By 2024, the CBD industry is forecasted to hit $20 billion – at over 700% growth! The stats become much clearer when you realize that a 2019 study showing that 40 percent of people in their 20s and 15 percent of people aged 60 and above have used CBD. When it comes to marketing CBD the most common question is can you advertise CBD on Facebook and Instagram?
According to Gallup, in America, 14 percent of people actively use CBD products, while 64 million Americans have tried CBD products. These staggering figures simply explain why CBD marketing has always remained a front-burner topic for a long time now. It is the same reason the number of CBD marketing consultants steadily increases.
Of course, everyone wants a piece of the cake. Now, the Internet isn’t only the most popular option for CBD marketing. It is, in fact, the most effective one. This is because Internet sales are currently the leading CBD sales channel, with 60% of the market.
However, CBD entrepreneurs have voiced their concerns about CBD marketing on Facebook and Instagram – two of the biggest social media platforms in the world now. These concerns are exactly what this article addresses. Specifically, it discusses CBD, Facebook, and Instagram’s unfriendly CBD policies and how you can sidestep these policies and advertise on the platforms effectively.
Cannabidiol
Cannabidiol (CBD) isn’t just one of 113 compounds you find in the cannabis plant; it is, in fact, the most valuable one. Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t possess psychoactive properties that typically get you high. CBD claimed to treat a wide range of symptoms and illnesses.
CBD’s proponents have noted its effectiveness in treating epilepsy, chronic pain, inflammation, PTSD, anxiety, depression, arthritis, psychosis, and even chronic additions. So, it is no surprise that academic researchers such as the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research and the University of California San Diego are taking a closer look at CBD for its potential anti-cancer properties.
Facebook & Instagram’s Unfriendly CBD Policies
CBD has a short history but a long one. It has come a long way from total cannabis prohibition to partial decriminalization and regulation. Yet, strict advertising policies remain a towering giant that continually dwarfs the prospects of CBD entrepreneurs.
Facebook and facebook-owned Instagram are some of the CBD’s most active adversaries. Attempts to advertise on 1.5 billion daily-active-members Facebook are constantly frustrated as Facebook still treats CBD like contraband. When you mention anything related in your CBD related ads, you simply find your advert rejected, account shut down, and profile potentially banned from the Facebook community for not adhering to their terms and conditions.
Facebook bans adverts for CBD ingestible even though these products were not explicitly highlighted in their advertising policies. But following a suit by CBD brands, Facebook has since relaxed its “outright ban” on CBD products, but this hasn’t exactly turned the tables to favor CBD entrepreneurs.
Noteworthy, though, current FDA and DEA laws permit CBD advertisers to run only topical hemp CBD ads on Facebook.
This is why it is not uncommon to find CBD businesses directing adverts to landing pages that feature topical CBD and ingestible hemp – because the Facebook ad itself cannot feature these products.
It is similarly not uncommon to find Facebook prohibiting ingestible CBD ads directing to landing pages that feature those products. This is not surprising, though, considering that a spokesperson for Facebook has stated, “Our policy remains the same: we don’t allow people to promote CBD or ingestible hemp CBD ads on Facebook.”
For Instagram, this situation is quite similar. You’ll likely have your ads disapproved, or get your account banned or shut down when you advertise CBD products on Instagram. These are the limitations. So, how do we get around them?
Getting Around Facebook And Instagram’s Cbd Ad Policies
Without a doubt, Facebook’s position on ingestible hemp CBD ads is quite clear. It would, however, interest you to know that there are a few tricks CBD entrepreneurs can use to promote CBD products without getting caught in Facebook’s ad policy web.
First, do not include the term CBD in your domain name. Here, when you create a Facebook account, desist from mentioning CBD or cannabidiol anywhere on the page. Also, remove any CBD-related keywords from your website.
Second, find a creative way to explain your CBD products to customers – CBD images could be used here. Then, create a Facebook ad that doesn’t mention CBD in the ad copy OR image. In this ad, focus on the benefits of your product only. Essentially, churn out content on peculiar and relative benefits of CBD to a diverse category of your audience.
Third, find an audience interested in hemp oil and tailor your ads to suit their perceived taste. While you do this, you may launch your compliant CBD campaign.
Fourth, make it a point of duty to interact with your followers. Reply to comments, messages, and queries as quickly as possible. It would help if you made your Facebook activities follower-centric to enjoy their goodwill and patronage.
Similarly, there are numerous ways to optimize this billion-user platform without appearing like advertising. Here are quick and easy steps to promote your brand – or advertise successfully – on Instagram.
First, engaging with your local community must be a priority.
This can easily be done by reposting local content. This way, you can build your reputation and create goodwill to make your brand reputation as it would be community-based. Also, create a local lifestyle, and expand your reach by featuring local city/town landmarks in your content.
Second, stemming from the above, you must use hashtags, add location tags, and other IG local marketing tools to boost awareness of your CBD product. Get involved in popular hashtags in the local area. This is really because the more people who are following that hashtag locally, the more visibility you get. Avoid generic hashtags like #cbd or #hempoil, and explore geo-modified versions.
Third, create a niche for your brand and establish trust in your followers. You can do this by showing how you and your followers personally use CBD in everyday life.
Fourth, and very importantly, be deliberately social! When you interact with people, they equally interact with you, view your profile, and follow your content. Show your followers that you care about them, appreciate them, and always thank them for sharing and tagging your content.
In conclusion
There is no doubt that the tides are not favorable for CBD entrepreneurs seeking to leverage the huge traffic on Facebook and Instagram. Yet, CBD forecasts demonstrate that the future is bright for CBD. Marketing consultants are aware of this, and their patronage has increased in recent times. It is therefore important that as CBD entrepreneurs, we must optimize the available ad options on Facebook and Instagram, despite the odds.
