With marijuana being an illegal drug at the federal level in the United States, Google has followed suit by restricting certain<\/em> GBP aspects that would otherwise be very useful for SEO purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This makes it a bit trickier to reach local audiences, however, it also allows us to get creative with GBP profiles that work within the cannabis industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, we\u2019ll show you how to optimize your GBP listing if your business is related to cannabis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, there are a great many restrictions<\/strong> for cannabis dispensaries on the Google Business Profile dashboard. When you open your location in GBP, the typical dashboard looks something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For marijuana dispensaries, the dashboard looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The difference directly in the dashboards listed here are the missing three sections<\/strong> for marijuana dispensaries:<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, those aren\u2019t the only restrictions for dispensaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everything not included for a dispensary GBP page includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of these strategies are used to increase CTR (click-through rate) on the website and to improve rankings for particular keyword searches. Not having them is definitely annoying, but not impossible to work without.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With these restrictions, let\u2019s dive into some strategies that will help improve your business in the local map pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The pin marker is the exact access point for the physical location of your business. It\u2019s used by Google to direct customers through Google Maps<\/a> to your location. Essentially, it is the latitude and longitude of your business\u2019s front door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When your pin marker doesn\u2019t match your address or leads customers to the back of the building, things start to look sketchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Assign the pin marker to the entrance of your dispensary and ensure that your business address matches the pin marker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your business operates in a multi-unit building, drag the pin marker to your business\u2019s unit of operations. You can do this by going to the address section under the Info<\/strong> page in your dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you set up or claim a GBP listing, the business category that you choose will directly affect your rankings. The primary business category is the most important category to choose for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are a marijuana dispensary, the most appropriate category to choose is \u201cCannabis store\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The current list of cannabis-related categories is limited to “cannabis store”<\/strong>. That\u2019s the most accurate category for anything related to recreational\/medicinal marijuana retail. Do not use categories such as \u201cVitamin & supplements store\u201d as you could get suspended by Google for inaccurately choosing your business category for your own selfish needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you offer delivery for any of your products, you may choose \u201cDelivery service\u201d as a secondary category. So, when customers search for keywords such as \u201ccannabis delivery near me\u201d, you\u2019ll appear in the local listings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adding photos is crucial for customers to better understand the business they are either stepping into or ordering from. Since dispensaries have had bad flak in previous years, you need to showcase your business as the exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take images of the exterior and interior of the building. Publish photos that show the products you sell (that\u2019s not against Google\u2019s policies<\/a>). Upload your logo for brand recognition. And show images of your team or events you\u2019ve been to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is what we call building your social currency<\/strong>. You\u2019re showing the local community where you are, what you look like, how your business is best represented, and the types of quality products\/services you provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t treat your GBP listing as your social media profile, it\u2019s much more than that! Don\u2019t be adding photos that are unrelated to your business. And please, oh please, don\u2019t<\/strong> show a picture of your pet in your house!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think about what your customer<\/em> will want to see, and work from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re a totally new business or you\u2019re looking to relocate, really think about the <\/em>address<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The success of your business relies on where you\u2019re located. Proximity is the most important ranking signal on Google\u2019s Map Pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, be mindful of your competitors and the population in the area you are positioning your business. If you\u2019re opening up a shop in a city that has TONS of competition that has already built its reputation, then it will be extremely difficult to outrank them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you open your store in a city where customers are scarce or are against marijuana, then it\u2019s probably not the best place to continue the journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, think about your demographics, think about the area as customers want to feel safe, and think about where you want to take your business. If you open up your store in a place that is known for violent acts of crime, then you\u2019re not going to get people who want to be safe, even if they live a few blocks away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Push, push, push for more reviews! Reviews<\/a> are an integral part of ranking and proving the worth of your business. Always be asking customers for reviews once they purchase from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Obviously, always push for positive reviews<\/strong>. We don\u2019t recommend that you tell a customer who had a bad experience to write a review of your business. It goes without saying that it won\u2019t look too good on your listing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask the customer to leave a 5-star rating along with reasons as to why they enjoyed their visit. If they put in the proper keywords, you can start ranking for other related searches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have multiple listings for the same business, that\u2019s called a duplicate listing<\/strong>. It\u2019s essential to remove duplicate listings from Google for several reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Duplicate listings can sometimes be thought of as a way to rank quicker, but this isn\u2019t the case. If one of your listings gets flagged or suspended by Google, you\u2019re going to run into possible problems with your real listing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t have multiple listings for the same location. If you do, remove them fast<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Business Profile is a public channel, open to all contributions. This means customers and<\/em> competitors can add images to your listing. You don\u2019t want anything on there that misrepresents your business and what you offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGBP Restrictions for Marijuana Dispensaries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEnsure the Pin Marker is Accurate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nChoose the Appropriate Business Category<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Add Photos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Choose Your Address Wisely<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Optimize for Reviews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Remove Duplicate Listings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Remove Inappropriate Imagery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n