Why Your Cannabis Website Isn't Ranking (and How to Fix it)

If you've invested in a website for your cannabis dispensary but aren't seeing it appear in Google search results, you're not alone. Cannabis dispensary owners face unique challenges regarding digital visibility; achieving strong search rankings requires specialized knowledge and thoughtful implementation.

This guide will explain why your cannabis website might not rank, how Google evaluates websites in restricted industries, and provide practical steps to improve your visibility.

Whether you're a new dispensary or an established cannabis store looking to boost online traffic, these insights will help you understand and overcome the obstacles preventing your website from ranking.

How Google Ranks Websites

Google uses over 200 factors to determine website rankings, but the core principles remain consistent: delivering relevant, high-quality content from authoritative sources. For cannabis websites, this becomes more complex due to the industry's legal gray areas.

The search engine evaluates websites based on:

• Relevance: How well your content matches user search intent

• Authority: How trustworthy your website appears based on expertise and credentials

• User experience: How visitors interact with your site

• Technical performance: How well your site functions

Cannabis-Specific Considerations

Google doesn't explicitly ban cannabis content, but the industry faces additional scrutiny. Cannabis businesses must navigate:

• Varying state legalities

• Advertising restrictions

• Payment processing limitations

• Age verification requirements

These factors create a more challenging SEO environment requiring specialized strategies beyond standard practices.

Technical Issues

• Indexing Problems: Google may have difficulty discovering or processing your pages.

• Slow Site Speed: Cannabis websites often include high-resolution product images and complex menus, which can slow loading times and negatively impact rankings.

• Mobile Unfriendliness: With most cannabis searches happening on mobile devices, sites not optimized for smaller screens suffer in rankings.

• HTTPS Security: Websites without secure connections face significant ranking disadvantages.

Content Quality Issues

• Thin Content: Pages with minimal, unhelpful information won't rank well.

• Duplicate Content: Copying product descriptions or content from other sources hurts your rankings.

• Keyword Stuffing: Overusing terms like "cannabis," "marijuana," or "dispensary" without providing value.

• Lack of Educational Content: Customer questions beyond basic product information are not addressed.

Cannabis-Specific Compliance Issues

• Age-Gating: Improper implementation of age verification can block Google from accessing your content.

• Unclear Legal Disclaimers: Missing or inadequate compliance statements regarding state laws.

• Prohibited Content: Displaying content that violates Google's guidelines for restricted substances.

New cannabis websites typically take 4-6 months to begin ranking for competitive terms, with more significant results appearing between 6-12 months. This timeline varies based on:

• Market Competition: More dispensaries in your area mean longer ranking timelines.

• Domain Age: Newer websites typically take longer to establish trust with search engines.

• Content Quality & Frequency: Regular publishing of high-quality content accelerates ranking improvements.

• Technical Foundation: Sites with clean technical structures rank faster than those needing extensive fixes.

Remember that SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Sustainable growth requires consistent effort rather than quick fixes.

1. Check If Your Site Is Being Indexed

Start by verifying whether Google is finding your pages:

• Type "site.com" in Google search

• If few or no results appear, you likely have indexing issues

For cannabis sites, common indexing roadblocks include:

• Robots.txt blocking search engines

• Incorrect age verification implementation

• "Noindex" tags mistakenly applied to essential pages

2. Audit Your Technical SEO

Technical issues often prevent cannabis websites from ranking:

• Use Google Search Console to identify crawl errors

• Check site speed using PageSpeed Insights

• Ensure mobile responsiveness

• Verify proper URL structure and internal linking

• Implement proper structured data for dispensary information

3. Evaluate Your Content Strategy

Cannabis websites need specialized content approaches:

• Create location-specific landing pages for each service area

• Develop educational content addressing customer questions

• Balance industry terminology with conversational language

• Include proper disclaimers without compromising readability

4. Build Authority in the Cannabis Space

Cannabis websites must work harder to establish credibility:

• Showcase staff expertise and certifications

• Obtain backlinks from relevant industry publications

• Engage with local business directories

• Feature customer reviews and testimonials

• Create detailed "About Us" content highlighting your qualifications

Do's:

• Focus on education: Create comprehensive guides about cannabis products, consumption methods, and benefits

• Localize your content: Target location-specific keywords like "Denver dispensary" or "cannabis delivery in Portland"

• Implement proper schema markup: Help Google understand your business information

• Secure industry-relevant backlinks: Build relationships with cannabis publications and directories

• Prioritize page experience: Create fast-loading, easy-to-navigate websites

Don'ts:

• Don't make medical claims: Avoid statements about curing or treating medical conditions

• Don't target recreational terms in medicinal-only states: Align content with search intent and local legal frameworks

• Don't neglect compliance: Ensure all content meets state regulatory guidelines

• Don't use black-hat techniques: Shortcuts like keyword stuffing or paid link schemes lead to penalties

• Don't copy competitors: Differentiate your content strategy to stand out

Ranking a cannabis dispensary website requires navigating unique industry challenges while implementing solid SEO fundamentals. By addressing technical issues, creating valuable content, and building authority within compliance guidelines, you can improve your search visibility despite the restrictions facing cannabis businesses.

If you're struggling to rank your dispensary website after implementing these strategies, consider working with a specialized cannabis SEO agency that understands both SEO principles and industry-specific requirements. With patience and the right approach, your dispensary can achieve the search visibility it deserves.

Ready to take your cannabis dispensary's online presence to the next level? Contact our team of cannabis SEO specialists to learn how we can help your business grow.