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The Most Useful Social Media Automation Functions

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Did you know that you can put your brand’s social media activity on auto-pilot? It takes some strategy, just like anything else. But there are tools out there that can definitely make you feel like a one-person social media department. 

These tools have many different functions, and not all of them are going to be useful or economical for your brand. In fact, everyday social media users have grown savvy to some of the automated tools out there and can spot automated activity a mile away. 

You don’t have to go “full robot” – here are the most useful automation functions you can start using right away to politely grow your social media accounts.

Scheduling

For those of us (most of us) who are simply not around to post on their channels all day, managing social media can seem like a daunting task. Signing on and posting takes precious minutes that we could be spending on another task. 

Scheduling tools can be found through software services like Hootsuite or Buffer, or, you can schedule future posts to a brand’s Facebook Page for free, right inside the Facebook platform. That way, you can schedule posts out for the week (or the month) in one sitting. 

Engaging

There are apps and tools out there to make it seem like you are liking, commenting and engaging with others’ posts on Twitter and Instagram. Typically it requires you to target the type of user, or a hashtag in order for the “robot” to find people to interact with. 

Unfortunately, there aren’t yet automation tools for engaging with Facebook posts. You will have to engage authentically there by liking and commenting on existing posts. 

Following

On Instagram and Twitter, the amount of followers you get is proportional to the amount of time you spend following other similar accounts. Easy to do for those of us who live on our phones – but for a busy entrepreneur? Not so much. 

Auto-follow, and more importantly, auto-unfollow tools are some of the most valuable in the social media world. Nobody in their right mind could sit and follow 400 new users per day with their thumbs, but with automation, it’s more than possible. 

We’re getting started on InstaZood after another of our favorite tools got shut down. Give it a try and see how powerful your account can really be!  

Need a team to help you delve into the world of social media marketing? Our experts are here to help, and located all around the west coast. Reach out to Social Media Unicorn to get started.

7 Points of Research & Evaluation for Cannabis Infused Product Brands

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Selling cannabis infused products in the modern era is a big business game. Infused edible and topical brands must remain extremely current on the state of the industry in order to keep providing a viable product. Below are our key points to note when researching and re-evaluating your cannabis brand.

Your Competitor’s Branding

Looking at your competitors is how you figure out what you do and don’t want your brand to become. Pick apart their colors, branding, messaging, product design and packaging and decide how you will improve upon them. There’s absolutely no point in putting out a new product if it’s not going to be head and shoulders above its predecessor! 

Quality Sourcing

No matter what type of infused product you want to make, in this economy, ingredients are king. Cannabis consumers are among the world’s most health-conscious emerging demographics. That means they expect everything to be healthy, natural and on-point as possible – from the cannabis you extracted from, to the base and inactive ingredients that provide the ancillary user experience. In other words, few will want to buy a high fructose corn syrup-based cannabis beverage made with “trim run” concentrate, so source smart. 

Consumer Taste Trends

Think everyone likes sweets? Think again. Infused product brands that do well in the cannabis world are those that think outside the box and cater to eccentric or trendy tastes. Salty and savory brands are popping up with great success to counter the sugary cookies and brownies of old. Canna-butter is going by the wayside in favor of healthier cold-pressed infused coconut or olive oils. Time for you to find your product’s true niche in this market, rather than continue in the old way of thinking.

Dosage Demographics

Not every cannabis consumer wants a 100mg THC brownie – and realizing that is the first step to success on your infused product branding journey. When developing and new product or re-evaluating an existing one, it’s ideal to land your dosage somewhere in between your competitors. For example, if there are only a few cookies on the market and they are 25mg, 100mg, and 250mg respectively, then you should set out to create a 40mg version to offer consumers a unique and different option.

Product & Package Design

How many of your products can fit on a shelf? What does your packaging look like next to your competitor, or in a magazine spread? Does your labeling material or pigment scratch off easily? Would you rather be known as the eco-friendly tight packager, or provide luxurious box-and-padding to house your product? All of these are questions you should ask yourself as retail models and consumer desires in the cannabis industry change. 

Retailer Choice

One big part of infused product branding that many entrepreneurs neglect, is where the products are sold. If you have a luxury or high-end cannabis product, do you really want it on the shelves at a “mom and pop” shop in the industrial part of town? Rather, find dispensaries and delivery services who ascribe to the same values that you do. Developing these retailer relationships early on will bring long-term success, much better than short-term sales, and will keep you exposed to the same general customer demographics for years to come. 

Brand & Voice

You can bet that your product will attract fans as soon as it hits dispensary shelves. Part of developing an infused product brand is to form a distinct personality and voice for the company. That means deciding which age groups and lifestyles you’re going after. Once you’ve decided, you’ll be able to respond to comments and feedback in a professional manner, while building trust with your social media audience. Plus, you can naturally evolve this personality over the years as your target customers and products change. 

The 5-Point Social Media Strategy Anyone Can Master

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Doing social media strategy yourself is a learning process. There are new rules, trends and influencers to follow any given week. You’ve got to understand algorithms (as best you can, anyway) and principles of copywriting, photography and public relations. It can certainly be a lot to remember! 

Whether you manage your brand’s entire social presence, or just have a say in the process, you should know these five guiding principles of social media.

Be Authentic

The first rule of social media is to be authentic! Whether that means embracing your goofy side once in awhile, or telling the truth when your brand has a crisis, the idea is the same.

Engage Regularly

You might think that posting on Facebook about once a week, when you feel like it, is an adequate strategy. While this is the bare minimum to keep a page active on the platform, it won’t help your account gain any users. For the most part, you’ve still got to actively engage with other humans on Facebook in order to see success. That means:

  • posting daily or multiple times daily;
  • inviting your personal contacts to Like your page and asking others to do the same;
  • engaging and adding value in Groups; and, likely,
  • running Ads to generate traffic. 

Plan Ahead

So you wrote a month’s worth of blogs, tweets, and Instagram posts, but now your 30 days is up and you’re out of material. The content planning process is literally never ending for social media managers. Remember, you’re playing the long game, and regular (even daily) authentic engagement is a must to stay relevant in a sea of trendy new accounts. 

Use Spell Check

Typos? Grammar slips? Plain poor phrasing? None of these things make a pretty social media share. Yet, so many are too trigger happy and hit “post” before their content is on point. Run post copy, graphics and spelling past a colleague or friend that you trust. Sometimes all you really need is a second set of eyes on your work. 

Be Cohesive

Our last piece of advice is to stay consistently on-brand with all your social media postings. Use the same colors, symbolism, voice and phrasing in ever post. By doing this, you’ll avoid confusing your audience like many brands do trying to capitalize on the latest memes and trends. Instead your fans will recognize your posts seconds before they even see the brand name. 

Maybe you know all this already, but for some reason your social strategies just haven’t been sticking lately. Your content may just need a nudge in the right direction, or a second creative opinion. 

Brands and individuals making their mark in the cannabis industry, we’ve got your back. Call a Social Media Unicorn to help give your project some much-needed direction. 

4 Cannabis Brands Using Photography To Their Advantage

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We love to talk about sharp branding photography for cannabis because, in today’s social media universe, it can truly make or break your communication strategy.

Product or lifestyle photography for your brand should embody as much of your identity, personality and colors as possible, while inspiring creativity or new ideas in the person viewing the photo. Instead of just thinking, “that’s a pretty photo!” your goal should be to stimulate in the viewer a newfound desire to incorporate your brand into their existing lifestyle. People in the cannabis community hold their routines and rituals in high regard; show that your product understands that. 

These four companies have been #killingit with their social media photography lately, and savvy cannabis consumers are taking notice. Take a leaf or two out of their book! 

Dipstick Vapes

Coming up in the personal vaporizer market against major competition that’s been in play for years (think PAX vs. Firefly, Dabado vs. Dr. Dabber) isn’t easy for most brands to strategize.

Dab & Puff 💨💨 #HappyDipping #TossTheTorch #Dipper #Dipstickvapes

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Dipstick Vapes handles the pressure with style, using gorgeous professional photography of their sleek metallic devices and full, luscious puffs of smoke to attract the eye. Their Instagram account is new, but already wooing high-end vape customers to their portable “nectar collector” for easy concentrate consumption on the go. 

Humble Flower Co. 

A topical company with roots in California’s famed Humboldt area, this brand brings the outside in to create a beautiful and appealing social media photography strategy.

Our products are non-psychoactive, meaning they won't get you high. However by applying Humble Flower Co. topicals to your skin, your bodies natural system of receptors will utilize the medicine where it is applied. Headache, cramps, arthritis, you name it, cannabis has powerful healing properties when applied to ailments.

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All of Humble’s product photos are staged with colorful wildflowers, herbs and shrubbery in contrast with the clean and modern lines of their packaging. 

The Kush Queens

Already well-known for their Instagram imagery that is female-friendly and full of memery, The Kush Queens are putting their photo prowess to good use now that they’ve launches their very own products.

Come visit us in the @sol_distro Village @hightimesmagazine #Cannabiscup #thekushqueens #TheLitKit #soldistro

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Earlier this year they released The Lit Kit, a pretty box filled with a pre-rolled cone, small chocolate edible and medicated bath bomb for the perfect night in. The professional-looking package has inspired hundreds of fans to create their own Instagram photo content around The Lit Kit – a social media gift that keeps on giving for its creators. 

Remedy

Remedy, out of Las Vegas, continues to stun the market with packaging and brand marketing that is ahead of its time. Clearly they are gearing up to serve the exploding 21+ market come summertime.

We have set the gold standard for wellness with our Gold Capsules. For solvent-free pain relief and overall wellness nothing is better. #MMJ #MedicalMarijuana #Wellness #Health #Fitness #ChronicPain #CannabisCommunity #VegasWeed #WeedFam

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From color-coordinated pill cases for their cannabis capsules, to their sleek black-and-white vape case, to their brand symbolism of hands in their lifestyle photography, and even the close-up shots of their golden oils and top-grade flowers, Remedy is one of the top brands to watch in Nevada. 

What are your favorite cannabis brands putting out first-class brand photography? Share a link with us in the comment section. 

10 Ways Lab Testing Helps Make The Cannabis Brand

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Let’s get one thing clear: lab testing cannabis is an absolute must.

Though most legal markets require it by law, really, the only ones who still have to catch up to modern times are operators in California. It’s because of the west coast market that lab testing requirements in states such as Nevada are as strict as they are now. No other state wants to take chances on pesticides and molds! 

If you think getting your product tested at a lab is just a chore, read on to learn why it could actually make or break your brand. 

Builds Trust

Lab testing your products proves to the world that you are a legitimate operator in the cannabis space, creating products that are free of toxins and dangerous chemicals. Congratulations on putting drug dealer stereotypes in the past! 

Shows Transparency

Customers aren’t the only ones who are going to want to see your lab tests. By always having them current, you’re appeasing local and state regulators, too. The more we share with the world about the contents of medical cannabis products, the more progress we will make collectively as an industry. 

Displays Quality

You already think your product is the best – don’t you want others to think so, too? From the terpenes, to the humidity levels, to the major and minor cannabinoids, your trusty lab test should definitely make your product shine. 

Educates Patients

Not every patient or adult-use consumer is aware of the chemical composition of their cannabis. For those who are interested in learning more, it’s nothing short of fascinating to peruse the various lab tests at the dispensary. Make sure yours is one of them.

Proves Potency

Simply saying that your flower, oil or edible is the strongest just doesn’t hold much water in today’s cannabis economy. A certified laboratory test is the only way to prove to retailers and customers that yours is the real deal – and worth the price. 

Creates Consistency

What makes a cannabis consumer come back again and again? A product that looks, smells, tastes and works the exact same way every time. Of course, there will always be slight variations between batches of cannabis products, but your lab tests will help you keep them as consistent as possible to please your biggest fans. 

Helps Retailers

By viewing the lab tests on your products, dispensary managers and staff should be able to discern a few things. First, it will help them figure out how to price and display it among their other inventory. Second, they will be able to appropriately direct patients to the right product for them based on the chemical composition of each product. 

Supports Industry

Bottom line, cannabis testing laboratories need to make money, just like the rest of us in this space. Make a friend and ally for life by developing a value-based relationship with your lab that goes beyond just the “bare minimum” testing requirements.

Calms Opposition

In this industry, we are always trying to counter fear-based arguments from prohibitionists. Lab testing cannabis shows that these products are safe and therapeutic – making them the ultimate tool in the fight against anti-cannabis trolls. 

Boosts Legitimacy

All in all, testing your product makes the cannabis industry and the people in it look a whole lot better to the outside world. We hope you take it seriously as all of our clients do!

Weed Revolution: Reforming Markets To Watch in 2017

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Activists used to have to chant “legalize it!” but now it’s almost hard to keep up with all the reforms happening nationwide. It’s no longer all about Denver, Seattle and San Francisco. Every major market in the U.S. will have their time to shine eventually, each learning from their predecessors. 

Learning how to adapt and sell cannabis in emerging markets is key for ambitious entrepreneurs. Keep your eyes on the prize by following these four hot markets over the next six to seven months: 

California

Industry eyes are on California while businesses are scrambling to decode a new book of regulations, which have been largely missing from the state’s laws since 1996. California is the unofficial cannabis capital of the world, with the largest number of consumers, cultural events, dispensaries and individual product brands.

Nevada

Unlike its neighbor to the west, Nevada’s recreational cannabis market is set to come online this summer, with dispensaries opening to the legal public in early July. We might be biased, but we think our home state has the most potential of all! With millions of fun loving, legal-aged tourists passing through Las Vegas each year, you can bet that many of them will be taking advantage of our world class cannabis by the end of this year.

Ohio

The state of Ohio dodged a bullet a few years ago by rejecting an adult-use legalization initiative that would have created a monopoly among a handful of cultivators. Now, they’re ready for a more inclusive approach with their medical marijuana program, the rules of which are still being written. Once the regulations are neatly tied up, this market is expected to become one of the largest in the midwest region.

Florida

One of the states that will likely shape future cannabis reform, both in the South and on the East Coast is the Florida market. Though still somewhat restrictive when compared to the big markets out west, it’s more inclusive than the “CBD-only” policies in Georgia, Tennessee and Texas. Florida’s dispensaries will not be permitted to retail products with a high THC dosage, but there will be identification cards issued in the next 9 months.

Ready to make an impact in your local market? Or maybe you’re looking to expand. Having Social Media Unicorn on your team will supercharge the process. Give us a shout! 

The Top 3 Growing Demographics for Cannabis Users

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No matter where you stand in the business of cannabis, you’ve simply got to know who’s out there consuming it.

Dated stereotypes of the marijuana user no longer apply. At first glance, to the naïve marketer, it may seem like only young, hip city folk are using the latest and greatest cannabis products. We like to look a little deeper than that. 

Get to know the three fastest-growing groups of consumers in the cannabis world right now: 

Baby Boomers

There’s no question about it: the generation of people born post-WWII are a dominant buying force in the U.S. economy. That means that as legalization spreads from state to state, Baby Boomers remain the fastest growing group of patients and consumers, tossing aside the old stigma for a new lease on health and wellness. 

Rising health care costs and low satisfaction with prescription medication treatments are leading more and more aging people to give cannabis another try – often for the first time in decades. 

Millennials & “Gen Z”

Not only have Millennials had the privilege of growing up around changing attitudes about cannabis, they’ve also led the charge in making marijuana a mainstream wellness product. 

The subsequent generation of youth consumers, dubbed “Generation Z,” are now quickly approaching legal age to purchase their own vape pen or edible in one of several regulated adult-use states. Time will tell just how involved this generation will be in the modern cannabis culture, but you can bet their tastes will be refined by lifestyle influencers and top-quality products they’ve seen on Instagram. 

The Elderly

Don’t discount the impact that elderly people will have on legal cannabis markets in the next few years – especially as curious Baby Boomers begin to see their health care costs skyrocket even higher as they age.

Medical cannabis is providing comfort to more people than ever so that they can live out the rest of their years in health and happiness. Through various channels, the word is getting out that pot beats pills any day of the week.  

If you are an entrepreneur launching a product or service in the cannabis space, you need to figure out who your customers are.

We can help! Hire one of our Unicorns today to put your brand on the map.