Cannabis Keywords: Finding Terms That Drive Traffic & Make $

When someone types "dispensary near me" at 9 PM on a Friday, they’re not window shopping; they’re on a mission. If your dispensary's website makes the cut in those coveted top three spots and speaks their lingo, voilà, you’ve nabbed their business.

If it doesn’t, your competitor will be the one ringing the register.Studies reveal that a striking 76% of folks who search for dispensaries online show up within 24 hours. This underscores the importance of pinpointing cannabis keywords, the very phrases potential customers use.

Mastering these terms can directly boost your bottom line.I’ll guide you through a carefully curated list of profitable keywords, equip you with research techniques that survive each of Google's algorithm updates, and share the practices our dispensary SEO services include to help clients optimize pages.

Consider this your roadmap to attracting more local customers.

Why Cannabis Keywords Matter

Keywords are the bridge between people searching for cannabis products and your dispensary. Search engines use keywords to understand the topic and relevance of a page.

When your content resonates with user intent, visitors find the answers they're looking for. This leads to longer visits (we call it "dwell time") and, in turn, a higher rank for your site.

Location-centric searches, such as "dispensary near me" or "cannabis delivery [city]," are essential. After all, users searching are often on the verge of making a purchase.

Thoughtful, well-researched keywords have three benefits.

1. They Earn Qualified Traffic

Someone searching "thc gummies near me" has their wallet out; aligning your content with their search terms increases the chance your business will earn their business.

2. They Reveal Customer Needs

Each keyword tells you something about what customers want: education, deals, product comparisons, or the nearest store.

3. They Improve Organic Visibility

In a regulated industry where paid advertising options are limited, strong organic rankings bring you visibility without relying on paid channels.

Types of Cannabis Keywords & Search Intent

Not all keywords serve the same purpose. To build a well-rounded strategy, organize your keywords by type and match them to the user's intent.

Understanding user intent informs the type of content to create. Informational queries require educational posts, while transactional queries need clear CTAs and product pages.

Here's a quick test: search your target keyword and look at what ranks. When SERPs show mostly blog posts, the intent is informational. If they show maps or the Places card, users are ready to buy and looking to navigate.

Top Cannabis Keywords & Phrases

I've compiled a starter list of high-intent keywords based on what our Dispensary SEO Agency sees drives results for our dispensaries. Tailor them with your city, local market, and product inventory to make them work for you.

This list is your starting point. Use long-tail variations—three or more words—to reduce competition and attract qualified traffic. "sativa near me" is tough to rank for. "Sativa near me for creativity" is much easier and brings in exactly the customers you want.

How to Find Cannabis SEO Terms

A structured keyword-research process helps you uncover valuable opportunities and avoid guesswork. I'll walk you through the exact steps I use.

Step 1: Brainstorm Seed Topics

List your main products, services, and customer questions. Include brand names, product categories (edibles, vapes, tinctures), local areas served, and customer pain points. This becomes your foundation.

Step 2: Use Keyword Tools to Expand Your List

Google Search Console

Review queries already driving traffic to your site. These often reveal long-tail gems you didn't know you ranked for.

Google Trends

Compare multiple keywords over time to see which are rising in popularity.

Ahrefs

One of many paid tools that show search volume, keyword difficulty, related terms, and competitor rankings.

Answer The Public

Visualizes questions and phrases around a topic. Great for building blog ideas and editorial calendars.

People Also Ask (PAA)

Google's "People Also Ask" boxes appear in search results and show related questions users are asking. These are gold for finding question-based keywords and understanding what information gaps exist. Simply search your target keyword, note the PAA questions, click on them to reveal more, and build content that answers these specific queries.

Step 3: Analyze Metrics

Focus on keywords with enough volume to drive traffic but low enough difficulty that you can rank. Estimate potential ROI by multiplying monthly search volume by the percentage of clicks going to the top result (approximately 27.6%) and then by your conversion rate to estimate potential sales.For example, if "dispensary costa mesa" gets 500 searches per month, roughly 138 clicks go to the top result (500 × 27.6%). If your conversion rate is 5%, that's about 7 customers per month from that one keyword.

Step 4: Group Keywords into Clusters

Avoid keyword cannibalization by assigning one primary keyword and a set of closely related secondary keywords to each page. Create separate pages for "cannabis delivery [city]" and "dispensary near me" rather than combining them into one generic page.

Step 5: Prioritize Long-Tail and Local Variations

Long-tail keywords are more specific and less competitive. Start by ranking for these easier terms to build authority, then broaden your reach to more competitive short-tail keywords once you've established credibility.

Implementing Your Keyword Strategy

Once you've selected your keywords, integrate them naturally into your site. Here are the best practices I recommend:

Title tags & meta descriptions: Place the primary keyword near the beginning of the title. Keep titles under 60 characters and write compelling meta descriptions to improve click-through rates.

Headers and content structure: Use H1 for the main topic and H2/H3 tags for subtopics. Break content into scannable sections and include keywords naturally.

Image alt text & filenames: Describe images with relevant keywords to improve accessibility and image search. Try to keep it under 125 characters and avoid phrasing like "image of".

URL structure: Use short, descriptive, keyword-rich slugs (e.g., /cannabis-delivery-costa-mesa).

Internal linking: Link related pages—for example, from your "cannabis delivery" page to your "online menu" page, this distributes authority and aids with user navigation.

Schema markup: Use LocalBusiness and FAQ schema to enhance search snippets, win rich results and improve local SEO.

Regular updates: Refresh your keyword list and content every 3–6 months to match evolving search trends.

Case Study: Turning Seasonal Traffic into Year-Round Growth

People say Ocean City, Maryland, should be dead after Labor Day. Positive Energy Dispensary refused to accept "that's how it works around here." Using keyword research tools, we discovered opportunities in location-specific searches that competitors were ignoring. We created unique content pages targeting three distinct audiences: summer tourists, year-round medical patients, and local adult-use customers.

The results came fast. Website traffic increased 119% in 8 months. Their Google Business Profile views jumped 38% in 3 months heading into busy season, direction requests spiked 58%, and they landed in the top 3 local rankings for their top keyword targets.

The lesson? Tailor keywords to your exact service area and distinct customer segments. When you stop treating all customers the same in your keyword strategy, you stop losing revenue during your "slow" season. See the Positive Energy case study to see the complete breakdown of their strategy and results.

Ready to Grow Your Dispensary Through Search?

Mastering cannabis keyword research isn't about gaming the system—it's about understanding your customers and speaking their language. Focus on high-intent, location-specific, and product-specific keywords. Use reliable tools to uncover opportunities. Implement them thoughtfully in your titles, headings, content, and metadata. And regularly refresh your strategy to reflect evolving trends.

Start by opening Google Search Console today and reviewing the queries already bringing you traffic. Pick one underperforming page, identify its keyword cluster, and optimize it using the principles I've outlined here. Track your results over the next month.I'd love to hear how it goes.

If you want help implementing a comprehensive keyword strategy tailored to your market, let's talk about how we can help you own your local search results.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cannabis SEO keywords?

They are words or phrases people use to search for cannabis products, services, or information. Examples include "dispensary near me," "buy weed online," and "dispensary near [city]." Using them helps search engines understand your page and connect you with potential customers.

How often should I update my keyword list?

Review your keyword performance every three to six months. Search trends change, new products emerge, and competition shifts. Regular updates keep your content aligned with current searches.

Do I need separate pages for each keyword?

Create one primary page per keyword cluster to avoid keyword cannibalization. For example, one page can target "cannabis delivery [city]" and include related variations like "weed delivery near me." Supporting blog posts can answer related questions and link back to the main page.

Which tools are best for beginners?

Start with Google Search Console and Google Business Profile performance reports to see what terms already bring traffic and get search volume estimates. For more detailed insights, free versions of tools like Answer The Public can help generate additional ideas.