoping your user knows what they want. In most cases, your users will be casual recreational consumers who don’t know about strains or their differences.
Products Gallery
This section of your website is what you’ll use to get sales. However, this shouldn’t just be a carousel of boring images with a list of features as descriptions. Cannabis advertising requires more than your typical online store would. Now would be the time to bring out the most beautiful pictures you have of your product, the most compelling videos, and the most helpful/influential of reviews.
Now is the time to swing for the fences. Include a call-to-action like an “add to cart” button, or maybe a “based on what you bought” section to help sell other similar products. With all these things you’re adding, it’s key to remember that navigation still has to be convenient for the visitor.
Cannabis Advocacy Page
Every cannabis website should include an advocacy section. Currently, the industry is in a precarious position. If you want to keep selling marijuana or marijuana-related products, you’re going to need people to vote. While it may seem like preaching to the choir (since most of your visitors are already supportive of legalizing marijuana), it always helps to remind people to vote and participate in local organizations such as the MPP or the NCIA.
Conclusion
Designing a website to advertise cannabis is a unique challenge. Make sure there are elements such as an advocacy page and a products gallery. Remember to update your website regularly also, since new strains of marijuana and information about marijuana come out fairly often.
Looking for a reliable cannabis digital marketing agency? Contact Cannabud Marketing today! We help cannabis dispensaries and other businesses with their digital marketing needs.
