As cannabis businesses face increasing competition, the importance of effective video marketing becomes increasingly evident. Video content engages audiences quickly, drives traffic, and builds a lasting connection with viewers who are watching more online video content every day.
According to research by HubSpot:
66% of viewers watch videos to learn about a product or brand. 89% of people say a video convinced them to buy a product or service.For many people, video is their preferred way to consume content. While cannabis businesses today are still limited in terms of where they can publish and share video content, as we inch closer to legalization, more channels will open for video marketing. Even if you’re not ready to launch a full-scale video marketing effort on social media platforms yet, now is the time to start preparing.
Why Video Marketing Matters for Cannabis Brands
Across industries, 88% of marketers see a positive return on investment (ROI) from video marketing. For cannabis businesses, investing in video marketing can generate brand awareness and educate consumers and broader audiences on products and complex information.
A study by Wyzowl revealed that 91% of small businesses adopted video marketing in 2023. That’s because videos are known to attract attention faster than other forms of content and increase the amount of time people spend on websites.
Even better – videos are highly shareable. Wyzowl reported that 51% of people are more likely to share video content than any other type of content, which means videos are critical for social media reach and brand visibility.
But that’s not all. The study also revealed that 83% of brands increased lead generation through video content, and 93% gained new customers from video posts on social media. The takeaway is simple – video content works.
How to Create Effective Marketing Videos
1. Start with a Strategy
Before hitting “record,” define your target audience and goals. Are you trying to reach new customers, educate existing customers, or establish thought leadership? Establishing clear objectives and understanding your audience will determine your video’s tone, content, and distribution channels.
Creating buyer personas can enhance this process. For example, consider whether you’re targeting experienced cannabis consumers or those exploring cannabis products for the first time.
Tailor your video to specific challenges or interests targeted to specific audiences in order to build a connection that feels personal. Doing so will make it far more likely that people will want to watch your content, engage with it, and share it.
2. Keep it Short and Engaging
Short videos often perform better. According to the HubSpot study, 36% of viewers prefer videos between one and three minutes, with engagement dropping significantly after the six-minute mark. If your audience watches on a mobile device (and most people do), this is especially important, because people watching on mobile devices tend to consume shorter content.
The opening seconds of your video are the most crucial. Two out of three viewers (65%) who watch the first three seconds of a video will continue watching for at least 10 more seconds. With that in mind, start with a question or address a common pain point to hook viewers immediately.
Furthermore, Hubspot found that authentic content resonates especially well, with 69% of consumers valuing relatability over high production quality. Cannabis businesses should prioritize videos that feel genuine, helping to build trust and foster engagement.
3. Include Closed Captions and Transcripts
On social media, videos often autoplay without sound, and many people watch videos in public spaces with the sound off. Therefore, captions are vital to capturing viewers’ attention. Captions make your videos accessible to a broader audience, including those who might be hearing impaired. In fact, 64% of marketers find that captions improve video performance.
Transcripts are also a valuable tool for video marketing. Adding video transcripts on platforms like YouTube or your website (when you post a video on a page or blog post) can also improve search engine optimization (SEO), making your content more discoverable. Did you know YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google? A transcript is vital!
4. Leverage Social Media and Platform-Specific Strategies
Understanding platform preferences helps optimize video reach. For example, the HubSpot study found that LinkedIn was rated as the most effective video channel by 69% of marketers, followed closely by Facebook and YouTube. Take note B2B brands!
YouTube is used by 90% of marketers according to the Wyzowl research report, and like many of those businesses, cannabis brands should consider it a primary platform for longer-form, informative videos, such as product explainers or educational content.
Live streaming is also worth considering for Q&A sessions, product launches, or behind-the-scenes looks. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook offer easy-to-use live-stream options, helping you connect authentically with your audience.
5. Tell a Compelling Story
Rather than promoting, tell stories. Storytelling helps humanize your brand, making it personable and memorable. Present a relatable problem or scenario in your videos and show how your product or service offers a solution.
For instance, if you’re marketing a topical product, your story could involve someone dealing with pain who finds relief through your product. Aim to keep the story aligned with your brand’s values and audience’s needs. The key is to publish engaging and interesting videos, not commercials.
6. Repurpose Content for Efficiency
Repurposing existing content, such as blog posts or newsletters, into videos can save you a significant amount of time. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel!
For instance, a blog post about cannabinoids could become a series of informative, short videos. Repurposing also helps you reach an audience segment that prefers videos over reading.
With that in mind, go through every blog post on your website, and make a list of videos that could be made using the post content (in full or in part) as the script. You may have to make some tweaks, but most of the work is already done! Do this for all future blog posts you write.
There are so many subscription-based video editing tools available online that making video content doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult anymore.
7. Measure Your Success
Tracking video performance is essential to refine your strategy. Here are some key metrics cannabis businesses should monitor to determine what’s working and what needs to change:
Video Views: Track the number of views to gauge the reach of each video. A higher view count generally reflects stronger interest but may vary depending on the type of content and the platform where the video was published. Engagement: Monitor likes, shares, and comments to assess audience engagement. High engagement often indicates that your content resonates with viewers, which makes engagement a reliable indicator of success when the engagement is positive. Retention Rate: The percentage of viewers who watch your video from start to finish helps you determine how well your content holds attention. If viewers drop off early, consider shortening the video or adjusting the introduction to capture and hold attention. Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measure how many viewers click on a call-to-action (CTA), such as a link to your website. CTR offers insights into how effectively your video drives further action, which is especially important if your goal is lead generation. Conversions: If the goal of a video is to drive sales, track conversions to measure ROI. Wyzowl’s research shows that 87% of marketers find video helps increase sales, so tracking this metric can directly validate these specific video marketing investments.Use this data to identify areas for improvement. Video marketing will require testing, tracking, and refinement, but the results are worth the effort.
Maximizing ROI with Video Marketing for Cannabis Businesses
Research shows video marketing offers significant return on investment (ROI) potential. For example, 91% of marketers reported higher website traffic and 95% reported an increase in brand awareness from video marketing in the Wyzowl study.
To maximize ROI, cannabis businesses should track metrics like views, engagement, and conversions, which will help ensure their video marketing strategy aligns with their goals and audience preferences.
Furthermore, incorporating a mix of video content, such as explainer videos, live streams and customer testimonials, can encourage engagement and provide valuable insights into what resonates most with your audience.
Bottom-line, by continually testing and refining, cannabis businesses can effectively drive growth and customer loyalty through video marketing.