Cannabis SEO Case Study – How a Weed Delivery Service Doubled Organic Traffic in 6 Months

For businesses in Canada’s cannabis industry, achieving visibility in search engine results is tough due to advertising restrictions and fierce competition. This case study illustrates how a Canadian weed delivery service doubled its organic traffic in just six months through a tailored SEO strategy.

Cannabis SEO boosts visibility for businesses, helping them rank higher in search results and attract targeted, high-quality traffic globally. It offers a competitive edge by optimizing for local and international searches, increasing brand authority and reputation.

With better conversion rates and sustainable, long-term growth, SEO provides a cost-effective marketing strategy. It also helps businesses adapt to evolving industry trends and regulations.

Skip to the end to see the results.

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Initial Audit and Keyword Research

Before launching the campaign, we conducted a comprehensive audit and keyword research to identify challenges and opportunities. This preparation helped set achievable goals.

Challenges Identified:

Low Organic Traffic: Minimal visitors from search engines limited customer exposure.
Local Competition: Difficulty ranking for local keywords against established delivery services.
Technical SEO Issues: Slow site speed, broken links, and poor mobile usability affected user experience.
Content Gaps: Lack of localized landing pages and optimized product descriptions.
Weak Backlink Profile: Few high-quality backlinks resulted in low domain authority.

The audit included a competitive analysis to inform our strategy for doubling organic traffic.

Below are screenshots showcasing the client’s audit and keyword research deliverables, which were critical in planning the campaign.

To maintain confidentiality, all sensitive data, such as specific keywords, proprietary insights, and client identifiers, have been carefully omitted. These deliverables highlight the foundational work conducted prior to launching the campaign to ensure its success.

Cannabis SEO Campaign Strategy

The first month of the campaign concentrated on strengthening the foundation by addressing on-page SEO, fixing technical issues like site speed and mobile usability, and optimizing the Google Business Profile for local visibility.

Once these essentials were in place, the remaining five months shifted focus to building high-quality backlinks to boost domain authority, complemented by strategic content creation to target relevant cannabis-related keywords. This phased approach ensured steady, sustainable growth in organic traffic.

Strengthening Technical SEO
- Actions Taken:Improved site speed by compressing images and minimizing code.
- Results: Improved Core Web Vitals, faster site speeds, and a 20% reduction in bounce rates.
Local SEO Optimization
- Actions Taken: Optimized Google Business Profile with accurate information and regular responses to reviews.
- Results: Significant improvement in local map pack rankings and increased inquiries.
Creating High-Quality Content
- Content Strategy:Developed educational blog posts on relevant topics to establish industry expertise.
- Results: Blog traffic increased by 40%, with improved rankings for long-tail keywords.
Building Authority Through Backlinks
- Link-Building Strategy:Engaged in guest blogging with cannabis influencers.
- Results: A 25% increase in referring domains and higher rankings for competitive keywords.
Continuous Monitoring and Adjustments
- Key Metrics Tracked:Organic traffic growth, keyword rankings, and conversion rates from organic channels.
- Adjustments Made:Refined under performing blog posts based on insights.
- Results: The campaign more than doubled organic traffic, increased online orders by 35%, and improved rankings for competitive terms like “same-day weed delivery.”

Results: Organic Traffic (GSC Clicks) Traffic Doubled in 6 Months

The Google Search Console (GSC) data shows significant growth across three locations (A, B, and C), each with its own subdomain (the brand name is hidden to protect the client’s privacy). Location A’s GSC clicks increased from 0 to 43, Location B’s from 56 to 105, and Location C’s from 20 to 90, collectively more than doubling organic traffic over the 6-month campaign.

This growth highlights the success of a tailored SEO strategy for each subdomain, optimizing visibility and local search demand. To maintain confidentiality, sensitive data, including specific keywords and client details, has been omitted.

FAQ: Cannabis SEO Case Study

1. What is cannabis SEO and why is it important?

Cannabis SEO is the process of optimizing a cannabis-related website to rank higher on search engines. It’s essential for increasing organic visibility, driving targeted traffic, and ensuring compliance with industry regulations, helping cannabis businesses stand out in a competitive market.

2. How do I track SEO performance for my cannabis business?

Tracking SEO performance involves using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. These platforms provide data on traffic, keyword rankings, click-through rates, and conversions, enabling you to measure the effectiveness of your SEO efforts and adjust strategies accordingly.

3. What are the key metrics to monitor in cannabis SEO?

Important metrics include organic traffic, keyword rankings, click-through rates (CTR), bounce rates, and conversion rates. These help gauge the success of your SEO campaign, indicating how well your website is attracting and engaging visitors in the competitive cannabis space.

4. How long does it take to see results from cannabis SEO?

Cannabis SEO typically takes 3-6 months to show noticeable results, as search engines require time to crawl and index changes. The time frame depends on factors like competition, website authority, and the quality of SEO strategies implemented.

5. Why is local SEO important for cannabis businesses?

Local SEO helps cannabis businesses appear in search results for location-specific queries, driving targeted traffic to your dispensary or delivery service. Optimizing for local searches increases visibility, builds trust with nearby customers, and improves your chances of being discovered in your area.

6. Can backlinks improve cannabis SEO?

Yes, backlinks are a crucial part of SEO. Quality backlinks from relevant, authoritative sites signal to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy. This boosts your website’s domain authority, improving its chances of ranking higher in search results for cannabis-related queries.

7. How do Google Business Profile and local listings affect cannabis SEO?

Google Business Profile and local listings enhance your online visibility, particularly in local search results. By optimizing your profile with accurate information, photos, and reviews, you improve your chances of ranking higher and attracting local customers to your cannabis business.

8. What role does content play in cannabis SEO?

High-quality, relevant content is key to cannabis SEO success. It helps address user queries, drives organic traffic, and improves rankings. Blogging, product descriptions, and FAQs are great ways to provide valuable content that aligns with search intent and builds your brand’s authority.

9. How can I ensure compliance with SEO for cannabis websites?

To ensure SEO compliance, avoid using restricted keywords like “marijuana” or “cannabis” in places that violate platform policies. Focus on general, legal keywords like “weed delivery,” “hemp products,” and “medical marijuana.” Always stay updated on industry regulations to avoid penalties.

10. What are the benefits of using Google Search Console for cannabis SEO?

Google Search Console offers valuable insights into how your cannabis website performs in search results. It tracks keyword rankings, click-through rates, and site errors, helping you identify areas for improvement and optimize your SEO efforts for better visibility and performance.