If you have started a new online dispensary, it’s important to let people know about it, and one of the most popular social media platforms for promotions today is Instagram. There are more than 600 million active users on the site, so you can make use of its popularity to raise awareness about your new business, make connections with people, and engage your visitors and so on.
If you type hashtag cannabis (#cannabis) on Instagram, you can see thousands of images of the famous plant. While many social media platforms are known to shut down marijuana related accounts, the community is still thriving on Instagram. Unlike Facebook, it has become a favorite destination for cannabis companies.
However, with a plethora of other cannabis businesses seeking customer attention, how to ensure that you stand out of the crowd and get noticed? Here are a few tips to help you:
Build a Strong Instagram Profile
First things first. You need to build an effective Instagram profile that clearly tells your viewers who you are and what you do. Out of the thousands of cannabis related pages on Instagram, give people a solid reason to be interested in you. By optimizing your user profile, you can create a solid base to build your cannabis profile on Instagram.
Here are some of the must-dos:
- Include your logo and brand name, avoid using a personal photo
- Give a short description to tell people who you are and what you do
- Add a link to your website or LinkedIn profile to make it look more credible
- Share interesting/relevant things
We know most people will open Instagram account just to promote your online cannabis industry. It’s okay to promote. Everyone does. However, it’s not okay to use the page to exclusively promote your brand and fill the page with endless self-promotion. You will come across as a self-centered, money hungry business person. Creating curiosity will attract more people than blatantly pitching your product.
Knowing the limits and mixing up things is the key to success. Share interesting things like a nice quotes, cute pictures, and re-share from other accounts. Whatever you do, just remember to credit the original source.
Engage Your Audience
Just one-way communication can soon turn boring, so a great way to spice up things is to initiate a two-way engagement. Ask questions to your followers about the strain they love or just anything cannabis related and your account will became a hub of information.
When someone comments on your account, take some time to acknowledge the comment and respond. A simple engagement can help you promote your brand. You can be creative and ask unique questions that encourage people to join in the conversation. You can also share product reviews and ask people to tag their friends.
Post Share-Worthy Content
When you have an Instagram account, don’t let it sit idly or it will yield no results. Instagram is all about visuals so make sure you post a lot of images that inspire your audience and encourage them to share the content.
A great Instagram account is usually made of two main things: the picture and image caption. With pictures, you can share a laugh, tell a story, or capture diverse emotions. Some of the most beautiful, funny and interesting images tend to deliver best results.
Image descriptions are not mandatory on Instagram but without them, you are not using the account to its full potential. The text doesn’t have to be long either. Short, concise text with a nice quote or information that engage the audience can give you good results.
When creating an Instagram account for your online dispensary, make sure you stick to a particular theme. A great social media profile cannot be created overnight and it’s not a numbers game! Be consistent and engage your audience with interesting posts and you will soon see people joining you and wanting to know more about your brand!