So you have a cannabis dispensary website up and running, and you’re promoting it via social media, but it’s not getting enough traffic and isn’t ranking high on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). One way to remedy this issue is by setting up a blog on your website. By doing so, you’ll have a voice in the industry, boost your chances of ranking higher for your target keywords, and can shape yourself to be a thought leader in the cannabis space. However, you can’t just start typing away blogs and expect to get results. Optimizing your blog is crucial for getting more eyes on your cannabis dispensary site. We’ve created a simple guide to help you optimize your cannabis dispensary blog posts so your brand can show up in front of the right audience.
Research and Find the Right Keywords
By writing valuable content on a specific topic, you’re probably using some appropriate keywords naturally. However, having a focus keyword and related or similar keywords will further improve your on-page optimization. You can use tools like SEM Rush, Google Adwords, Keyword Tool, or Searchmetrics for some help in finding the best phrases. Long-tail keyword phrases are more specific, and will also be easier to rank for, so go for those ones first if you’re starting out. Also, you can use Google for keyword phrase ideas. Just type in your focus keyword phrase–at least two keywords–and see what Google populates the drop-down menu with. Once you find the right keywords for your dispensary blog, try to use them naturally in the blog. It’s recommended to use the main keyword 1-2 times every 100 words.
Use Keywords Throughout Your Cannabis Dispensary Blog Post
After you’ve done the research and gathered the keyword phrases you want to target for your blog post, you will have to think about placement. Remember that you have to place them where they’ll make sense for people reading your blog and search engines–like Google–crawling and indexing your content. However, you should do this naturally and avoid keyword stuffing, which is filling up your blog post with so many keywords it makes it difficult to read. Google penalizes for keyword stuffing. Here are several places where you should include your keyword phrases:
- Title (also referred to as the H1)
- Headings and subheadings
- 1-2 times every 100 words
- Meta descriptions
- URL
Optimize Your Dispensary Blog Post Images
First, you should break up your content with images that make sense. You can head to sites like Unsplash or Pexels to find free images to use for your dispensary blog. Choose images that complement each subheading well. And choose a feature image or hero image–the photo that appears in the preview when you link the blog–that captures what the blog is about clearly. This makes it easier for the reader to digest the content and makes the post more scannable. However, you can’t just plug in the images and call it a day. Include keywords in your image file names. Also, include keywords in the alternate text field when it makes sense for the image. Remember to use variations of the main focus keyword so you don’t overuse it.
Optimize Your Dispensary Blog with Links
Using links in your dispensary blog post is a great way to optimize it. Choose an anchor text in your blog that makes sense for what you’re linking to. The anchor text is the keyword or keyword phrase that will be hyperlinked. You will more likely get better SEO results if you strive for a variety of natural anchor text phrases rather than using the same keyword(s) each time. According to SEO best practices for optimizing your blog post, anchor text should be succinct, relevant to the page you’re linking to, not generic, and not keyword heavy. If you have other blog posts written already, try and link to those naturally in your new blog.
Post Your Dispensary Blogs on Social Media!
By utilizing social media platforms and forums like Reddit, you can push out your blog posts to potential and current cannabis customers and leaders. Additionally, if your dispensary blog is well-written and contains organized, helpful information, you may get backlinks from other organizations. This means someone will point back to your blog post on their page or blog post via a hyperlink. Earning quality backlinks to your blog post will also boost optimization.
If you need help with a blog optimization strategy for your dispensary, we’re here to help. Contact us today for more information!
