Canada’s legal cannabis market topped about US $3.25 billion in 2024, growing at a projected 12 % compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2025 to 2030. That’s serious money and serious competition.
In Q1 2025, the cannabis industry added nearly CA$9.1 billion (≈US$6.7 billion) to Canada’s GDP, a big leap from last year. The market is growing fast, but so is the competition.
But the problem is, you can’t just throw up an ad on Google or Instagram and expect customers to roll in. With strict rules around cannabis promotion, paid ads are mostly off-limits.
So how do cannabis businesses get seen? That’s where SEO comes in. If you want customers to find your dispensary, delivery service, or B2B platform, you need to show up in Google search, and there are no shortcuts for this. All you have to do is implement some smart SEO strategies and post helpful content.
Before moving further, let me just mention who this guide is for:
- Dispensaries serving local customers or delivery
- Cultivators, processors, and B2B cannabis businesses
- Start‑ups building visibility from scratch
- Existing brands struggling to rank
- Cannabis service businesses (e.g. certification platforms, consultancies)
Let’s break it down in plain talk, no confusing jargon.
What makes cannabis (marijuana) SEO in Canada so different?
If you’ve ever tried to run an ad for your cannabis business on Google, Facebook, Instagram, or anywhere mainstream, you’ve probably hit a wall.
Your ad gets rejected, your account might get flagged, and you're left wondering: “How am I supposed to reach people then?”
That’s because Canadian law strictly prohibits marijuana promotion, except in particular educational ways.
Here’s what’s off-limits:
- You can’t promote prices or discounts.
- You can’t make it look cool or glamorous.
- You definitely can’t appeal to youth, even indirectly.
Essentially, if your post appears even slightly too fun, it’s likely not compliant.
That leaves most cannabis businesses with one reliable, long-term path: organic search.
Think about it like this:
Let’s say someone in Toronto is searching:
🔎 “Best cannabis dispensary near me”
🔎 “Cannabis delivery in Mississauga”
🔎 “CBD oil Canada wholesale”
If your business doesn’t show up on that first page of Google, or in the local map pack, you’re invisible. Not just to customers, but also to potential partners and clients.
That’s why SEO isn’t just a “nice-to-have” for marijuana businesses in Canada, it’s survival.
Whether you’re a retail shop, a grower, a delivery startup, or a consultant helping patients with MMJ cards, being findable online is non-negotiable. But here’s the good news: if you get SEO right, you can win traffic, trust, and long-term growth, without breaking the rules.
The core SEO ingredients (easy to digest)
SEO can feel like alphabet soup, H1s, CTRs, SERPs, but trust me, it doesn’t have to be that complicated. If you run a cannabis business in Canada, there are just a few key ingredients you need to get right.
Think of it like growing a plant: with the right soil, sunlight, and water, things thrive. SEO works the same way.
Let’s break it down.
Keyword research (that’s cannabis-safe)
You wouldn’t plant seeds without knowing the season, right? The same goes for SEO, you need to know what people are searching for before you start creating content.
But the twist is in cannabis, not all keywords are safe. Some can trigger flags or put your site under scrutiny.
How to do it right?
Focus on informational and compliant phrases
Think: “CBD oil benefits Canada,” “where to buy cannabis legally Toronto,” or “best marijuana for sleep Canada.”
What to avoid when targeting keywords (and why it matters)
Terms like “buy weed online cheap” – this sounds spammy and risky. Basically, anything that promotes pricing, discounts, or glamorized usage.
Tools you can use for keyword research
- Semrush
- Ahrefs
- Google Keyword Planner
- Even just Google autocomplete + “People Also Ask” is a goldmine.
Pro tip: Look at what your competitors are ranking for, then do it better (and safer).
On-page optimization
Okay, now you’ve got your keywords, where do you put them?
That’s where on-page SEO comes in. It’s like organizing your store layout so customers find what they’re looking for.
What to focus on
Product pages
Use natural language that reflects how people actually search.
For example: “Organic CBD Tincture – Sleep Support | Toronto Delivery”
Location pages
Add separate pages for each city you serve. This helps with local search visibility.
Meta tags
Make sure your title and meta description are clear and include keywords.
For example: “Downtown Vancouver Dispensary | Same-Day Delivery Available”
Schema markup
Add structured data so Google knows your business type, hours, and location.
Alt text for images
Don’t just upload “IMG_2385.jpg.” Describe the image properly: “Indica cannabis flower in glass jar – Vancouver store”
Local SEO (Google Business Profile, citations, reviews)
If you’re a dispensary or cannabis delivery service, this is your bread and butter.
How to dominate local search?
Google Business Profile (GBP)
- Fill out everything: name, hours, services, delivery options, and photos.
- Add categories like “Cannabis Store” or “Herbal Medicine Store.”
NAP consistency
Your Name, Address, Phone must be identical across all platforms, your website, Yelp, Leafly, Weedmaps, etc.
Reviews
Encourage satisfied (legal) customers to leave a Google review. Don’t fake reviews, it’s not worth it.
Serving in multiple locations?
Create separate landing pages for each store. That way, someone searching “marijuana near Ottawa” lands on your Ottawa page, not a generic homepage.
Technical SEO
This is the behind-the-scenes stuff, think of it like plumbing in your store. If it’s broken, everything leaks.
You don’t need to be a developer to get it right, but here’s what you must check:
- Site speed: Aim for under 3 seconds on mobile. Use PageSpeed Insights.
- Mobile-friendliness: Over 70% of cannabis searches are mobile now.
- Crawlability: Use tools like Screaming Frog or Semrush Site Audit to fix broken links, duplicate content, and missing tags.
Content strategy for cannabis (marijuana) brands
This is where you build trust and authority, without breaking the rules.
You can’t say: “This weed will cure your anxiety.”
But you can say: “Some Canadians use CBD for relaxation. Here's what the research says.”
Great content ideas:
- “Top 5 Questions New Cannabis Users Ask”
- “CBD vs THC: What’s the Difference?”
- “How to Choose the Right Cannabis Strain in Canada”
- “Cannabis Delivery Laws in Ontario: What You Should Know”
- “Meet the Grower: Our Local Craft Partner in BC”
Stay compliant:
- Always source info.
- Avoid health claims or youth-targeted language.
- Stick to education, not persuasion.
Link building in a restricted market
Backlinks = votes of trust. But in the marijuana space, getting them is trickier.
Here’s how to do it safely:
- Industry directories: Get listed on places like Weedmaps, Leafly, and Cannabis Directory Canada.
- Cannabis blogs & news sites: Pitch a guest post or story. Share your expertise as a cultivator or brand.
- Supplier or partner shout-outs: Got a packaging company or glassware supplier? Ask for a backlink from their site.
- Local PR: Sponsor an educational event or community clean-up. Then get the local press to cover it (with a link to your site).
Whatever you do, don’t buy sketchy backlinks. It’ll hurt more than it helps.
If you’re a cannabis dispensary, local SEO is where you’ll see the biggest impact. Let’s zoom in on what that looks like in action.
How cannabis (marijuana) dispensaries can win with local SEO
Let’s say someone’s walking down the street in Toronto, phone in hand, and types:
🔎 “Cannabis near me”
They’re not scrolling past page one. They’re picking whatever shows up at the top, maybe even the first result in the Google Map Pack.
If you’re not showing up there, you’re losing customers. Plain and simple.
That’s why Local SEO is make-or-break for dispensaries.
Here’s how you can start winning:
Google Business Profile: Your online storefront
This is the most important local SEO asset you have. If you haven’t claimed and optimized your Google Business Profile (GBP) yet, go do this today. Seriously.
Your GBP is your #1 asset for local visibility.
✅ Add your correct name, address, and phone (NAP)
✅ Choose the right category (e.g., “Cannabis Store,” not just “Retail Store”)
✅ Upload real photos of your shop interior, exterior, staff, and products
✅ List your hours, including holiday hours
✅ Mention if you offer in-store pickup, delivery, or curbside options
📍 Bonus tip: Use keywords naturally in your description.
E.g., “We’re a legal marijuana dispensary in Ottawa offering THC and CBD products for adults 19+.”
Get (good) reviews and respond to them
People trust reviews even more when they’re trying something new like cannabis.
Ask happy customers to leave a review (just don’t offer incentives, it’s not allowed).
Respond to every review, positive or negative. It shows you're active, transparent, and care about your customers.
📌 Pro tip: Sprinkle relevant keywords into your review responses. Google picks that up.
Example: “Thanks for choosing our Toronto dispensary for your first CBD purchase!”
Build location-specific pages on your website
If you serve multiple areas, don’t just have one generic “Locations” page.
Create dedicated pages like:
- /cannabis-dispensary-toronto
- /cannabis-delivery-brampton
- /dispensary-near-markham
Each page should:
- An intro about your services in that city
- Location-specific photos or staff shoutouts
- An embedded Google map
- Keywords like “dispensary in [city]” are used naturally
- City-specific FAQs (e.g., delivery rules, ID requirements)
Why it matters: These pages help you show up when someone Googles something like “same-day cannabis delivery Brampton.”
Get listed in local and cannabis-specific directories
Don’t underestimate the power of directory listings. They help with backlinks, NAP consistency, and building authority.
Google loves consistency. If your business name, address, or phone number is different across directories, it hurts your chances of ranking locally.
Start with:
- Weedmaps
- Leafly
- Cova Store Finder
- Cannabis Retailer Directory
- Local chamber of commerce directories
💡 Tools like Whitespark or Moz Local can help clean up listings if you’re managing multiple locations.
Use local schema markup
This one’s technical, but important.
Schema markup is a bit of code that helps Google understand your store's:
- Your business type
- Address and phone
- Opening hours
- Services offered
Don’t worry—you don’t need to code. Use a WordPress plugin (like RankMath or Yoast) or tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper.
Adding the LocalBusiness schema improves your chances of showing up in featured results and local packs.
Let me share a real example with you.
We worked with a small shop in Hamilton that had zero online presence outside of Weedmaps. After:
- Claiming and optimizing their GBP
- Creating pages for Hamilton + nearby suburbs
- Gathering 50+ real reviews
- Getting featured in a local cannabis lifestyle blog
📈 They saw a 3x jump in foot traffic within 4 months, and ranked #2 in Google Maps for “Hamilton dispensary open now.”
No paid ads. Just Local SEO done right.
Mistakes to dodge in SEO for marijuana in Canada
SEO is already tricky, but cannabis SEO in Canada? It comes with its unique landmines. If you’re not careful, you could end up wasting time, money, and even getting penalized.
Here are some of the most common mistakes cannabis businesses make (and how to avoid them):
Trying to “outsmart” regulations
Avoid cloaking, hidden text, or stuffing keywords like “buy weed online” hoping to sneak past rules. Google’s smarter than that, and Canada’s regulators are.
Copy-pasting content from other sites
Your site’s blog isn’t a college essay. Google rewards original, useful content. If you’re repeating the same thing every other dispensary is saying, don’t expect to rank.
Skipping location page
You can’t win local SEO without local pages. If you’re in Toronto, Scarborough, and Mississauga, give each location its own optimized page. Don’t make visitors (or Google) guess where you are.
Not optimizing for mobile
Most cannabis customers search from their phones. If your site takes forever to load or is a pain to scroll, they’ll bounce. Fast, mobile-friendly = more sales.
Ignoring reviews
Don’t sleep on Google Reviews. A few solid 5-star ratings can bump your local ranking and build instant trust. Ask happy customers to leave one, just don’t bribe them (that’s a no-no).
Thinking of hiring a cannabis (marijuana) SEO expert?
Totally fair. SEO takes time, and in a regulated market like this, it’s not something you want to gamble on.
Here’s what to look for in a legit cannabis SEO partner:
They understand Canadian regulations
If someone promises fast results with shady tactics, run. You want someone who respects the rules, because Google and Health Canada are both watching.
They’ve worked with cannabis brands before
Ask for examples. Have they helped a dispensary rank locally? Did they build traffic for a cannabis accessories store or a wholesale supplier?
They should talk about strategy, not just rankings
Real SEO isn't just about hitting #1 for “buy weed near me.” It’s about traffic, conversions, and growing your business.
If you're not ready to hire, that’s okay, too. Start small. Learn the basics. Tweak what you can. SEO isn’t instant, but it does pay off over time.
Ready to get serious about cannabis (marijuana) SEO in Canada?
In a market where paid ads are off-limits and compliance is non-negotiable, SEO is your most powerful growth tool. Whether you're running a dispensary in Toronto or launching a new CBD brand, visibility starts with showing up on search.
At Turbojet Media, we help cannabis businesses in Canada grow sustainably through SEO, content, and full-stack digital marketing. We know the rules and how to rank within them.
Let’s take your cannabis brand to the top of Google, without breaking the rules.
👉 Book your free call with TurboJet Media today.
Because your next big win might be just a click away.
