https://joyorganics.com/pages/cbd-manufacturersOver the years, cannabidiol (CBD) products are increasingly gaining momentum. More and more CBD companies seek to enter the market to meet the rising demand. They offer a plethora of options in different categories. Customers can choose from cosmetics to wellness and pet care according to their preferences. With competition in almost every hub, brands must adopt strategies to stand out from the crowd. They needed to focus on gaining recognition and brand awareness or lose their entity in the long run. Indulging in an effective CBD marketing plan is the key to success in this industry. One of the best ways to distinguish your brand is by resorting to a two-pronged approach that combines public relations and influencer marketing.
But what are the potential benefits of these marketing strategies for CBD brands? This post helps you know about CBD regulations and efficient business tactics.
Overview of CBD market
CBD is an active, potent cannabinoid that does not induce psychoactivity feelings. Derived from cannabis species, it has significant properties vital for treating several ailments. Research shows that it exerts therapeutic effects on anxiety, insomnia, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, neuropathic and cancer pain. Besides this, it can even inhibit THC-induced actions. THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) is the principal constituent of cannabis responsible for the high sensation. Though CBD and THC belong to the same Cannaceae family, they affect your body differently. CBD offers medicinal benefits without causing intoxication and dependence.
The cannabis market has experienced ups and downs since the discovery of different phytocannabinoids. CBD is not a new phenomenon; it’s been around for millennia. People from various cultures used it for medicinal purposes, recreational activities, making clothes, religious ceremonies, and ritual practices.
However, it lost pace due to a lack of scientific evidence. Many medical communities did not recognize it as a medicinal agent during the rise of modern medicine. Instead, marijuana use became illegal under the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. Furthermore, different states classified all cannabis strains as illegal drugs.
Following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the perception of CBD users shifted dramatically. The bill legalized hemp-derived CBD products and allowed for further research.
Overall, the new federal changes reshaped the CBD game as follows:
- Hemp with less than 0.3 percent THC was permissible, making hemp-derived CBD legal within the specified parameters
- Allowed personal or commercial usage of hemp-made derivatives
- No prohibition on sales, possessions, or transportation of hemp goods
- Encouraged hemp cultivation on a large scale
CBD sales skyrocketed after the FDA-approved hemp extracts containing less than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight.
Producers, cultivators, and consumers welcomed the changes in CBD regulations. According to reliable sources, the global CBD market sales are valued at about USD 2.8 billion in 2020. From 2021 to 2028, this growth tends to accelerate at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.2 percent. According to the statistics, the CBD industry will grow much more massive and diverse.
Benefits of using Influencer Marketing and Public Relations
Despite the regulations, CBD continues to operate in a grey area, particularly when it comes to advertising. It is why using influencers and public relations (PR) is essential. These marketing tools can work hand-in-hand to help you establish a voice for your CBD brand. They can help push and grow your brand. Let us know more about these two strategies.
1. Influencer approach- PR for CBD Brands
Influencer marketing is a marketing strategy that many brands use to reach out to their prospects. It helps increase brand awareness and earn more revenue. It involves working with an influencer for product promotion. Within the CBD arena, influencers have a unique position to circumvent both advertising rules and public distrust of overt traditional advertising. They can connect your brand to millennials or the Gen-Z’s who uses CBD the most.
Attracting customers from these groups adds value to your business and gives you access to one of the most lucrative audiences. Moreover, collaborating with influencers allows you to build the trust of your audience. It is an ideal tool to reinforce brand reputation and foster your credibility.
In an influencer marketing statistic report published in 2016, the authors reveal that:
- Influencer marketing content has an 11X better return on investment than typical digital marketing.
- When exposed to promotional content from influencers, Twitter users report a 5.2X increase in purchase intent.
- According to 71% of marketers, ongoing ambassadorships are the most effective influencer marketing form.
- When making purchasing decisions, 49 percent of people say they rely on recommendations from influencers.
2. The PR approach
Your public relations team can assist you in organically building your CBD brand and spreading the word. The aim is to publicize your business by providing authentic and informative content. They can promote through magazines, newspapers, news channels, and blogs. They tell a story and generate excitement so that the media takes interest and writes about your services.
This way, they get third-party validation and audience trust. In short, your public relations team can assist you as follows:
- Educate consumers about CBD and its associated benefits.
- Develop customer trust
- Perform a market analysis to help you determine your market position.
- Create a CBD brand and name recognition.
- Handle internal and external crises.
- Position your company as an expert.
There are many different potential opportunities and pathways to push CBD through public relations. You need to hire the best PR team that introduces your brand to the public, manages the subsequent growth, and then channels it into further success. A credible PR staff can strategize your CBD brand from several angles.
The Two-pronged approach for CBD brands
Word-of-mouth publicity is a traditional marketing tool that still works well. However, in our digital world, marketing tools like influencer marketing and PR are more effective and efficient. A 2022 study shows that influencer marketing is highly effective, and the industry is set to grow higher in the future. The two-pronged approach is when you add social influencers to your PR strategy.
As the CBD market expands, CBD brands must seek methods to set themselves apart from their competitors. It’s wise to take the help of the right PR team and influencers to accomplish this mission.
They can altogether become your best brand ambassadors. If they are on your side, you can easily reach a wider target audience base. Moreover, influencer referrals will help your brand gain the goodwill it deserves. The overall benefits of influencer marketing and PR for CBD companies are:
1. Wider audience- PR for CBD Brands
Influencer marketing facilitates sending messages out to a larger audience. Many social media influencers catch the attention of innumerable followers. They even offer access to younger demographics. This means that a message advocated by an influencer has the potential to reach a large audience without the high cost of traditional media like television and print.
Furthermore, influencers have the benefit of being viewed as an authority on the subject by their followers. It indicates that the audience is already open to hearing your message and that you have already completed more than half of your work. Influencer marketing is an incredible tool that assists your public relations approach.
2. High engagement rates
Both influencers and public relations professionals focus on finding and producing a message that engages the desired audience. Public relations is all about finding the perfect balance of channels to guarantee that your brand communicates with the right people at the right time. Finding the appropriate influencer to promote your business most naturally and engagingly is the goal of influencer marketing.
They tend to portray your CBD brand authentically and engage with your target audience by providing attention-grabbing content. From social media memes to GIFs, videos, and photographs, they can create material that captivates others’ attention. Because people respond positively to influencer-generated content, the quality and rate of interaction are significantly higher than traditional marketing methods.
3. Generates top-quality traffic
Influencers on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and others command the attention of potential users. These users are genuinely interested in the content provided by the influencers. When such influencers share a message about your brand, it reaches a large target audience. Influencer marketing and PR strategy eventually go beyond raising brand awareness and establishing credibility for your company.
They generate high-quality traffic or leads who want to learn more about your brand and may even make a purchase. It’s no surprise that 72 percent of marketers believe that influencer marketing generates higher-quality customers than any other channel. This way, perfect social media management can help stay on top. The professionals will introduce your company to a new cannabis market using recent trends and techniques.
4. Flexible choices
CBD brands can hire larger or micro-influencers, depending on their marketing budget. Using the help of micro-influencers who are already involved in the CBD field can be quite beneficial. It can include those distantly tied to the Cannabis industry through their work in the health and wellness or food industries. Or, those who are directly involved in the Cannabis business.
According to a Forbes study, CBD companies have turned to micro-influencers having fewer followers than big-time influencers but often have higher interaction. They’re putting out gold material, such as films promoting CBD products. Occasionally, they will include a link to a CBD company in their content. The following are some examples of how to make use of their services:
- CBD brand promotion on their Instagram account.
- Create a video describing your CBD product and its uses.
- Tweeting links, deals, and exciting offers.
Also Read: How Can Digital PR Increase your Brand’s Presence?
5. Meet business goals
Influencer marketing with PR may turn influencers into powerful brand advocates. Their ultimate goal is to promote your services and increase your sales. To measure the ROI of an influencer marketing campaign, marketers commonly rely on metrics such as conversions and sales.
Surprisingly, 60 percent of marketers feel satisfied with the results, citing that the ROI from influencer marketing is higher than that of traditional advertising. On the contrary, PR strategies emphasize generating maximum brand visibility with minimal investment. Overall, you can expect their full contribution to achieving your business objectives ranging from brand awareness to enhancing sales.
6. SEO benefits
In today’s digital world, where social media reigns supreme, many CBD brands fail to pay adequate attention to their social media content and campaigns. Your PR team can build up blog content using pointed search engine optimization strategies. They can assist you in developing a social media content strategy and calendar that incorporates a variety of post types, such as:
- Informative posts – What is cannabidiol?
- Customer reviews – How has CBD helped me to overcome my anxiety?
- Interactive posting– How do you like to use CBD?
Besides this, your PR team can broadcast your product details to writers, bloggers, press, and other known service providers. They can ensure exposure of your CBD brand to the public at large.
Also Read: Creating A Community Website For CBD Users
7. Authentic and trustworthy
The core of efficient marketing is building and maintaining trust in a brand. If your audience does not believe what your brand is saying, you are less likely to capture their attention. Authenticity and reliability are aspects that influencers consider to deliver success.
Most professionals work for years to develop a healthy relationship with their followers and establish themselves as trustworthy authorities. According to a new study by Matter, 61% of customers rely on recommendations from family, friends, and influencers rather than advertisements. The majority of consumers find their content appropriate and helpful.
When you invest in influencer marketing as part of your PR plan, you can leverage this trust for your CBD brand. When influencers represent your brand in front of their audience, it acts as social proof.
Conclusion of PR for CBD Brands
Are you ready to invest in Influencer Marketing and PR for your CBD Brand? Influencer marketing and public relations strategies are becoming increasingly popular among brands. While both practices attempt to spread your brand message, they work differently.
They have unique strengths, approaches, and objectives. And when utilized appropriately in conjunction, they are great paired with one another. They can help you establish a strong brand presence on leading social media platforms. Because influencer marketing is a highly focused marketing approach, you can easily reach audiences interested in items or services similar to yours.
Such prospects are more likely to convert into your customers. Therefore, the marketing strategies enable you to take your plan a step further and generate sales for your company. Influencers can boost public relations activities from Instagram marketing to Facebook, Tiktok, and YouTube. So, consider the numerous benefits of both marketing tools and incorporate them into your business plan this year.
Interesting Reads:
How to Make Local Businesses Benefit from Social Influencer Marketing?
How Does Public Relations Differ From Other Marketing Avenues?
