Featured interview with Amy Donohue: Social Media Strategies for the Cannabis Industry

In this episode of Marketing That POPs, Michele Ringelberg and Olivia Johnson host Amy Donohue, the Co-founder of Hybrid Social and Cannafriends, to discuss effective social media marketing in the cannabis industry. Amy shares the importance of developing out-of-the-box social media strategies, why marketers in the cannabis industry should establish a professional social media presence, and how to capitalize on cannabis social media trends.

Amy Donohue is the Co-founder of Hybrid Social, Arizona’s first all-cannabis marketing and social media agency. She is also the Co-founder of Cannafriends, a cannabis networking group in Arizona. As one of the first members of Women Grow, she consulted on the Prop 205 campaign. A former high school Spanish teacher, Amy transitioned into stand-up comedy and radio, where she built a strong following through social media.

In 2011, she donated a kidney to an X follower’s mom by leveraging the platform to build connections. Amy has spoken about social media compliance in the cannabis industry at events like MJBizCon, Emerge, and Imperious Expo. She also volunteers with Freedom Grow Forever, where she supports non-violent cannabis prisoners.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [1:27] How to create strong communities on social media
• [3:15] Amy Donohue’s early career building businesses on social media
• [10:00] Strategies for selecting social media platforms for cannabis businesses
• [14:30] The importance of establishing a professional social media presence
• [21:53] Reddit as an emerging platform in the cannabis industry
• [26:59] Frequent social media mistakes in the cannabis industry
• [33:31] How to stay ahead of cannabis industry trends on social media

In this episode…

Social media has become inundated with ads and sales tactics, making community building and audience engagement seem far-fetched. This is especially challenging in the cannabis industry, where content on Meta is heavily regulated. How can cannabis businesses connect with their audiences on social media?

Cannabis social media consultant Amy Donohue warns against building your brand solely on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. These platforms are heavily regulated, and using certain hashtags or posting cannabis-related content can get your brand shadow-banned or even shut down. Instead, diversify your social media presence by investing in platforms like Reddit, where users can speak more freely about cannabis topics. Users on this platform are often knowledgeable about cannabis, sharing thoughts and in-depth discussions on forums so you can identify an ideal audience to connect with and target.

In this episode of Marketing That POPs, Michele Ringelberg and Olivia Johnson host Amy Donohue, the Co-founder of Hybrid Social and Cannafriends, to discuss effective social media marketing in the cannabis industry. Amy shares the importance of developing out-of-the-box social media strategies, why marketers in the cannabis industry should establish a professional social media presence, and how to capitalize on cannabis social media trends.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Michele Ringelberg on LinkedIn
• ThrivePOP
• Amy Donohue: LinkedIn | Bluesky

Quotable Moments:

• "Social media is not 'buy my crap' media; it's about building a community and engaging with your audience."
• "If you want to be taken seriously as a professional, you have to be on a professional network."
• "You should never be afraid to ask because you should never be afraid to learn something new."
• "A true social media manager needs to think outside the Zuckerberg box and explore all networks."
• "Social media is part of marketing, but it's pull, not push. It's about drawing people in."

Action Steps:

1. Diversify your social media platforms: Start exploring lesser-known networks like Bluesky and Reddit for niche communities. This avoids over-reliance on major platforms like Instagram, which can be restrictive for cannabis marketing. By diversifying, you also tap into new audiences and reduce the risk of losing access to your entire audience if one platform becomes unavailable.
2. Understand your target audience: Invest time in identifying the specific demographics and preferences of your audience rather than assuming broad categories. This specificity helps tailor your marketing strategy to be more effective and relevant, addressing the common mistake of trying to appeal to everyone at once.
3. Prioritize branding over selling: Focus on telling your product's story and building relationships instead of just pushing sales. This approach addresses the misconception that social media is just about immediate sales and helps build long-term customer loyalty and brand recognition.
4. Stay informed with continuous learning: Regularly listen to social media podcasts and engage in industry discussions to keep up with platform updates and new strategies. This proactive approach helps maintain a competitive edge in your marketing efforts.
5. Embrace professional networking: Maintain an active presence on professional platforms like LinkedIn to enhance credibility and connect with key industry players. This creates an opportunity to build professional relationships that can lead to collaborations, partnerships, and business growth.

Sponsor for this episode...

This episode is brought to you by ThrivePOP, the #1 cannabis marketing agency for B2B and B2C companies. 

We are a women-led team of strategists, graphic designers, social media specialists, and web developers who work with dispensaries and cannabis service businesses to implement marketing strategies in a regulated industry. 

ThrivePOP creates unique marketing campaigns to inspire, create, and grow cannabis-focused businesses.

To learn more, visit https://thrivepop.com/ or book a meeting with a dedicated marketing strategist at https://thrivepop.com/contact-us.