Certain niche industries face the looming challenge of restricted marketing and advertising due to being deemed “controversial”. Lately, as the cannabis industry has been blooming, many of the companies in this trade are hitting these very roadblocks in their business growth.
But, don’t worry. There are many other profitable industries that have overcome this same hurdle. To name off a few, there’s:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Gaming
- Online Dating
- and especially cannabis
So, what does an industry facing blocked or limited channels do in order to succeed in reaching their goals?
Restricted Channels
Google Adwords
Unlike other businesses, industries with restricted niches face varying hurdles in typical marketing and advertising strategies. Even one of the biggest digital platforms through Google, Adwords, has specific policies in play for businesses to follow.
Ecommerce Websites
Other restrictions will pop up from certain Ecommerce websites, such as Amazon. Certain products and categories are restricted from the site. In following our cannabis example, many cannabis-related products and accessories are categorized as completely prohibited.
Social Media Platforms
Another restricted area is through social networks, such as Facebook. Twitter and Instagram also extend restrictions on their advertised content. But, with a solid content strategy, lots of engagement on posts, and a true commitment to building up an online following in order to see a decent return on investment.
No matter where you publish content, be sure your business is familiar with regulations and restrictions in order to avoid having banned accounts
How Restricted Industries Can Succeed
Without the standard ability to use popular social platforms to reach an audience, certain niche businesses need to be extremely savvy about how to advertise effectively. The following advice can help businesses along who are facing these hurdles.
Know Your Audience
For any business, even those without restrictions, this is a crucial step. However, for restricted industries, it’s important to fully understand the exact audience you’re looking to target. When the most popular ways to reach out aren’t an option, it’s good to know where else your customers will be looking.
Make Company SEO Top Priority
Organic search is, hands down, the strongest way to build an audience online. By prioritizing SEO strategies in a restricted niche, you expand your reach to new customers. Since Google cannot restrict what, exactly, people search for, businesses can get the upper-hand in search results by knowing the right keywords to use.
If your business doesn’t already have someone who is devoted to your SEO efforts, it’s highly recommended to patch up this weak element. Even reaching out to those outside of your business who specialize in SEO, such as reputable consultants and agencies, will end up profiting restricted niches. Kusheo is one such agency that devotes SEO efforts toward the cannabis industry and has a focus on getting around the restrictions many other cannabusinesses face.
SEO investment should be a no-brainer addition to your business tactic. Identifying SEO opportunities and issues is top priority for successful businesses, especially in a restricted niche industry.
Create Effective Content
It’s crucial to have to content on your business website that your specific audience is looking for. What are their interests? Has all the information they would be looking for actually provided? Content that answers these questions and caters to your intended audience is the cornerstone for proper SEO strategies.
How do you determine the content that is just right for your audience? How can you be sure your website content is truly effective?
- Listen to your customers
- Use tools for keyword suggestions
- Figure out the type of content (text, image, video, etc.)
Finding free options to improve your website experience is easy, but there are plenty of paid-for options as well! Never be afraid to invest in your business – just be smart.
Share Content On Appropriate Platforms
Be sure that where your company’s content is being shared is actually effective. Different platforms require varied strategies to ensure they are being used in the best way for your business. Reaching an audience is one thing… engaging with them is another.
Small businesses and those in restricted niches should utilize these routes as much as possible, since typical advertising methods won’t work. Finding niche communities is a perfect to help build a targeted audience!
In the case of restricted industries, finding niche directories is essential. Restricted industries tend to have passionate groups that are happy to talk about a market that doesn’t get as much “love.”
Overview
Restricted niche industries face extensive hurdles in building a solid brand and audience because of the hindrances placed by popular advertising and marketing platforms.
Building a team to help your business succeed is essential… this includes your target audience. By taking the necessary time to create a website with content that is relevant to a niche market and community, you can bypass these roadblocks. Finding the right way to do it is just as important. Don’t be afraid to reach out to other niche agencies that can help your business soar!
