Earlier, dispensary local marketing relied heavily on paying platforms like Weedmaps, Leafly, and others to run ads—then simply hoping for the best. But today’s marketing landscape has changed entirely. Every cannabis operator is now shifting its strategies to boost online sales and drive revenue. The focus has now moved to local SEO techniques, aiming to rank #1 and outperform competitors who are leveraging similar methods.
As technical as it may sound, it’s also highly practical. So, if you’re wondering “how to rank website on Google first page”—especially as a cannabis operator—this guide is for you. Keep reading to learn how to skip the paid ads and leverage the benefits of strong local SEO.
How To Rank In Google: Steps For Every Cannabis Dispensary Owner?
Improving SEO for dispensary requires one to understand Google’s 3-Pack ranking. This should be the first thing on the radar for any cannabis dispensary owner. Basically, what this pack does is show entries for the top 3 local search results online.
And definitely, who would mind not being among the top results? But are you actually aware of how you can place yourself as a top result, and more importantly, what the 3 listings shown usually have in common?
Let’s now get answers to each of these aspects by reading the local SEO techniques below.
1. Get started with Google My Business listing
To begin your journey, you need to make a Google My Business SEO profile so your cannabis dispensary can show up in local searches. If your business already shows up, claim it. If not, create a new one. Google might ask for a video to prove your shop is real. Once it shows verified, follow this next step.
2. Be mindful of appropriate GMB categories
After you finish your GMB listing, the next step is to tell Google what kind of business you run. This helps Google know where to show your dispensary in local search results. Set your main category as “cannabis store.” You can add more categories if needed, but keep it simple so Google doesn’t think your listing is spam.
3. Upload real, high-quality photos
If you want more people to visit your dispensary, adding real photos can help. People usually look up the place online before they visit. Google also likes it when you use real photos. Try not to use blurry or bad pictures. It’s a good idea to get some sort of professional assistance while taking them so your dispensary looks its best to new customers.
4. Maintain NAP consistency
If you want your dispensary to appear in the top local results, it’s important to keep your name, address, and phone number (N A P) the same everywhere online. In simple words, you need to make sure that all your listing websites have the exact same info. But why? Well, when you maintain consistency, it helps the Google local SEO algorithm trust your business more.
5. Utilize good reviews to the fullest
Getting good reviews from people visiting your dispensary can help your business online. When many happy customers leave nice comments, it shows others that your dispensary is trusted and worth visiting. Plus, it helps it show up more when people search online. So, the next time you see customers visiting, kindly remind them to leave a review after their visit.
While these are some of the key techniques to boost your dispensary’s local SEO, there’s still more you can do. Be consistent with your efforts, and use trial and error to figure out what brings the best results.
Why Building Solid Local SEO Matters For Your Cannabis Dispensary?
- Cannabis is a unique business, meaning it needs special care when it comes to being found online.
- Most cannabis shop owners already know this: you can’t run ads on Google, Meta ads are super tricky, and only platforms like Weedmaps and Leafly allow cannabis ads at all.
- The ads these platforms run on your behalf don’t really help you stand out. Unlike Google, they don’t give you the top spot easily. When someone clicks your ad, they see a bunch of other dispensaries, too, and the one that pays the most gets the most attention.
- A cannabis dispensary should be passionate enough to build its own assets and generate leads independently. This way, it would only be able to thrive and surpass its competitors.
The Takeaway
Getting your dispensary to show up first on Google takes effort, both in what people see and in the behind-the-scenes stuff. But if you focus on simple local SEO strategies—like getting started with a GMB profile, selecting proper categories, uploading high-quality images, keeping your name, address, and phone number the same everywhere, and getting genuine customer reviews—you’re already on the right path. Using these easy local SEO strategies can help your shop appear more often in searches and maybe even show up in a few top spots at once.
