The cannabis industry is booming, more and more consumers look to the internet to share and socialize with other marijuana enthusiasts on a daily basis. We cover the top social networks for cannabis and how being atop the cannabis business social network will help position your company for industry dominance. Also, we’ll be touching on how to interact with each community from a business perspective and how to become the “go-to” cannabis business on all social networks.
What is a Cannabis Social Network?
A cannabis social network is a web portal where individuals who are interested in marijuana can come together, share their thoughts and ideas, as well as interact with each other through photos, video, messages, and chat forums.
With so many consumers turning to these sites for information on all things pot-related, it’s crucial that businesses establish themselves within the community early on before they get left behind.
What Makes Social Networks Different Than Cannabis Business Directories?
Well obviously there will be some overlap but largely speaking; every site has its own unique features that make it stand out from one another. For example: LeafedOut (formerly LeafedIn) focuses primarily on business-to-business networking, while Cannabisjobs at large caters towards companies looking to hire new employees (but also features some job postings as well). Other sites like Weedmaps and Massroots allow users to engage with one another through contests, polls, surveys, messaging and much more.
Basically, cannabis social networks are designed to help marijuana enthusiasts interact with eachother through photo, video, commenting, social sharing, and direct messages. Whereas cannabis business directories are designed to appeal to consumers looking for a specific type of marijuana-based business and doesn’t have the social interaction features included. Directories are just business information listed out on a profile page of each cannabis business.
The Best Cannabis Business Social Networks
While we can’t pinpoint which cannabis social network is best for you – that will depend on the industry your business falls under – we’ve compiled a list of our top nine favorite marijuana communities:
#1 - LeafedOut (formerly LeafedIn)
LeafedOut (formerly known as LeafedIn) is similar to the business social mogul LinkedIn. This is the most popular cannabis business social network in existence today. With over half a million active members currently this site has come leaps and bounds from it’s inception back in 2013. It’s reported that there are 500+ users signing up daily for LeafedOut and they boast an impressive average of over 4 million pageviews per month!
What makes LeafedOut so great? Well it’s not just an online portal where cannabis advocates can connect with each other; it also functions as a legitimate service allowing customers to find dispensaries they may be looking for.
Notable Features:
- Business To Business Interaction
- Direct Messaging Available
- Paid Advertising Options
#2 - MassRoots
Massroots is a marijuana-centric social network that was launched in 2013 by Isaac Dietrich and Tyler Knight with the intention of combining cannabis activism, technology and community. It’s currently one of the most popular cannabis sites on the web today boasting over half a million registered users as well as some impressive stats: they receive around 300k unique visitors per month from over 200 different countries who spend an average time on site of five minutes each visit – pretty dope if you ask us!
What sets MassRoots apart from other social media sites is the fact that it’s 100 percent self-censored which means no offensive or NSFW material will ever be posted on this site – only 420 friendly content! The founders of this site have also been very vocal about getting rid of any accounts promoting fraudulent businesses who post false advertisements for dispensaries and weed delivery services (i.e spammers).
Notable Features:
- High Traffic Volume
- Cannabis Only Material
- Updated News Feed
#3 - LeafWire
LeafWire is a solid social networking option for any cannabis business. The site and community is geared towards B2B interactions and cannabis business services. You won’t find many consumers on this site, but it is a great business networking and resource option available online.
LeafWire is a fabulous resource to connect with lawyers, consultants, accountants, marketing agencies and the like throughout the entire cannabis industry.
Businesses have the ability to advertise their company as well as post jobs and promote events through Leafwire’s system; all for free!
Notable Features:
- Job Posting Board
- All Cannabis Business Services
- Business Networking
#4 - WeedLife
WeedLife is one of the newer social networks in the cannabis world. It gives it’s users the ability to connect to other weed enthusiasts. One of the coolest things about this network is it offers a news feed that highlights new cannabis-related companies and services. In addition to the stellar updates, WeedLife has a robust chat forum and group chat functionality that it’s users love!
WeedLife is a marijuana social network dedicated to providing its members with the best cannabis news and information from across the web. It has been going since 2012 however only recently relaunched as a full-on social networking site for its two hundred thousand plus users to come together and discuss all things weed related!
Notable Features:
- Connect and Interact with Cannabis Enthusiasts
- Photo, Video, and Update sharing for cannabis topics
- View product reviews and dispensary information
#5 - GrassCity
Grasscity is a cannabis social network which allows its members to share pictures and videos of their favorite weed products as well as chat with friends about the latest developments in marijuana industry. It also has an online shop where you can purchase marijuana paraphernalia!
Grasscity is most widely known for their online forums covering all encompassing topics surrounding the cannabis lifestyle and business world.
Notable Features:
- Highly Active Forums
- Oldest Online Marijuana Community
- Online Shopping
#6 - WeedBook.co
Weedbook is a cannabis networking platform that allows people to connect with each other based on their location and interests; much like the popular social network Facebook! Their site provides users with an endless stream of weed related news articles as well as unique ways for them to meet new friends who share similar views about marijuana.
Currently boasting over 100k members this website really does offer something different when it comes to finding others within your local area looking for weed buddies or simply discussing all things ‘green’.
Notable Features:
- Direct Messaging Platform
- Newsfeed similar to Facebook
- Active Users
#7 - MJLink
MJLink is a marijuana social network which allows its users to discuss weed related topics from around the world. Their site has been going strong since 2013 and provides everything you need when looking for cannabis jobs or simply want to make friends who share your passion for marijuana! With over twenty thousand members this website really does offer something different compared to other networks on our list. The best part? It’s free!
MJLink also has a business directory built into the application in addition to it’s community and messaging features.
Notable Features:
- Job Posting Board
- Cannabis Business Directory Included
- Newly Active Community
#8 - Duby
Duby is a unique marijuana social network in that it allows you to connect with likeminded people and grow together. They have been going since 2012 and offer everything from cannabis jobs, dispensary reviews, weed articles as well as access to their very own cultivation guide! With over fifty thousand users this site truly does live up to its name – providing all the best cannabis information for free! Only available as an app on Google Play and the Apple Store.
Notable Features:
- Online Cultivation Guide
- Active Community
- Cannabis Business Interaction
#9 - WeedAble
Weedable is available as a mobile app as well as an online website platform. With on-the-go notifications, Weedable gives it’s users a first class experience when following their favorite cannabis brands and dispensaries. As a business, you can leverage Weedable to interact and communicate directly with your consumers and brand ambassadors.
Notable Features:
- Brand Following
- Cannabis Consumer Interaction
How To Interact on Cannabis Social Networks
The greatest feature of all the social networks we listed above is they offer the ability to connect directly to your consumers and potential customers that may have never known about your cannabis business prior to interaction. As opposed to traditional marketing and promotion systems, cannabis social networks give you the opportunity to connect to people on a more personal and intimate level.
Making Friends on Social Networks
The best way to interact with users on cannabis social networks is by connecting via the ‘friend’ system. This allows you to keep your personal information private whilst at the same time being able to view, share and post updates just like any other popular social networking site! Best of all it’s 100% free for anyone looking to connect within the unique communities available online.
Exploring Cannabis Social Hashtags
To find out more about cannabis industry news or discuss weed related topics with people around the world, simply search for relevant hashtags e.g #weedlife, #marijuana, etc (hashtags are similar to keywords). By doing so you will soon begin seeing posts from others interested in everything marijuana as well as be able chat live through instant messaging platforms within the specific social network apps.
Commenting on Personal Posts
One of the most valuable tasks you can perform as a cannabis business is giving a consumer the “feels” of you recognizing them as a customer. By simply going on to your followers personal posts and commenting about their photo, video, or news update – you will show them that you are aware of their existence and appreciate their business and online friendship.
Choose a Social Network Branding Strategy
When it comes to representing your cannabis business on social networks in general – you need to have a certain feel and uniform approach to how your company appears on the social networks.
Some companies go for a professional, product focused, and stringent type of persona. While others choose to share cool graphics, videos, and weed-related humor posts or memes. Whichever route you choose, be sure to stay up-to-date on the latest cannabis trends and social media regulations.
Advertising on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are typically forbidden unless you follow a certain guideline which we have extensive research and an article written on here: Can Dispensaries Advertise on Facebook.
When done correctly, you can start to gain a huge following of loyal cannabis enthusiasts that will be waiting everyday for a new post from your social media team. Be sure to always give out discounts and loyal customer perks to anyone following your social network accounts – as this will result in more and more customers interacting with your cannabis business.
Let's Close It Out
Keep in mind, the cannabis social networks we listed here each have their respective qualities and downfalls. However, any cannabis business in today’s highly competitive market needs to be active on any and every channel they can be. With over 7,500 dispensaries and another 3,000 cannabis brands actively operating throughout the nation – the landscape is becoming more and more crowded by the day. So it is of the utmost importance that your brand or company stands out from the rest and actually interacts with the cannabis consumer community.
If you are having trouble finding which social networks may be best for your company, feel free to reach out to us and talk with one of our marketing specialists about your brand strategy and marketing plan. Rank Rise Marketing is a full service, cannabis marketing agency and is always willing to help out any company free of charge!
For more great tips on how to increase your cannabis business customer reach and overall online presence, you may find our article about “How To Get More Customers To Your Dispensary” a solid read! Even if you aren’t a retailer, it still has many valuable tips to help navigate today’s online marketplace for cannabis products and brands.
