As the cannabis industry continues to grow and thrive, more and more businesses are turning to social media marketing to reach their target audiences. And one of the most effective ways to do this is through video. The use of video allows cannabis companies to connect with their target audiences in a way that is personal, immediate, and impactful.
While written content is still important, video allows businesses to show rather than tell their story. It’s a way to build trust and credibility with potential customers. And, as the industry continues to grow and evolve, it will become increasingly important for businesses to have a strong social media presence.
In this blog post, we’re going to explore why video is so important for social media marketing in the cannabis industry in 2022 and beyond.
Every Social Media Platform Wants To Be TikTok
In the last few years, social media has been abuzz with the rise of TikTok. The short-form video platform has taken the internet by storm, with users spending an average of 52 minutes per day on the app. It's particularly popular among Gen Z users. This success has not gone unnoticed by other social media platforms, who are all scrambling to create their own version of TikTok.
Instagram, YouTube, and even Twitter have all launched features that allow users to create and share short videos. They're also investing heavily in content creators who can make engaging videos for their platforms. But TikTok still remains the king of short-form video content. And it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon.
Because TikTok has changed the game, cannabis marketers and businesses are being forced to adapt. Photography and written content just don't move the needle. For a typical client, we're seeing 10-20 times the engagement on Instagram with reel content versus traditional photography posts or stories. In the same way that Instagram shifted their model to Stories to meet the threat posed by Snapchat, the same is happening in 2022 with video thanks to TikTok.
The bottom line is that if you want to generate views, likes, and comments on any social media platform right now, you'd better be incorporating video.
Your Audience Prefers Video
In just a few short years, social media users will overwhelmingly prefer video content to any other type of content. This trend has already begun, and it is only expected to grow in the coming years. Video is more engaging than text or images, and it is easier to consume than long-form content. For these reasons, more and more businesses are using video to reach their target audiences.
I'm guessing you all don't follow social media news and trends like we do at The Hood Collective, but you may be aware of the huge snafu that Instagram encountered recently after unveiling its latest iteration of the app. They had implemented a number of unpopular changes to better support video and make their app more like TikTok. The uproar that ensued led their Chief Adam Mosseri to apologize and announce they were returning to the old UI, at least for the time being.
However, Mark Zuckerberg has doubled down on their commitment to video, as pointed out by Casey Newton on Platformer:
In the most recent quarter, the amount of time people spent watching Reels grew 30 percent, Zuckerberg said on an earnings call. That suggests that user demand for short-form video — including, yes, short-form video recommended by algorithms — is real.
Every study coming out these days reaffirms Zuckerberg's point. Video is growing more popular and engagement around video is beating out any other type of content. If you want your cannabis marketing to stand out in 2022, it MUST include a video component.
Video Marketing Offers A Greater ROI
Nowadays, it's not enough to just create great content - you also need to promote it effectively in order to reach your target audience. And one of the best ways to do this is through video marketing.
Compared to other marketing strategies, video marketing offers a greater return on investment, especially when it comes to social media. By creating engaging videos, you can reach a larger audience and encourage them to take action, whether that's subscribing to your channel, visiting your website, or even making a purchase.
According to Wyzowl's 2022 marketing survey, 86% of businesses report using video in their marketing, which is comparable to the year before. Of those, 92% said that video was an important part of their overall marketing strategy. Most importantly, 87% of the video marketers surveyed claimed that video gave them a positive return on invesment. Compare that to 7 years previous, when only 33% reported a positive ROI on their video content.
Cannabis Video Builds Trust And Transparency With Your Audience
Cannabis companies are quickly learning that in order to build trust and transparency with their audience, they need to create informative cannabis videos. These types of videos help to dispel myths and provide accurate information about cannabis and its various uses.
Cannabis videos can be used to build trust in a number of ways. For example, they can be used to show how a cannabis company is growing and processing its product. Video can also be used to show the results of third-party testing or to provide information about a company's commitment to safety and compliance.
By creating informative cannabis videos, companies can show their audience that they are committed to transparency and building trust. This is a great way to build relationships with your audience and to create a strong foundation for your business.
In our estimation, there is tremendous untapped potential for educational content in the cannabis space. The brands that invest in quality video content that is both informative and engaging will have a huge advantage when it comes to creating brand loyalty amongst their customer base.
Video Helps Showcase Your Cannabis Products
Cannabis products have been gaining in popularity in recent years, and more and more people are interested in trying them. If you're a cannabis producer, you may be wondering how to best showcase your products and reach potential customers.
One great way to do this is through video. Video is a powerful medium that can help you tell your story and show potential customers what your products are all about. You can use video to show off your products' features, highlight your company's values, and even give potential customers a tour of your facility.
There are a few key things to keep in mind when creating a product video. First, you need to make sure your video is well-produced and professional-looking. This will help it stand out from the sea of low-quality videos online. Second, your video should be interesting and engaging, with a clear message that speaks to your potential customers. Finally, your video should be optimized for search engines so that potential customers can easily find it online.
(The Right Kind Of) Video Is Less Likely To Get You Shadowbanned
One of the biggest challenges facing cannabis companies is the risk of being shadowbanned by social media platforms. Shadowbanning is when a social media platform restricts the visibility of a user's content without their knowledge. This can be a major problem for cannabis companies, as it can limit their ability to reach new customers and grow their business.
Video is one of the most effective ways to reach new customers and promote your cannabis company. However, it can also be one of the most likely to get you shadowbanned. This is because social media platforms often use algorithm-based filters that can detect and flag content that promotes drug use. This means if you are a legal cannabis business that relies on social media for at least part of your marketing strategy, you should avoid showing consumption at all costs.
Instead, concentrate on creating informative, educational videos that emphasize the positive research coming out about cannabis. At the same time, avoid writing about cannabis in the captions, or using cannabis hashtags. You can show video of your facilities, your product branding, and even cannabis plants and flower. Just don't show people consuming or about to consume. This will actually make it less likely that your content will run afoul of the social media censors.
Professional Cannabis Video Boosts Your Brand Image And Identity
As the acceptance of cannabis as a medicine and recreational drug continues to grow, so does the need for professional cannabis videos. Cannabis videos are a great way to boost your brand image and identity, and there are a number of different ways you can use them to achieve your desired effect.
As mentioned above, cannabis videos can be used to educate your target audience about the various benefits of cannabis, or they can be used to promote your brand and products. You can even use them to generate leads and drive sales.
But, this only works if you are creating quality video content. While videos with a high production value and engaging content will have a significant impact on your audience, the opposite is also true. If you're posting low-quality video, with bad lighting and sound, people will be much less likely to invest in your brand. While you don't need to hire a professional to produce all of your video content, especially on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, you do need to take the time to produce content that will actually resonate with your audience and won't turn them away from your brand and products.
Video Can Be Leveraged For Multiple Marketing Purposes
Online video can be used in a variety of ways to promote your business, from creating informative product videos to sharing customer testimonials and case studies. Video is a particularly effective marketing tool because it is highly engaging and can be easily shared across social media and other online platforms. Video is also great for search engine optimization (SEO) and will drive more organic traffic to your website. In fact, the same videos that you're posting to social media can be used on your website as well, creating added value.
When you start producing video content, don't think about one video. If you are investing in bring a camera crew to your facility, or investing in the gear yourself, you want to be able to use those video assets in multiple ways, on multiple platforms, for multiple projects. This takes planning and foresight, but it not only saves you money in the long run, it also makes your marketing more effective.
Partner With The Hood Collective For Your Cannabis Video Marketing
There’s no doubt that video will be an increasingly important part of social media marketing in the cannabis industry in 2022 and beyond. The Hood Collective has the experience and expertise to produce engaging, high-quality cannabis video content that will help you reach your target audience.
Contact us today to learn more about our cannabis video marketing services.