Breaking Down Cannabis Policies on Social Media Platforms

Morgan Moresco on May 25, 2023

Posting about cannabis-related or CBD products on social media can be tricky. Regulation of the words used on creative and in captions/hashtags can cause your post to be flagged and your account to potentially be suspended.

Cannabis-Related No’s and Go’s

A good rule of thumb across all platforms is that you shouldn’t share images of the marijuana plant or people smoking. And stay away from the obvious words relating to cannabis: marijuana, weed, cannabis, kush, high, joint, THC, pot, and so on.

A common replacement across all platforms is “canna,” however, this can still be flagged. Everything is about carefully wording your captions and being strategic with ad campaigns, if possible. Here are some general guidelines for the major platforms to keep in mind.

Facebook:

Posts: Marijuana, cannabis, CBD, etc., are safe to use in organic content if it is educational and informative. Facebook bots can be fickle about this, but any issues can usually be resolved quickly.
Ads: Only topical CBD products can be advertised on Facebook, and you should still avoid using any cannabis-related language.

Instagram:

Posts: Instagram is a key marketplace for all businesses, but your cannabis/CBD company will not be able to utilize Instagram Shops. Many cannabis/CBD companies also opt for minimal to no hashtags in posts to protect their accounts.
Ads: Since Facebook and Instagram are both under Meta, their policies are pretty similar. However, in ads, you can use “hemp product” but not “CBD product.”

TikTok:

Posts: TikTok users have some fun workarounds when it comes to hashtags and caption wording. Alternative terms and spellings of cannabis-related words include “ouid,” “w33d,” “st0ner,” and “b0ng.”
Ads: TikTok is very aware of its young demographic, so they make cannabis/CBD advertising impossible.

Twitter:

Posts: Twitter is another place where sharing cannabis-related educational content is permitted. Many companies opt to share articles or their own blog posts.
Ads: Twitter only allows topical CBD products to be advertised. And you should only target locations/states in the U.S. where CBD is legal.

LinkedIn:

Posts: LinkedIn is very open to the sharing of information. If you promote primarily educational and informational content, then you’ll be fine. And, obviously, there are no restrictions to what you can show as your company name.
Ads: You still can’t directly advertise your products, but ads can show educational information that will still lead new people to your page/website. LinkedIn has never shut down an account and all ad reviews go to real people, who may be more forgiving than bots.

Pinterest:

Posts: When it comes to organic content, Pinterest is forgiving about using words/hashtags like cannabis, CBD, and hemp. People post informational graphics and recipes that usually don’t see any issues.
Ads: Pinterest is one of the only platforms that actually lays out its CBD-related advertising guidelines: “We will allow ads for topical hemp seed oil products in the United States that contain negligible amounts of THC and no CBD and make no therapeutic or medicinal claims.”

Google:

Ads: Since January of 2022, Google has started enforcing stricter rules and policies for advertising, which has significantly and negatively impacted cannabis/CBD ads through the platform. It is considered best to avoid it entirely and advertise elsewhere.

The Take-Away

Clearly, it’s not easy to advertise, let alone post, cannabis and CBD content on any platform. We hope, as various forms of marijuana become legal across the country, that social media regulations will change along with the laws. But until then, the keyword is caution.

The information listed about these social media platforms’ policies do not guarantee that your accounts won’t be shadowbanned or flagged at some point. In many cases, bots are the first ones to check accounts, and they can be unforgiving. But, we hope, this can help to avoid that as much as possible.

Contact 270M to learn more about how we can help promote your CBD business the right way.

Use Social Media E-Commerce to Boost Your Business

Morgan Moresco on April 22, 2022

Written by: Danielle Gazda

E-commerce in social media apps has come a long way in the last couple of years. Online shopping in this form was inevitable, but it developed much more quickly than most people expected. The pandemic forced people to stay in their homes and created a demand for more ways to shop online — it also opened a range of possibilities for retailers.

Based on Black Friday and Cyber Monday trends of recent years, online shopping is becoming more and more popular. Making purchases is even easier now that people can shop directly in commonly used social media apps.

Meta’s apps, Instagram and Facebook, have been at the forefront of e-commerce. Facebook even had a leg up with its Marketplace feature, which allowed any individual to sell products or resell items. Instagram and Facebook Shops, however, are more geared toward businesses. Thanks to algorithms that look at what customers are interested in, these shops have helped small businesses gain followers and sales, with or without paid advertising.

Your business can create e-commerce shops today!

Instagram & Facebook

Since these apps are both part of Meta, their commerce policies, community guidelines, and fees are the same. Setting up a shop on either platform is free and done primarily through the Commerce Manager on your company’s Facebook page.

When you set up your e-commerce shop, you will choose whether your customers will check out through the apps or if they will be sent to your website. There are pros and cons to both.

The major pro to in-app checkout is that customers will be more likely to complete a purchase. As people are pulled to websites outside of an app, often they stop and don’t buy. Even if they do browse the website, they are less likely to complete a purchase than if they could just buy through Instagram or Facebook.

The con is that there are fees involved with choosing to do checkout through Facebook and Instagram. While the fees are not ridiculously high, you may want to reduce any money loss if you have a small business. Whichever app a purchase is made in, Meta gets 5% of the total purchase per shipment. There is also an established flat fee of 40 cents if a purchase is $8 or less. (These fees are being waived through June 30, 2022, to help small businesses post-pandemic. It is unknown if this will be extended.)

It is also important to know Meta’s Commerce Policies and Community Guidelines about what businesses are permitted to sell through the apps. There are some restrictions. As an example, companies that sell CBD or marijuana-related products will not be able to sell through the apps.

TikTok & Pinterest

TikTok is in the e-commerce game with its shopping feature now available in most countries. It also presents the option of in-app checkout or website checkout. Fees of 1% to 5% could apply, which seems to be based on where the buyer is located. It would be safe to assume that the standard is 5%, as it is with Instagram and Facebook. If you choose not to create a shop on TikTok, you can still provide a link to your website in your bio.T

Pinterest does not have in-app purchases but is still extremely popular with shoppers. You can link to items or your website directly in the Pins you make. Many people peruse Pinterest for inspiration, and with a business account, you can tag up to 25 items in a single Pin. This is extremely popular for fashion and furniture/homeware sites because you can tag each individual item that you think customers can buy.

The Takeaway

Choosing to set up e-commerce shops in popular social media apps is a great idea. It generates more exposure, allows you to tag products directly in your posts, and provides an in-app catalog for potential customers to browse without leaving the app. Whether you choose to do checkout within the apps or through your website, you’ll still be on the right track. You can also pair shops with paid advertising or boosted organic content. This may be beneficial to help garner that early exposure — but do it sparingly so you don’t spread your budget too thin.

E-commerce is the way of the future. So get your foot in the door now.

Contact us to help you get started on your e-commerce journey.

Advice from an Agency: How to Create a Strong Social Media Image

info on January 15, 2021

By Annie O’Rourke

Incorporating a positive social media image drives high levels of user engagement and allows your brand to market its services.

Start utilizing social media for your small business

Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter are just a few of the many social media channels that are most important to incorporate for your small business.

It is important for your business to become a highly active user on all social media channels. Social media allows your business and brand to eventually be more visible and searchable. Research the different social media channels to understand which would be best for your brand, and create accounts on the channels that are most fitting. For example, if your products are photogenic, utilize Instagram because its feed is focused on visuals. Incorporating this technique allows your business to develop a platform of their own to further market their product and services. If you’re not sure where to start, 270M can help!

Keep up with current events and social media trends

Show your followers you know what you’re talking about.

Social media is all about sharing different ideas and content. By incorporating current news and events, people will feel that your brand is a credible source. Post the latest coverage and news about your product or brand to your stories and feed. For example, if you’re a beauty agency, remember to not only post your product but also post the latest information and breaking news about the entire beauty industry itself. This allows your followers to engage and connect with your page.

Create a consistent image across all social media platforms

All of the social channels your brand uses should reflect a similar style throughout to keep your brand coherent.

For example, keep your color tones, brand voice, and brand messaging consistent throughout all of your brand touchpoints. Having brand consistency is essential because it ensures that your brand is recognizable wherever a consumer interacts with it. A strong social media image is not just a recommendation, but a necessity for your small business. 270M is here to guide you through the next steps regarding all aspects of creating an impactful social media image.

Our services at 270M will help you move in the right direction in order to reach high levels of user engagement.