For Cannabis Advertising, Weedmaps Stands Out

Advertising can be challenging for cannabis companies trying to navigate the ever-changing world of regulations about what they can say and display. For example, California recently updated its guidance on billboard advertising near freeways, and many mainstream platforms won’t allow companies to show cannabis consumption in ads. With so many rules, where can folks turn for advertising solutions?

Weedmaps is the premier technology company in the legal cannabis economy, connecting consumers to retailers and brands while advocating for accessible cannabis for all patients and adults. Today, they are building the industry’s operating system – a platform to engage consumers and advertising and software offerings to help businesses thrive within the complex cannabis economy.

Weedmaps was designed to increase access to cannabis in the legal marketplace and provide a much-needed service for cannabis users. The company also works with cannabis brands and retailers to ensure consumers have access to the most current and comprehensive product selection.

With promo codes, retailers can offer unique discounts, while live menus provide clients with up-to-date, real-time information. The Brand Verification Badge helps protect consumers and prevent the sale of counterfeit cannabis products. These features are a bonus for advertisers, as they translate to more eyes on their listings, higher engagement, and potentially more sales.

Targeting Cannabis Consumers at Scale

Each month, 10+ million people visit weedmaps.com to find a specific product, a nearby retailer, or where they can purchase the best flower, tincture or edibles at the best price. Many are value shoppers, most of whom consume cannabis regularly. They respond strongly to opportunities for savings and value. 

Weedmaps encourages advertisers to leverage the platform to directly connect with consumers and share updates about product drops, deals or special sales.

Weedmaps Senior Advertising Manager Adam Hirschberg explains that this ability for cannabis companies to be direct with their ad messaging is one of the advantages Weedmaps has over other marketing platforms. “There are limited advertising options for cannabis companies to target in-market cannabis consumers at scale,” he said. “And while at times, those other channels can be effective, advertisers often can’t unlock scale and ensure they are delivering to a cannabis audience. They have to be very careful with how they position themselves to maintain visibility, while also trying to promote a sale, all of which is a challenge.”

As the largest technology company in the legal cannabis economy, Weedmaps offers a direct connection to the consumer at scale while also measuring the performance of ad buys placed in front of their highly transactional audience. Being top-of-mind during a user’s buying journey is powerful – it’s the key to success, and brands and retailers can capitalize on that with Weedmaps.  

Measurable Rich Insights

Advertising is the key for brands and retailers looking to connect with engaged consumers shopping on weedmaps.com. 

Weedmaps measures their highly efficient paid advertising products’ success and effectiveness, offering advertisers detailed insights with every paid promotion. Clients can use this information to better understand what consumers are searching for. 

“What sets us apart is that we are building more and more tools and reporting for clients so they can see the return on their advertising spend,” Hirschberg said. “When you advertise with weedmaps.com, you will know what your return is because we have that ordering capability, and we can see the entire e-commerce ecosystem and offer rich insights to our clients.”

Armed with specific consumer-engagement insights, Weedmaps clients can strategically set a path to their business’s higher bottom line. In 2020, more than 300+ advertisers and 1,000+ campaigns, Weedmaps generated: 

–       250M+ Impressions

–       3.5M+ Orders (in 2020) 

–       An average return on ad spend of $17

–       An average lift of 107% in views to their brand or retailer listing

Hirschberg says clients leveraging on-site features such as promo codes and brand verifications see higher engagement and a better return. “It helps drive consumer trust and validates the relationship between the retailer and brand,” he said.

Weedmaps Ad offerings are beneficial for both cannabis consumers and brands.

According to Hirschberg, “Combining forces between retailers and brands sends a compelling message to consumers while also offering them a discount code they can act on immediately.”