Did you hear that beginning in February, cannabis advertising on Twitter got easier?

You may not have – given that the recent easing of rules for cannabis advertising hasn’t made it all that much easier to actually advertise.

Among the regulatory red tape that has always existed, cost to advertise on Twitter and the platform’s unfamiliarity with the industry continue to exacerbate the situation.

Road Blocks in Cannabis Advertising on Twitter

First of all, in order to advertise anything on Twitter, you’re required to pay $7 per month to get a blue check (the bare minimum) on your account. To get the gold check mark (i.e. the Cadillac of checks), you’re looking at $1,000 per month.

With low retail and wholesale prices and insane competition with the illegal market, the gold check standard just isn’t do-able for many businesses. Especially the smaller mom-and-pop operations looking to expand their reach.

Second, Twitter is only permitting medical cannabis ads targeting users in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota and West Virginia.

And Missouri is the only state where Twitter permits recreational marijuana ads.

In addition, ads can’t include pricing, promote giveaways, contests  or sweepstakes, or offer promotions or discounts. As such, many cannabis business owners have found that Instagram and Reddit are more effective places to engage. They feel that Twitter is less interested in the cannabis consumer and more focused on the business side.

Unfamiliarity With Industry

As we mentioned above, another problem is the platform’s lack of understanding about the cannabis industry. And when Twitter announced it would allow marijuana ads, it was abundantly clear to interested cannabis companies that this was the case. The rules were very limiting.

One cannabis business owner and his team suggested ways to rewrite the rules so they weren’t so overwhelming. They suggested lifting the ban on running specials on their products with specific dispensaries. They also liked being able to insert their brand into conversations on the platform to start a dialog with possible customers about the conditions its products can help treat.

Twitter didn’t take them up on it. They deemed this an unfortunate decision for Twitter itself. After all, if Twitter were able to grab a big portion of the market before other platforms start allowing cannabis ads, they’d  be golden.

Even So, Twitter Does Have Its Advantages

Cannabis advertising on Twitter isn’t a total wash though. Even though business owners can only feature products in their packaging, they are permitted to promote branding and product-specific content.

Being able to talk about specific products is a means for educating consumers. They can strongly consider their demographics and target consumer profiles. That way, copy can be written that resonates with them.

And while Twitter has so many regulations and restrictions, it encourages companies to be more creative and define new audiences in its network. And as cannabis marketing and advertising continues to evolve on social  media platforms, things will surely change.

Could Your Cannabis Business Use More Exposure?

Even if cannabis advertising on Twitter is not a viable option for your business, you can never go wrong getting more eyes on your business.

If your current marketing strategy isn’t doing that, then contact us today to work with highly experienced cannabis marketing and public relations specialists. We have the expertise and know-how to make your business shine above the rest.