The internet has been a boon for the cannabis industry, providing a platform for brands to reach new audiences and connect with potential customers. And while there are plenty of social media platforms that cannabis brands can use to reach their target audience, TikTok is quickly becoming one of the most popular. In this blog post, we'll explore everything you need to know about using TikTok to promote your cannabis brand.
What Is TikTok?
TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to share short videos of themselves. TikTok videos are typically set to popular songs and range from 15 seconds to 1 minute in length. The app is extremely popular with young people, and it has been downloaded over 1 billion times worldwide.
While TikTok is primarily used for entertainment purposes, it can also be used as a powerful marketing tool. Businesses can use TikTok to reach a new audience and to promote their products or services. TikTok ads are becoming increasingly popular, and they offer a unique way to reach potential customers.
How To Get Started On TikTok?
If you're new to TikTok, it can be tough to figure out how to get started. There are a lot of different features and options, and it can be overwhelming at first. But don't worry - we're here to help. In this article, we'll give you a quick overview of everything you need to know to get started on TikTok.
First, you'll need to download the TikTok app. Once you have the app installed, you can create a profile and start posting videos. You can also browse other users' videos and interact with the TikTok community. There are a lot of different ways to use TikTok, so be sure to explore all of the different features the app has to offer.
There are many popular features on TikTok that users enjoy. These include the ability to create short videos, add filters and effects, and share with others. TikTok also has a duet feature that allows users to record themselves with another person, as well as a challenge feature that allows users to take on popular challenges and make them their own.
How To Create Videos For TikTok?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to create videos for TikTok will vary depending on your specific goals and target audience. However, there are a few general tips that can help you get started.
First, consider what type of content will be most engaging for your target audience. If you're trying to reach a younger audience (this is likely if you’re in the cannabis industry), you'll want to create videos that are fun and entertaining. If you're trying to reach a more mature audience, on the other hand, you'll want to focus on creating informative and educational videos.
Once you've decided what type of content you want to create, it's time to start thinking about production. If you're not a professional video editor, there are a number of free or low-cost video editing programs that you can use to make your videos really pop. We recommend watching a few YouTube tutorials, like this one from Rachel Pederson.
How Are Businesses Successfully Using TikTok?
There's no doubt that TikTok is one of the hottest social media platforms right now. With over 800 million active users, it's quickly becoming a go-to platform for businesses looking to reach a wider audience. But how exactly are businesses using TikTok to achieve success?
There are a few ways businesses are utilizing TikTok to their advantage. One way is by creating short, engaging videos that showcase their products or services. Another is by using TikTok's extensive data and analytics capabilities to better understand their target audience. And finally, businesses are also using TikTok to run creative and interactive marketing campaigns that get people talking.
A popular strategy for cannabis businesses is using TikTok to give insights into your company culture. This can be done by creating fun, creative videos that showcase your employees and what it’s like to work at your company. Not only will this help you attract talent, but it will also give your company a human face that potential customers can connect with.
If you're looking to get ahead of the competition, then you need to start using TikTok to your advantage. By utilizing the platform in the right way, you can reach a whole new audience and take your business to the top shelf! (Pun intended)
What Is TikTok’s Cannabis Policy?
TikTok has a strict policy against promoting illegal drugs, including cannabis. This is of course very similar to the stated policies of other social media sites, including Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Many people assume that as a new platform that appeals to young people, that TikTok might be more lenient. Unfortunately, at least officially, this is certainly not the case.
TikTok is actually quite notorious for its censorship policies. As pointed out in this article from Rolling Stone:
TikTok is refusing to host the public service announcements about the state’s adult-use cannabis law based on the company’s blanket ban on drug advertising. The platform’s advertising policy forbids the ‘promotion, sale, solicitation of, or facilitation of access to illegal drugs, controlled drugs, prescriptive drugs, drugs for the purpose of recreation, homeopathy, enhancement, performance, including weight loss.’
That seems like a good indicator that you need to be very careful about what you show on TikTok in terms of cannabis products and consumption.
However, while TikTok does not allow videos that promote illegal drug use, the app does not necessarily always frown upon cannabis use. There are many videos on TikTok that feature people using cannabis, and the app does not seem to be cracking down on these videos. It is possible that TikTok’s policy on cannabis is not as strict as it is for other illegal drugs. It’s also possible that their enforcement is just not uniform, which will certainly be familiar to cannabis companies that have been dealing with Instagram and Facebook for the past few years.
So how can you get around TikTok’s no cannabis policy? You can start with hashtags. Hashtags are a great way to get your content seen by a wider audience, and they can be a helpful tool for bypassing TikTok's no-cannabis policy. By using relevant hashtags, you can ensure that your content is seen by people who are interested in cannabis, even if it isn't directly promoted on the app.
Obvious cannabis hashtags like #weed, #cannabis, and #marijuana are regularly flagged, so you need to be creative. Go with options such as #culturacannabica, #infused, #glasslife, #smoketok, and the the like. By the time you’re reading this article these specific hashtags may no longer be viable, but with some investigation you should be able to find good options pretty easily.
Another option is to follow popular cannabis tiktokers. The fact that they are successful is proof that you can do it too. Here are some of our recommend follows:
What Type Of Cannabis Content Is Popular On TikTok?
As cannabis becomes more mainstream, TikTok has become a popular platform for cannabis content creators. Cannabis content on TikTok ranges from educational content about the plant to entertaining videos about cannabis culture.
Some of the most popular types of cannabis content on TikTok include:
-How-to videos about consuming cannabis
-Videos about cannabis culture and lifestyle
-Educational videos about the plant
-Videos about cannabis activism and reform
If you're thinking about creating cannabis content for TikTok, consider what type of content would be most popular with your audience.
If you’re thinking, wait, I thought it was hard to get cannabis content onto TikTok, check out this recent study on how cannabis is perceived on the TikTok platform found:
The main take-home point from this study is that there is a high number of cannabis-related videos on TikTok that are a) publicly accessible via links (even without accounts!), b) have no age restrictions or content warning banners, and c) are promoting the use of cannabis to viewers,” Rutherford noted. “While many countries are moving towards legalization, that doesn’t mean cannabis use is without risk and none of this content addresses the potential negative health consequences associated with use.
Can You Advertise Cannabis Products On TikTok?
The short answer is no. The longer answer is that there are some serious challenges that come with advertising cannabis on TikTok. First of all, the platform has a very young user base, which means that most of its users are not of legal smoking age. Since most states don’t allow adverting to minors, this means it’s pretty challenging to run a compliant campaign on TikTok. Additionally, TikTok is headquartered in China, where cannabis is still illegal. This creates huge grey area when it comes to cannabis advertising on the platform. This is why any blatant attempts to advertise your cannabis products will almost certainly be denied.
Despite these challenges, TikTok can still be a valuable tool for cannabis companies looking to reach a new, youthful audience. If you're considering advertising your cannabis products on TikTok, just be sure to keep these challenges in mind and look for ways to utilize the platform without direct advertising.
Can You Post CBD Products On TikTok?
CBD products are becoming increasingly popular, but there is still some confusion about where they can be sold and advertised. For example, can you post CBD products on TikTok?
The short answer is that it depends. TikTok has a strict policy against promoting illegal drugs, so if your CBD product contains THC, then it is highly likely that it will be removed from the platform. However, if your CBD product is made from hemp and contains 0.3% THC or less, then the question becomes much harder to answer.
TikTok does not currently allow the promotion of CBD products. This is in line with the policies of other social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. However, this could change in the future as the regulations surrounding CBD products continue to evolve. For now, if you want to post about CBD products on TikTok, you will need to focus on other aspects of the product, such as its benefits or uses.
The bottom line is that while you won’t be able to do paid promotions for your CBD products, if you’re careful in your videos to avoid directly selling your products and choose the right hashtags. For instance, when you search for #CBD, you won’t get any results, but if you search for #CBDPets or #CBDOil, you’ll get plenty of videos.
Can You Post Videos Of People Consuming Cannabis On TikTok?
Can you? Yes. Will your videos get taken down? Probably. Confused? Let’s dig in a bit more deeply.
Cannabis consumption is legal in many parts of the world, but there are still some restrictions on where and how it can be consumed. For example, in some jurisdictions, it is not legal to consume cannabis in public places. Additionally, most social media platforms have strict policies against the promotion of illegal drugs.
So what does this mean for TikTok? Can you post videos of people consuming cannabis on the platform? The answer is a bit complicated. TikTok does not allow videos that promote illegal drug use, but it is possible to post videos of people consuming cannabis in a legal and responsible way. However, it is important to use caution when posting such videos, as they could be removed by TikTok if they are found to be in violation of the platform's guidelines.
Making it even more difficult to predict, TikTok does not seem to uniformly enforce their policies. It’s likely that even if you slip through a video showing consumption, eventually it will get taken down, and you may even lose access to your account.
So while you may get away with it in the short term, posting smoking videos is not a long term strategy for promoting your business on TikTok. If you are a cannabis brand, we recommend NOT showing consumption in your TikTok videos (which is in line with our recommendations for other social media platforms).
How Can TikTok Best Be Used To Promote Your Cannabis Company?
If you're looking to use TikTok to promote your cannabis company, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, it's important to create engaging and informative content that will grab people's attention. You also need to make sure that your content is appropriate for the platform and that it follows all of TikTok's community guidelines. Finally, you'll need to use the right hashtags and keywords to reach your target audience.
Another way to reach a larger audience on TikTok is by partnering with influencers. Influencers are users with a large following on TikTok who can help promote your brand or product to their followers. By partnering with influencers, you can reach a larger audience and get your message out there.
If you're interested in partnering with influencers, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, you need to find influencers who are a good fit for your brand or product. You can do this by searching TikTok for users who have a large following and who produce content that is related to your brand or product. Once you've found some potential influencers, reach out to them and see if they're interested in partnering with you. Of course, they will be hindered by the same cannabis restrictions that you are, so you’ll have to be creative in how they promote your products.
In addition, you can also use TikTok to promote your company directly. You can use TikTok to share company news, highlight products and services, or even run marketing campaigns. TikTok is a great platform for introducing your team and showing off your company’s personality and values. ‘
Remember, TikTok is meant to be fun. Try and come up with engaging content that people will enjoy. If you can create content that is both creative and compliant with TikTok's guidelines, you can reach a large audience and promote your cannabis company in a positive light.
Partner With The Hood Collective On Your Social Media Marketing
As cannabis becomes more mainstream, social media platforms like TikTok offer a great opportunity for brands to reach a wider audience. The Hood Collective can help you create engaging content and connect with influencers in the cannabis community. We specialize in creating premium video content that is both engaging and informative, which just so happens to be the secret sauce to succeeding on TikTok.
Partner with us today to make the most of this growing market.