Cannabis SEO Insights: A Conversation with Industry Vet Nick Musica

“If you want to build a brand and build a company for the long term, SEO is by far one of the best vehicles to use because it has a long-term impact on traffic.” – Nick Musica

The finer details of this episode:

• Basics of SEO
• Application of SEO in the cannabis industry
• Measuring the effectiveness of SEO
• Long-term impact of SEO on business growth
• Importance of managing expectations in SEO
• Impact of SEO on cannabis companies
• Challenges of SEO for cannabis companies
• Technical aspects of SEO
• Impact of AI-generated content on SEO

Episode resources:

• Book a free consultation with Guillermo: https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-cannabis/
• If you’d like to be a guest on the show: cannabizsuccessshow@anderscpa.com
• Love our content? Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.summitcpa.net/summit-cannabis-newsletter
• Connect with Nick here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmusica/
• Check out Optics In here: https://opticsin.com/

Timestamps:

The basics of SEO (00:01:18)

Nick Musica explains the impact of website activities on SEO and his entry into the SEO field.

Unethical SEO practices (00:03:31)

Nick describes his experience with a firm using unethical SEO practices and the importance of managing expectations.

Understanding SEO for cannabis companies (00:07:04)

Nick explains the direct impact of SEO on search engine results and the relevance of being in the search engine results page.

SEO applicability in different cannabis verticals (00:09:13)

Discussion on the applicability of SEO in different cannabis verticals and the differences in customer types.

Measuring SEO effectiveness (00:11:34)

Nick explains the use of Google Analytics and Google Search Console to measure SEO effectiveness.

ROI and long-term impact of SEO (00:13:47)

Nick discusses the long-term impact of SEO on business growth and the comparison of SEO to investing for long-term results.

Managing expectations and avoiding unethical practices in SEO (00:18:20)

Nick emphasizes the importance of managing expectations in SEO and the dangers of unethical SEO practices.

The impact of black hat tactics (00:20:28)

Discussion about the negative consequences of using black hat tactics in SEO and the long-term impact on domain ranking.

Choosing a professional for SEO (00:22:15)

Considerations for choosing an SEO professional, including industry experience, credentials, and referral-based hiring.

SEO considerations for cannabis companies (00:24:25)

Discussion of technical, content, and off-site SEO considerations, with a focus on language risks related to CBD and THC.

Compliance and state-specific SEO challenges (00:28:13)

Considerations related to compliance, shipping restrictions, and state-specific challenges for cannabis companies in SEO.

Impact of AI content on SEO (00:34:31)

The potential negative impact of AI-generated content on SEO rankings and the importance of critical thinking in content creation.

Time commitment for SEO projects (00:40:16)

Discussion of the time commitment and process for working with an SEO professional, including project-based and retainer-based engagements.

Project and Retainer Options (00:41:36)

Nick explains the different options for engaging in SEO services, including projects and retainers.

Clarity in Service Offerings (00:43:09)

Nick emphasizes the importance of clear communication and