Cannabis Video Marketing:

Video doesn’t just make your brand look better—it makes your results better. This guide will help you close the gap between your competitors' visibility and your current reach by unlocking the full potential of cannabis video marketing.

What Is Cannabis Video Marketing and Why Is It Important?

Cannabis video marketing is the strategic use of video content to promote cannabis brands, dispensaries, or any cannabis-derived products like CBD while staying compliant with local and platform-specific advertising laws. It helps cannabis businesses connect with consumers in an engaging, visual, and memorable format. Unlike traditional marketing tactics, video enables storytelling, education, and brand differentiation—all critical for a regulated and competitive industry.

Why Your Dispensary Needs a Video Marketing Strategy

For dispensaries especially, video isn’t just another marketing tool—it’s one of the few channels where you can consistently build visibility without violating platform rules or relying solely on paid ads. Video helps potential customers explore your store from home, understand your products more clearly, and build a personal connection with your staff. Strategically placed videos can boost menu conversions, reinforce brand trust in SMS campaigns, and increase email click-through rates. Without a video strategy, you risk falling behind competitors who are already using motion and storytelling to turn browsers into loyal customers.

6 Types of Cannabis Dispensary Video Marketing Strategies

Video marketing is an umbrella term for all your video assets. Here are six (of 60) video formats that cannabis businesses can use:

Storefront Tours & Promotional Videos

Highlight your shop’s interior, product selection, and ambiance. A short, engaging walkthrough can entice local customers to visit in person.

Company Culture Videos

Introduce your team, show behind-the-scenes footage, or document how you celebrate 4/20. These videos humanize your brand and build loyalty.

Testimonials

On-camera customer testimonials add authenticity and credibility. They’re especially powerful when filmed in-store or during local events.

Events

From pop-ups to trade shows, cannabis event coverage shows your dispensary in action. Capture the vibe, the turnout, and your booth to reinforce your community presence.

Educational Videos

Explain terpenes, how-to’s, or new product formats. Consumers value brands that teach and empower them.

User-Generated Content (UGC)

Repurpose videos from customers and cannabis influencers using your products. This adds social proof and drives engagement.

Where to Distribute Your Cannabis Marketing Videos

A good video is only as strong as its distribution. Here's where to share:

Website & Landing Pages

Add video to your homepage, landing pages, product pages, or FAQ sections. It helps with SEO, trust, and dwell time.

YouTube

The largest video platform—and the second biggest search engine—YouTube helps boost your visibility and dispensary SEO. You can even test compliant Google Video Ads on the platform.

Social Media

Short-form video dominates platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Keep cannabis social media content compliant by avoiding imagery of consumption, pricing, or unverified health claims.

Live Video

Broadcast on Instagram or Facebook to show new drops, behind-the-scenes action, or Q&As. Engage in real-time and build a sense of community.

Email Newsletters

Use embedded videos or clickable thumbnails to improve open rates and conversions in your cannabis email marketing. Great for product launches or brand storytelling.

SMS/MMS Campaigns

Send short-form videos through cannabis text message marketing to announce product drops, sales, or new arrivals. Video in MMS messages can boost engagement dramatically.

Online Menus via E-Commerce Platforms

Integrate videos into your digital dispensary menu on platforms like Jane or Dutchie. These enhance shopper confidence and improve conversion rates.

In-Store Screens

Loop videos in-store to introduce product lines, brands, or upcoming promotions. Great for customer education and upsells.

Cannabis Directories and Review Platforms

Add videos to cannabis directories like  Weedmaps, Leafly, or Yelp profiles to increase visibility and offer more context to curious customers.

Digital Out-of-Home Advertising (DOOH)

Repurpose video content for use in compliant digital billboard ads or in-venue screens near dispensaries. Great for high-frequency exposure.

Press & Media Kits

Include brand or testimonial videos in your cannabis press releases or online newsroom to help secure earned media placements and improve storytelling impact.

How Cannabis Video Supports the Customer Journey

Different types of cannabis video content serve different stages of the cannabis e-commerce funnel:

• Awareness: Educational videos and storefront tours introduce your brand to new audiences.
  
• Consideration: Testimonials and product reviews help build trust and answer key questions.
  
• Conversion: Promotional videos, limited-time offer content, and in-store video displays drive purchases.
  

When planned strategically, your video content can help nurture leads all the way through the funnel.

How to Optimize Cannabis Video Advertising for Better Results

To ensure your videos are discoverable and effective:

• Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions (e.g., "Cannabis Terpenes Explained")
  
• Add captions for accessibility and watch time
  
• Compress files for faster loading
  
• Include clear CTAs at the end of your videos
  
• Use schema markup for video on your website
  

Measuring the Impact of Cannabis Video Marketing

To know whether your video marketing efforts are working, use a marketing attribution dashboard to track performance across several KPIs:

• Engagement metrics: Views, average watch time, likes, comments, shares
  
• Traffic sources: Where viewers are coming from
  
• Conversions: Click-through rates, form fills, sales influenced by video
  
• Retention: Do people watch until the end?
  

Use tools like Google Analytics 4, YouTube Studio, and platform-specific insights. Don’t forget to add UTM tags to video links so you can track campaign-specific ROI.

DIY vs. Pro: Choosing the Right Video Tools and Formats

You don’t need a studio to get started. Depending on your goals and budget, here’s how to choose the right approach:

• DIY Tools: CapCut, Canva Video, Adobe Rush, Loom – great for quick explainers or social posts
  
• Hire a Pro: If you need a branded promo, commercial-quality testimonial, or event recap
  
• Specs to Know: Vertical (9:16) for TikTok and Reels, Horizontal (16:9) for YouTube, Sub-60 seconds for social, 2–3 minutes max for web videos
  

What's New in Cannabis Video Marketing?

These aren’t “nice to have” innovations—they’re essential tactics for staying competitive and scalable in today’s cannabis marketing ecosystem.

• AI-Generated Video Content: Tools like Runway, Synthesia, and Pika Labs can now generate full video clips from text prompts. These platforms open up new possibilities for dispensaries with limited budgets or bandwidth, especially for educational explainers, product intros, or social video series.
  
• AI Editing and Automation: Use platforms like Descript, Pictory, or Adobe Sensei to automate editing, repurpose long-form content into shorts, and add captions instantly.
  
• Multilingual and Localized Video Content: Reach diverse and regional audiences by auto-translating and subtitling videos in multiple languages.
  
• Search-Optimized Video for Voice and Smart Devices: Optimize titles and descriptions using natural language to improve discoverability across smart speakers, mobile search, and CTV interfaces.
  
• Connected TV and Programmatic Streaming: Consider repurposing branded video for compliant placement on OTT platforms and Smart TVs via cannabis-safe programmatic networks.
  

How to Stay Compliant When Creating Cannabis Video Content

Always follow:

• Platform-specific rules (no cannabis imagery on Instagram Reels, etc.)
  
• Age restrictions and disclaimers
  
• Avoid unverified health claims or appeals to children
  
• Check your state laws regularly to ensure compliance
  

Ready to Turn Cannabis Video Marketing Into Real Growth?

You don’t need a film crew or a massive budget to compete—you just need a plan. When you approach cannabis video marketing with intention, consistency, and creativity, you position your brand to thrive in a visual-first, regulation-heavy landscape. Start where you are, build as you grow, and let your content do the heavy lifting.

MediaJel specializes in compliant, results-driven cannabis marketing strategies tailored for dispensaries and cannabis brands. Contact us to learn more.