One of the most important things for brands to understand about consumers is where they’re going to purchase your product. Naturally, you want to make sure your product is on the site or the shelf where your target audience is most likely to be looking for it. But knowing where your consumers shop also informs your broader marketing efforts.
Understanding where consumers go to find your brand can help you tailor your marketing messaging and make sure that your messages appear in the places where they’re most likely to catch consumers’ attention at the right time.
CBD consumers have unique purchasing patterns. Luckily, we got some insight into where they’re making their CBD purchases from our survey of over 10,000 respondents. Here, I’ll walk you through where you can find these CBD consumers and how you can use this information to market to them most effectively.
Where are CBD Consumers Shopping?
The majority of CBD consumers are turning to online retailers to make their purchases. While some do go to dispensaries or buy products in-person at drug or grocery stores, in every segment of CBD users, online shopping was the most popular place to purchase products.
There’s a very simple explanation for that: Many grocery stores are not allowed to advertise CBD. Because CBD product’s popularity is still fairly new and took off in recent years, state and federal governments haven’t yet come to a reasonable set of rules when it comes to advertising CBD products.
Therefore, CBD consumers who want to see the full range of products and brands available to them must turn their attention to online shopping. But many huge sites, like Amazon, limit the sale of CBD products, meaning you need to find alternative retailers or drive consumers to your individual e-commerce site.
Start with a Great Website
Your website serves as the hub of your online presence. A strong online marketing strategy involves many different channels, meaning every targeted display ad you run, social media post you share, and paid search campaign you initiate will drive consumers to your website.
That means your site has to tell your brand story clearly. Creating content that sets you apart from your competitors and builds trust in your products is essential to winning over new customers. Seventy-five percent of CBD users are willing to pay more for a product they trust, and 65% of consumers are concerned with quality standards when it comes to CBD products, so your website is the place to provide lots of proof that your brand is safe and effective.
You must also make it easy for consumers to place purchases. Whether that’s through your website directly or through the online retailers you partner with, reduce any friction for consumers who have been convinced by your website’s messaging and are now ready to give your products a try!
Offer a Trial Product
While we’re on the topic, consumers appreciate having the opportunity to test drive CBD products before they commit to a full purchase. They want to feel confident the product will have the desired health benefits before sinking real money into a CBD purchase, and since they often can’t pop by the grocery or pharmacy down the street to pick up a trial-sized product, they might waver when making an online purchase.
That’s why it’s smart for brands to offer a free or low-cost trial kit, or a money-back guarantee to first-time buyers. This can be the final push those more hesitant CBD acceptors need to take the plunge.
Embrace Multiple Channels
Your website is just the start of your online marketing efforts. If it’s the hub of your brand’s presence online, then all of your other marketing efforts are the spokes, driving viewers back towards your site.
Branded content is one such spoke and plays an important role in building brand knowledge with CBD consumers. By creating engaging and creative content in the form of articles, quizzes, infographics, and more, you can educate and build awareness with your audience as they begin their consumer journey.
It’s also important to establish a presence on search engines through a Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, strategy that incorporates that well-designed website we talked about, accurate and consistent local listings, and onsite content that dazzles.
Finally, targeted display can help you to remain top-of-mind with those consumers who have already come across your product. Targeted display directs your advertising towards those who have visited your site, and your continued presence in their line of sight helps ensure you’ll be the brand they eventually choose. It’s also smart to direct your advertising at existing customers; remaining in their field of vision between purchases ensures that they’ll return to your brand on their next CBD shopping spree.
A multichannel approach is the smart way to build a strong marketing campaign for your CBD brand. Because consumers are most likely to purchase products online, you must start with a strong website, but your efforts should go beyond that. A multichannel approach “ with SEO, listings management, branded content, and targeted display all playing a role “ allows you to capture the attention of your audience online, no matter where they are.
If you’re looking for help undertaking a holistic marketing approach, our team of experts is ready to partner with you. We know the CBD space and local marketing, and we’re well-positioned to help you navigate the rapidly-changing CBD marketing landscape. Contact one of our experts to learn more.
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