To many people, SEO is very complex and can be difficult to understand. There’s so much that can go into it. Researching keywords, search traffic, a functioning website, backlinks from other sites, the list goes on and on. But, it has to be said that SEO is a critical part of the internet search experience. It is arguably one of, if not the most integral part of the customer’s searching process when it comes to cannabis customers finding a retailer to buy weed.
Brady Madden, CEO and Founder of Evergreen Digital, is a seasoned SEO expert with 15+ years of digital marketing experience and 8+ years dedicated to the cannabis sector. He has relentlessly been working to help cannabis companies improve their SEO so that customers can find retailers and purchase cannabis as efficiently as possible.
With the cannabis industry rapidly evolving, and businesses striving to stand out to consumers in these newer markets, search engine optimization (SEO) remains a critical, yet often overlooked component that is vital for attracting customers and growing revenue.
The goal for cannabis retailers is to be discovered by new customers, and for these customers to visit a physical store, and/or online shop, and ultimately place an order.
Retailers or businesses with “good SEO” often have a website with plenty of information, photos, videos, descriptions, high volume key words, social media posts, and backlinks from various websites. All of this works together to lead to strong SEO rankings and an easily identifiable and discoverable internet presence.
Evergreen Digital not only provides invaluable expertise when it comes to SEO strategizing, they also specialize in the actual content creation. Blogs, landing pages, Google Business Profile updates, off-site backlinks, metadata, these are just some of the deliverables Evergreen Digital offers that can drastically impact a retailer’s SEO and business.
Bridging the SEO Knowledge Gap in Cannabis
Evergreen Digital, founded in 2020, emerged from Madden’s extensive background spanning over 15 years in digital marketing, including his pivotal role as a Marketing Director in the hemp/CBD industry. His deep understanding of the cannabis sector’s unique needs allows Evergreen Digital to offer tailored SEO strategies that go beyond generic approaches.
Madden’s team excels in addressing the specific challenges faced by cannabis businesses. Meticulously customizing and aligning SEO strategies with each brand, business type, and matching up to the strategic goals of each client. Every strategy and tactic supports broader marketing objectives.
Evergreen Digital SEO provides a range of services tailored to the unique needs of cannabis businesses.
Tailored Services For Operators, By An Operator
Key offerings that help address industry-specific web-based challenges include:
- Navigating Regulatory Challenges: Cannabis businesses face unique regulatory and competitive challenges. Evergreen SEO Services conducts detailed SEO audits that not only assess technical issues but also evaluate industry-specific factors such as compliance with content restrictions and market positioning while still driving results.
- On-Page Optimization: Effective on-page SEO is critical for cannabis businesses aiming to rank well in search engines. Evergreen SEO Services optimizes website elements such as metadata, headings, and content, ensuring they align with relevant cannabis-related keywords and comply with industry regulations.
- Off-Page SEO and Link Building: Building a strong backlink profile is essential for improving domain authority. Evergreen SEO Services employs ethical link-building techniques to establish valuable connections with reputable cannabis-related sites, enhancing credibility and search engine rankings.
- Ecommerce Menu Optimization: One notable area of focus for Evergreen Digital SEO surrounds ecommerce menus for dispensaries. Madden strongly advocates for native ecommerce solutions over iframe menus, as the latter cannot be reliably indexed by search engines. By transitioning to native ecommerce sites, dispensaries can enhance their search engine visibility and improve their overall SEO performance.
- Local SEO: For cannabis businesses with physical locations or those targeting local markets, Evergreen Digital excels in local SEO. This includes optimizing Google My Business profiles, managing local citations, and ensuring visibility in local search results, which is crucial for attracting local customers.
- Content Marketing: We all know content is powerful, especially in a highly regulated industry like cannabis. Evergreen Digital creates high-quality, engaging content tailored to the cannabis audience. This not only helps in driving traffic but also establishes the business as a trusted authority in the industry.
- Analytics and Reporting: Tracking performance is key to optimizing SEO efforts. Evergreen SEO Services provides comprehensive analytics and reporting, offering insights into traffic, rankings, and conversion metrics. This helps cannabis businesses understand their SEO ROI and make data-driven decisions.
- Adapting to Market Trends: SEO is a dynamic field with ever-changing trends. Evergreen SEO Services remains agile, adapting strategies to reflect the latest developments in search engine algorithms and cannabis market trends.
Proven Track Record of Driving Organic Growth
A core mission of Evergreen Digital is to address the knowledge gap in cannabis SEO. Through comprehensive content creation, workshops, and 1:1 coaching, Evergreen Digital empowers cannabis businesses and agencies with the tools and insights needed to leverage their online presence effectively.
The following retail case studies give a snapshot into the impact successful digital marketing campaigns can have on your brand:
Results of Case Study #1
This multi-state cannabis operator (MSO) needed to drive traffic to their 3 locations. They wanted Evergreen Digital to increase their SEO rank to uncover and drive more customers to their shops. After a complete website redesign and relaunch, Evergreen Digital was able to address the company’s concerns and, ultimately, built a higher quality site designed to better support their customers.
After just 90 days, their site exploded with organic traffic and rankings. Leaving this MSO happy with a 116.5% increase in organic growth and 135% increase in growth in organic impressions.
Results of Case Study #2
This cannabis operator was lacking in organic SEO rankings for retail locations across the state. In their most competitive market, the brand wasn’t even ranking in the the top 20 of Google Maps. The team at Evergreen Digital focused on gaining rankings in the desired markets for high value “dispensary” related terms to increase organic selection rankings on Google and Google Maps.
In only 6 months, these dispensaries increased their overall organic keyword rankings by 159%, and ranked in the top 12 in Google Maps for their most competitive location.
Today, this brand ranks in the top 5 organic Google listings and top 6 Maps listings – allowing them to compete with major MSOs and other larger local retailers. When their newest location opened, the brand ranked top 3 in Maps within 3 months, and increased to #2 in maps (#1 in organic listings) behind a major MSO in just over a year!
Connect with Evergreen Digital for a Free Analysis Today!
Evergreen Digital’s impact is evident through its proven ability to drive substantial organic growth for cannabis clients of all shapes and sizes. Each success story highlights their proficiency in boosting online visibility and engagement.
For cannabis businesses looking to elevate their SEO game, Evergreen Digital offers invaluable expertise and insights. Interested parties can learn more about their services and connect with Brady Madden through the Evergreen Digital website here or on LinkedIn here.
