Connecting with others who think like us online is part of human life now. Thousands of social networks exist, with new versions targeted to new users developed all the time. Perhaps given the growing popularity of cannabis culture, the rise of the cannabis social network was inevitable.
Today there are many cannabis social networks that bring people who care about the plant, the industry, and the lifestyle together. You can connect with other cannabis connoisseurs, cannabusiness owners, medical marijuana patients, potheads, stoners, and friends on these networks, but some are better than others. Whether you are a cannabis enthusiast searching for a community or a cannabis brand hoping to market yourself, there are some great cannabis social network options out there for you.
In this post, we will cover why cannabis social networks are useful, the benefits of joining a cannabis business social network, the best cannabis social networks for both individuals and businesses, and the best ways to promote cannabis companies on cannabis-themed social networks.
Why A Social Network And Community?
A more formal business social network and community provides a sense of belonging, but also offers other benefits: a support network, new perspectives and new approaches, accountability, collaboration, and both personal and professional growth, for example.
Communities and network groups, whether they are built around geography, or some social or professional factor that binds users together, all have similar benefits for both their members and the larger ecosystem in which they operate.
The cannabis industry is a perfect space for such a community, because it follows a more complicated and stringent set of rules than most other industries. This set of circumstances offers a common goal to rally around and can foster collaboration, rendering us more effective and innovative than we were going it alone.
Why Join A Business Social Network And Community?
The cannabis industry has shown unprecedented growth in recent years. As legalization becomes the norm and the regulatory framework continues to favor the industry, this upward trajectory is projected to remain on track.
According to recent forecasts, the cannabis industry will be valued at $90.4 billion by 2026. After the 2020 election, 15 states and the District of Columbia have legalized adult recreational cannabis use, and 36 states permit medical marijuana use.
All of this means that there are new opportunities to sell cannabis and related goods and services legitimately, and it’s the right time to look at the best cannabis business social network options. If you’re already competing in this market, you’re in good company, with tens of thousands of other businesses in the US.
However, as you already know, cannabis businesses face serious advertising and marketing restrictions on mainstream sites. This has led to the creation of niche social media sites for cannabis users and businesses, cannabis business social networks. These platforms have the focused audiences who are interested in your products and services, so you should meet them there.
Here are some of the benefits of joining a cannabis business social network:
Find Your Tribe. Find like-minded individuals within industry to help you reach your goals, and help you grow both personally and professionally.
Collaborate With Peers. Take part in mastermind groups to help you work your way through problems, bounce ideas around, and innovate on your business or career trajectory.
Follow Emerging Trends. Engaging in cannabis social networks allows you to follow new cannabis industry trends and stay informed.
Rate and Review Cannabis Products. Many cannabis social networks allow users to share the products they love with other cannabis enthusiasts.
Learn From Experts. Connect with experts in the cannabis industry who will share the secrets of success with you.
Grow Your Network. Get to know other cannabis business owners who will help you grow personally and business wise.
Find Registered Dispensaries. Cannabis social networks are the best way to locate regulated medical marijuana dispensaries nearby.
Locate Talent or Get Hired. If you run a cannabis-based company or hire employees for one, you can find ideal job candidates on cannabis social networks—and if you’re a candidate, this is where to look.
Promote Your Business. List your company, products and services in cannabis directories to help with promotion.
Find Partners. Find professionals who are looking for your company’s product and services and are read to do business with you.
Connect with Potential Investors. Despite its amazing growth, the cannabis industry is considered a less stable prospect for investment, so finding investors is a challenge.
Cannabis Business Social Networks Can Help You Grow Your Business Or Career
The internet has opened up the world of business interactions. Even the smallest cannabis companies are going global and scaling quickly without massive investments, simply because of social networking.
As a business owner, social networking can help you grow faster thanks to one distinctive quality: making relationships more personal. Any business – especially one that is as sensitive as a cannabis business- thrives when the business itself is actively building a stronger rapport with its prospects.
In 2020, cannabis businesses are doing better due to more and better interactions, as well as open dialogue with their clients and prospects, and businesses, and investors. Social networks are facilitating this, while helping businesses humanize their brands to stay relevant for a long time.
Moreover, cannabis business professionals are taking advantage of the advanced targeting and remarketing options in social networking platforms to connect with their interested audiences better, while getting valuable insights about their audience and their niche in general.
Through these networks, cannabis business professionals connect with other like-minded professionals, share their passions and dreams, and learn from each other. As a professional in the cannabis industry, you also get a chance to boost your brand recognition as you showcase exactly how your business is unique, and why you’d be the best candidate for any support to grow your business.
Cannabis Social Networks For Individuals
There are quite a number of cannabis social networks that you can utilize to connect with like-minded individuals on a personal basis online. The top ones include the following:
Grasscity Forum
This network started off as a marijuana growing forum where people would link and chat about essential cannabis processes such as its cultivation. Today, it is one of the biggest cannabis forums online.
This is also a place where you can expect to find many different forums on which you can discuss with other cannabis lovers about anything related to cannabis – from smoking and growing to legalization and uses. The platform actually recently added a section to update its users with the latest news, as well as a special directory of good dispensaries within the US.
Duby
Duby has established itself as the biggest online cannabis community dedicated to smokers and lovers of marijuana. The cannabis social network is primarily meant to connect anonymous users to protect their identity from individuals and institutions that don’t support cannabis.
Many people consider this network the ideal place to make connections and friends with fellow users, so no wonder it has hundreds of thousands of active users. Duby is available in the Apple app store and Google Play store for iOS and Android users, respectively, although you can still access it through its website.
High There!
Some of the best personal social networks in the cannabis world are the dating social networks, and one of the ones that have been growing in popularity over the recent months is High There! This social network essentially connects people based on their weed strain or, in some cases, preferred device. If you’re interested in another marijuana user on the platform, an image of you is posted on the network, and other users get to match with your profile or not, and you do the same.
MJ Mary Jane
Some of us love taking and creating cannabis pictures, and sharing them with other cannabis lovers online. Other people love spending their afternoons going through inspiring marijuana images and even having their pot questions answered graphically. If you also love marijuana or marijuana-related images, then MJ Mary Jane is the social network for you.
They don’t call MJ Mary Jane the Pinterest of cannabis users for no reason. This is where you can spend your days posting or viewing amazing marijuana pictures, including marijuana smokers, growers and marijuana-infused food. The network also allows you to rate and bookmark all your favorite pieces, and follow your favorite people on the network.
420 Singles
If you’re looking for a personal cannabis network for more “personal” reasons, then this one could very well be the right destination for you. As the name suggests, this is one of the few pure social networking platforms for cannabis users that look and work like Tinder.
420 Singles pretty much works the same way as your regular dating site, allowing you to swipe left or right to get or avoid matches. The network has set an amazing standard for social applications dedicated to marijuana users.
Cannabis Social Networks For Business Owners
Many business owners have been joining the dedicated cannabis business social networks to promote their products and services. Some of the best networks for cannabis business owners include:
WeedCircles
This network is more like Google and LinkedIn put together, only fully cannabis themed. WeedCircles is a platform where cannabis business owners and marijuana enthusiasts sign up and connect.
Being a professional social network, this is one of those places you can expect to find the latest and best quality cannabis products, and even land awesome deals, especially if you are a cannabis business owner. So if you have a budding cannabis group or personal business and have been looking for a place to promote and boost its following, then this is the ideal social network for you.
MJLink
Many savvy marijuana social network users consider MJLink one of the best specialized platforms and directories. It strongly resembles LinkedIn, and is specially designed to facilitate professionals and entrepreneurs in the cannabis world.
From lawyers and growers to manufacturers, marketers, and traders, you can expect to connect with anyone you need to grow your cannabis-related business. MJLink partnered with WeedLife, another popular social network, a move that has since made the two businesses attract more than 2.5 million users each month. It also serves as a safe haven for marijuana business owners who have been denied registration at Google or Facebook.
WeedLife
I know WeedLife often looks like a personal social network on the surface, complete with standard newsfeed, but it’s not.
It is a relatively new cannabis business social network that is dedicated to cannabis entrepreneurs, and it is recording a good number of people business owners joining daily. The network features a unique social media platform that provides educational information, marijuana videos, business information, growing information, products, and so much more.
Even though the Weedlife Network still has a lot to do to become a leading cannabis hub, it still serves its purpose of being a reliable social media platform for any passionate marijuana entrepreneur and user. Although the platform offers social media networking for consumers, many businesses are showing up in large numbers, dominating the space, to take advantage of the large number of consumers.
LeafWire
This new cannabis business social network is often called the LinkedIn of the canna-business community. It is a gold mine of data, methods, strategies and news on the industry, businesses in this niche and their products.
This is one of those platforms where you can be guaranteed of finding all manner of details related to the whole cannabis industry, including strategies to get more customers and grow your business, and the latest cannabis news. Leafwire also attracts cannabis business owners because it offers one of the best means of finding investors.
Aspiring cannabis workers and potential employers are also offered an amazing opportunity to find each other through LeafWire’s well-facilitated job boards and communication channels. This social network is undoubtedly the best place to look for anyone making their first steps in the cannabis business.
CannaSOS
With over 400,000 users total on the platform each month, CannaSOS is certainly among the most massive cannabis business social networks. This is where you can go if you want to find information concerning the most recent strains, and other information concerning issues like finding the best and closest dispensaries.
You can also get assistance in other matters- such as asking for advice on the sale or cultivation of cannabis from the professionals. As a business owner, you are also offered the chance to join many groups and discuss all the niche topics you’ve always wanted to learn more in, while still connecting with your customers on the platform.
Weedable
Weedable is a mobile app designed for real-time interactions and personal connections in the cannabis community. Using it as a business allows your brand to create an online profile and interact with members of the weed-loving community and other cannabis fans. You can easily foster more meaningful customer relationships, share knowledge, and take part in 420 culture here.
There is also a display section that is easy-to-use and showcases a range of cannabis concentrates, strains, seeds, edibles, and other products. It’s a great idea to list products here and educate other cannabis enthusiasts about your brand and safe consumption.
MassRoots
Originally developed to connect college students with dependable local dispensaries, MassRoots was among the first-ever cannabis-themed social networks. Today, it is home to more than 1 million cannabis lovers, so it’s an ideal place for cannabis dispensaries and other businesses to deploy promotional tactics.
To sign up on MassRoots and promote your cannabis brand it’s very easy. Just register and list your business. The site encourages engagement by asking users to post reviews and rate products and offers them incentives for participating. Meanwhile businesses can oversee the performance of marketing and promotional campaigns by accessing customer analytics.
Bud Hubz
If you’re looking for new buddies or accommodations that are cannabis-friendly, a nearby dispensary or head shop, or even a local doctor who works with medical marijuana patients, Bud Hubz is your platform. The Foursquare for all things cannabis-related, Bud Hubz is easy to use and completely free.
Sign up for Bud Hubz to gain access to local neighborhood recommendations on cannabis-related businesses. You can also add your own business to their listings easily with one click. And if you’re on the go, find a place to eat, stay, or even people to hang out with right on the platform.
They call themselves the social weedia company for a reason.
420 Magazine Forum
420 Magazine—yes, it’s still around! But this old-school print magazine also has an online presence, and the forum section works like a social media network and is really popular.
Like the GrassCity Forum, you can find some really in-depth discussions between cannabis growers about growing strategies here. But you can also find political discussions on laws, regulations, legalization, and policies that could impact your business. This has blossomed into a place to make some solid business connections.
WeedMaps
WeedMaps is a user-friendly website that enables weed lovers to find the best stores, dispensaries, products, and strains in their area. Businesses can list their products, along with detailed information, images, and even video. It’s a great platform for reaching out to a huge audience with information about cannabis products and promoting them online.
Best Ways to Grow Your Cannabis Brand on Cannabis Social Networks
As we discussed above, the cannabis industry is growing fast, and this presents various opportunities for cannabis brands online. For this reason alone, it’s smart to make your brand’s presence on cannabis business social networks known in a memorable way.
Implement these proven tactics to get those results:
Educate Your Audience With Content
People dislike overly promotional brands that drown their audiences in marketing collateral. Instead, offer useful, educational content that interests your intended audience.
With cannabis in particular, consumers are interested in information and news connected to both recreational and medicinal use. Topics such as safe consumption and specific use and applications for particular products and cannabis strains are of high interest to cannabis users.
Therefore, inform and educate your audience about which choices are the best and why. If you can demonstrate your authority and reasoning, you will also by extension be demonstrating the quality of the product. Show consumers the best option and you prove that you are looking out for their best interests; they choose the best option automatically.
Use Hashtags
Hashtags are the short, hard to miss labels that makes content on specific topics or themes easier to find. Using hashtags related to cannabis culture for business enables social media users to find the information they need and cannabis brands to reach a substantial organic audience of cannabis consumers.
Connect with potential customers and cut through the noise by using relevant hashtags that are right for that social media space. Popular hashtags to try might include #cbd, #thc, #cannabiscommunity, #cannabisculture, #edibles, #medibles, or #420, for example. Search them on both cannabis-friendly and mainstream social media platforms to get a sense of how they function before using them.
Collaborate With Other Businesses
Establish yourself as an industry leader and increase your social media influence by engaging with and following other relevant brands and cannabis professionals.
For example, a dispensary should engage and connect with the brands it carries so its customers can get more information and value. This interaction can provide more branded content for users, and also help the dispensary tap into the established audience base of the product brands to increase its potential customers.
If the company, business, or brand interacts with your business or follows you back, their followers see your brand as a genuine, trusted canna-business, helping to cement your industry presence.
Work With Influencers
Working with social media influencers is another important cannabis business social network strategy. These influencers already have the attention of many social media—and cannabis—users. Conduct research so you can find a good fit with a social media influencer; your brand only wants to collaborate with someone whose content aligns with its values.
Macro-influencers on the cannabis scene have over a million demographically different cannabis users following them. Micro-influencers cover a range of 10,000 to 100,000 people. Both kinds of influencers can be very helpful to cannabis brands, as they are adept at serving content to loyal followers that is personalized around a specific interest, and their share is likely to cause followers to check out the product or website.
Maintain An Active Presence
As with any content strategy on social media, it’s important to stay active and present on cannabis-themed social networks. Maintaining a content calendar and staying on target with active posts can increase conversions.
Creating and sticking to this kind of routine lets followers know what to expect, and signals a reliable experience for them. This sets them up to expect the same from the brand as a whole, and shows them that the brand is a source of knowledge and ongoing entertainment.
Analyze how each post performs to gauge which content types your followers engage with the most. Talk to followers and potential customers on the network and listen to their feedback on posts. This data allows you to optimize your marketing strategy.
Build a Community
Leverage the entire cannabis business social network community to gain more followers for your business and build a digital communal space around your brand. Include people searching for products like yours, entertain and educate them, and welcome them into your niche community where they can get even more from the business and the brand.
You can also engage in online community building by supporting a charity, sponsoring events, or finding important causes to follow and engage with that are important to you and your brand. This helps the community see the brand as empathetic, and driven by real people who care about making an impact and social responsibility.
Search for seminars and conferences on cannabis-related topics to attend. Some may even be virtual, right on the platforms. At these events, you can benefit the brand by creating meaningful partnerships with other industry stakeholders.
And although you can use any of these strategies on popular mainstream platforms such as Instagram or Facebook, if you’re a cannabusiness, you’ll get more from them on cannabis business social networks which enable you to directly promote cannabis products to prospects.
Final Thoughts on Cannabis Social Networks
As you may have guessed, many cannabis-specific social networks have popped up to help cannabis fans and people in the cannabis business connect both socially and professionally. Whether you want to make more meaningful personal connections among people who share your values or you’re looking for a cannabis business social network, these top cannabis social networks are the places to start looking for the connections you want.
This list of cannabis social networks is in no way exhaustive, but if you are starting in the cannabis industry or you already have a cannabis-related business, you really need to get involved in them. They are well-run, managed professionally, and there for everyone’s benefit.
If you and your cannabis brand or business are part of these social networks, let us know if we missed any. And if you’re still curious about all things cannabis jobs and cannabis SEO and social media marketing, check out our main blog page.