Cannabis Influencer: What Does That Really Mean?

According to Dictionary.com an influencer is someone that “has the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself.”

To sink a little deeper into the trending meaning of ‘influencer’ we can safely say that “an influencer is someone in your niche or industry with sway over your target audience. Influencers have specialized knowledge, authority or insight into a specific subject. Their pre-existing social presence in a niche makes them a useful launching pad for brands in search of credibility.”

Across almost every industry we are seeing an increased number of influencer campaigns being used as major social media marketing tools. Brands are beginning to understand that trust and credibility from their targeted audience quickly rolls into higher sales; and the Cannabis industry is no different.

In 2022 as most of the Western Hemisphere has begun too or already have legalized Cannabis; we can observe that most of the Cannabis brands (especially THC flower brands) depend heavily on influencer marketing. Not only does influencer marketing help gain the respect and trust for the brand from the community, but it also gets their ‘brand awareness’ content placed in front of social users that are already interested in their niche – the Cannabis niche. This simply means that choosing relevant influencers to work with who are already trusted members of the Cannabis community for their knowledge and/or experience with the plant; can prove to be very beneficial especially for Cannabis start ups and those that are struggling to gain traction with their social media presence.

Another reason why we believe influencer marketing plays such a tremendous roll in Cannabis marketing is because of the many laws and regulations in place with the main stream media when it comes to Cannabis advertisements. Even though the plant is legal, medically and recreationally in many places today; Cannabis is still federally illegal in the USA and advertising your business is extremely tricky. While being cautious is key, there are still some ways you can promote your business; and influencer marketing is one of them.

It’s no secret that here in Trinidad & Tobago we have some remarkable Cannabis brands, of all sorts. From flowers to edibles to concentrates, we Trinbagonians are well prepared to be to become one of the fastest growing Cannabis industries in the region.

Only when our government stops dragging their feet with the Cannabis Control Bill and introduce the process of application for the licenses available to the public, can we begin to execute some exciting and engaging marketing plans that are already working for forigen brands such as Cookies, THC Design and many more. And only when this information is made public, can we even begin to address the legality of the advertising and marketing side of the Cannabis industry here on the island.

While many brands’ presence can be seen on social media platforms today, using google ads and social media ads are not allowed and could lead to being banned from the platform.

Influencer marketing is still relatively new and on average it can be more impactful and expensive than other types of paid media (depending on your campaign specifics) and this is due to the “trust factor” influencers bring to the table. There’s certainly a big difference between seeing a banner ad on a Cannabis website to hearing it from someone you respect and follow. Trust costs more.

In Trinidad we have already adopted the influencer culture and it’s proven to be effective for other industry brands such as KFC, Breeze and much more.

Since December ‘ 19 we’ve seen the rise of advocates who are willing to be more vocal and visual about their Cannabis use and their consumption habits. With these changes in our laws, Trinbagonians are now able to freely discuss Cannabis on open forums without the fear of being penalized or criticized. This now paves the way for emerging Cannabis brands of T&T to take advantage of relevant influencers to help build the trust and the recognition needed to be a successful Cannabis entity when we are able to, bring Cannabis to the forefront of the island’s commercial world.

So as we proceed into a new territory with Cannabis becoming an industry here in Trinidad & Tobago, we need to stay aware and up-to-date with new, working marketing trends that can be implemented for our ‘local’ brands to become the most trusted and recognised Cannabis brands in the region.

Stay Safe & Stay High

Ladies Of 420

Asha & Ayanna Wadada