5-Step Influencer Marketing Strategy For CBD Brands

If you're running a CBD brand and don't have unlimited marketing funds, this blog is for you. We'll show you how to create an effective influencer marketing strategy that fits your budget and goals. By the end, you'll have a clear roadmap to launch your first influencer campaign and the tools to measure its success.

🌱 Why is influencer marketing impactful for CBD brands?

Educating and building trust

CBD products are still unfamiliar to many, so influencers play a crucial role in educating consumers and building trust. Unlike traditional advertising, influencers can share their personal experiences with CBD in a relatable and authentic way. They can explain how CBD products impact their daily lives and what benefits they've noticed. Personal stories help demystify CBD and make it more approachable for their followers who might be curious but hesitant to try it.

Aligning with wellness trends

CBD aligns well with current wellness trends focused on natural remedies because it comes from plants and is seen as a natural option.

Influencers in the health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle spaces are ideal partners as their audiences are already interested in these topics and receptive to CBD product recommendations that fit their values and lifestyles.

Versatility in content creation

CBD products are great for making different types of content. Influencers can easily include them in many areas, such as skin care routines, workout recovery, sleep habits, cooking and food. This means influencers can naturally add CBD products to their content. They don't have to change their style or create special posts just for CBD. Instead, they can show how CBD fits into their everyday life naturally and honestly.

For example, a fitness influencer might show how they use CBD cream after a challenging workout. A food blogger could share a recipe using CBD oil. Or a lifestyle influencer might talk about using CBD gummies to help them sleep better.

Navigating compliance

The FDA and FTC have strict guidelines about what can be claimed regarding CBD's health benefits, and many traditional advertising channels have restrictions on CBD content. This makes it challenging for brands to communicate the potential benefits of their products through conventional marketing methods.

Influencers, however, can share their experiences with CBD products in a way that feels authentic and doesn't violate regulations. They can discuss how they incorporate CBD into their routines, how it makes them feel, or any improvements they've noticed in their well-being without making explicit medical claims. This approach allows brands to showcase the potential benefits of their products through real-life examples and testimonials rather than direct claims.

🍻 Step 1 — Find the right influencers for your CBD brand

The foundation of a successful influencer marketing campaign for your CBD brand lies in defining the ideal influencer profile. This goes beyond simply seeking out celebrities or accounts with massive followings.

Here are 3 basic checks you have to do on an influencer's profile before finalizing to partner with them:

1. Assess if the topics, products, and lifestyle align with your target audience's interests and values. This will help you judge if their target audience is similar to your brand's.
2. Check if the influencer's content and messaging reflect values similar to your CBD brand, such as wellness, natural living, or holistic health.
3. Look for thoughtful responses from followers and active discussions, not just emoji reactions or generic praise. Review captions to see if they provide value to followers beyond just product promotion.

With your ideal influencer profile in mind, you're ready to begin your search. Here are two methods you can use:

🌟 Identify brand advocates within your customer base

Discovering influencers for your CBD brand doesn't always mean searching far and wide. Sometimes, your best advocates are already right under your nose. Start by looking at your existing customer base. These people know and love your products, making them perfect candidates for authentic promotion.

Check your order history and identify repeat customers. These loyal buyers clearly see value in your CBD offerings. Next, go through social media for mentions of your brand or products. Look for posts where customers have shared their experiences without any prompting. These unpaid, genuine endorsements are gold mines for potential partnerships.

Don't underestimate the power of the comments section on your social media posts. Enthusiastic feedback often comes from followers who could be excellent brand ambassadors. When evaluating these potential influencers, remember that follower count is not the only factor. While a following of 1,000 to 5,000 is a good starting point, engagement is the real game-changer. Look for accounts whose posts spark meaningful interactions – likes, comments, and shares.

The advantage of working with existing customers is that they're already sold on your products. You won't need to convince them of your CBD's quality or effectiveness. This authenticity shines through in their content, making their endorsements more credible and trustworthy to their followers.

🔖 Hashtag research

Influencers often use specific hashtags related to their niche or content themes. By searching through these hashtags, you can narrow down the pool of potential partners and ensure that the influencers you connect with are more likely to have an audience that is relevant to your products.

• Start with niche, CBD-specific tags: #CBDwellness, #CBDoil, #CBDlife
• Add wellness-related tags: #naturalhealing, #holistichealth, #plantmedicine
• Include lifestyle tags: #anxietyrelief, #sleepbetter, #painmanagement
• Don't forget local tags if targeting specific regions: #LAhealth, #NYCwellness

Search for niche-specific hashtags instead of broad, generic ones to find influencers that are fit for you. Let's say you're a brand specializing in organic, full-spectrum CBD products. Instead of using broad hashtags like #CBD or #wellness, prioritize niche-specific hashtags to find influencers who specialize in your area: #organicCBD #fullspectrumCBD #holisticwellness or #cbdskincare

For example, #cbd is a broad hashtag with ~1 billion posts.

Whereas a niche hashtag #cbdskincare has less than 500K posts. It will be easier to find your ideal influencer with this niche hashtag.

Once you have an initial list of ~20 influencers from hashtag searches, follow all of them and check out the recommended profiles Instagram suggests. Chances are, some of those profiles would also be a good fit for your program. Add them to your list. By doing this, you should easily have a list of 50 CBD and wellness influencers.

With SARAL you can find any kind of CBD influencer on the planet. Easily.

You input what you're looking for, like "wellness advocate" or "holistic health coach," and with a few clicks, SARAL sifts through loads of influencer profiles. It pulls up a list of influencers who match your criteria, and you can save them all in one easy-to-handle list without any copy-pasting.

This way, you can ditch the messy spreadsheets and adopt a tidy, easy-to-use system.

If you want to find mom-influencers who might be promoting CBD products, look for hashtags like #cannamom, #hemphealth, or #cannabinoidwellness in their bio.

To vet the influencers — whether they have enough engagement and 'die-hard fans' who listen to them, try SARAL's free Chrome extension. It allows you to see influencer's stats, and even predict a fair fee to pay.

⭐ SARAL Pro tip: Partner with healthcare professionals, wellness coaches, or yoga instructors who incorporate CBD into their practice. Their expertise can lend additional credibility to your brand.

💬 Step 2 — Reach out to influencers

Once you've got your list of potential CBD influencers, it's time to contact them.

• For smaller influencers (under 10,000 followers): Use direct messages (DMs). They're more likely to see and respond to these.
• For larger influencers (over 10,000 followers): Try email first. Their DMs are probably crowded, so an email might stand out more.

In your first email, you should introduce yourself and your brand rather than directly ask them to send you their rates, or sign a contract.

• Mention something specific about their CBD content to prove you've done your homework.
• Explain why you think your product would be a good fit for their audience
• Express interest in a collaboration and invite them to discuss further

Feel free to customize the email templates below to fit your brand's voice and style when contacting influencers.

Email 1 - Day 1

Hey [Influencer's First Name],

I'm [Your Name] from [CBD Brand Name]. Your recent post about [specific CBD or wellness topic] caught my eye - love how you [mention something specific about their content or approach].

We've got a [specific CBD product, e.g., "full-spectrum CBD oil"] that I think would be perfect for your wellness-focused audience. Our brand is all about [key brand value, e.g., "organic, sustainably sourced CBD"], and we're committed to education and compliance in the CBD space.

Would you be open to talking about a potential collaboration? We'd love to explore ways to share accurate, helpful CBD info with your followers.

No pressure at all - just excited about the possibility of working together!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

[Your Name]

[Your Role] at [CBD Brand Name]

Don't stress if some influencers don't hit you back right away. Life gets crazy, and emails can slip through the cracks.  Just follow up in DMs to make sure they got your message.

DM 1 - Day 6

Hey [Influencer's First Name],

Hope this message finds you well! I sent an email to [influencer.email] about a potential CBD collab with [Brand Name]. Just wanted to make sure it didn't get lost in the inbox.

We're really excited about the idea of working with you on some CBD education content. No worries if you're swamped - just let me know if you'd like to chat more.

Thanks for your time!

[Your Name]

Email 3 - Day 8

Hey [Influencer's First Name],

Hope you're having a great week! Just wanted to follow up on my earlier message about a potential collaboration between [Your CBD Brand] and your awesome wellness content.

We really admire how you [mention a specific aspect of their content, e.g., "break down complex wellness topics for your audience"], and we think our [specific CBD product] could be a great fit for your followers interested in natural wellness solutions.

If you're open to it, we'd love to:

• Send you some samples to try
• Discuss ways to create educational content about CBD
• Explore how we can support your wellness journey

No pressure at all - we know you're probably juggling a lot. If the timing isn't right, or if you have any questions about CBD partnerships, just let me know.

Looking forward to potentially working together!

Best,

[Your Name]

[Your Role] at [CBD Brand Name]

Comment 1 - Day 8

Great post about [topic of their recent content]! Your tips on [specific point from their post] are so helpful.

P.S. Sent you a message about a potential CBD collab - would love to chat if you're interested in exploring natural wellness options for your audience.

SARAL makes the follow-up process a breeze by letting you schedule your messages in advance. The platform automatically sends them out at the times you choose, so you don't have to keep track of everything manually.

If an influencer responds, SARAL is smart enough to pause any scheduled follow-ups so you don't accidentally send them a message when you're already chatting. It's a super helpful tool for staying organized and on top of your influencer outreach. Get access to SARAL for free.

⭐ SARAL pro tip:

Patience is important in CBD influencer marketing. Many influencers are cautious about CBD partnerships due to regulations, so be prepared to answer questions and provide education about your products and the industry before a collaboration starts.

🎁 Step 3 — Onboard influencers as ambassadors

Onboarding influencers as ambassadors means bringing influencers into your brand's ecosystem in a way that they feel informed, and enthusiastic about promoting your products or services.

This step comes after the influencer is ready to work with you on a commission basis, or a combination of flat rate & commission. There are 4 things you should do to onboard influencers as ambassadors for your brand:

Curate product selection and presentation

Select products that showcase the best of what your brand offers. When sending these products to influencers, don't just ship them in any old packaging. Invest in creating an aesthetically pleasing unboxing experience that reflects your brand's quality and attention to detail.

Send a handwritten note with a personalized code

Include a handwritten note or a personalized message that addresses the influencer by name, expressing excitement about the partnership. A personal touch makes influencers feel valued and establishes a connection between them and your brand.

Give influencers a personalized discount code that they can share with their followers. This approach serves two purposes: it offers value to their followers and allows you to track the effectiveness of the influencer's promotion efforts.

Share a creative guideline document

This doesn't mean restricting their creativity but rather providing them with a framework that aligns with your brand identity. Include information about your target audience, what content has been successful, and any brand elements like logos and color schemes that should be incorporated into their content.

This ensures that while influencers bring their unique voice and style to the promotion, they also maintain a consistency that resonates with your brand image.

Organize a session

Organize a brief session (a webinar or a digital meetup) to walk through your brand’s story, mission, and the features/benefits of the products they will be promoting.

Educating influencers about your brand and products ensures they can speak about them knowledgeably and passionately. It helps create informative and engaging content, driving deeper interest and trust among their followers.

For example, Lululemon, an athleisure brand, hosts a 3-day summit during onboarding where ambassadors, store managers from each location, and some key community leaders from the Vancouver Head Office come together to discuss the brand.

📈 Step 4 — Track posts, and performance

Measuring the success of influencer marketing isn't as straightforward as counting clicks or sales from regular ads. Influencer marketing's impact can be harder to quantify.

Don't just ask, "How much money did we make from influencer marketing?" Instead, ask yourself these questions:

1. Are more people talking about our CBD brand now?
2. Do we have more product reviews than before?
3. Are influencersreating useful content about our products?
4. Are we seeing more sales over time, not just right after an influencer post?

Influencer marketing isn't always about quick sales. It also helps build your brand over time. When influencers talk about your CBD products, they introduce you to new people. These people might not buy right away, but they remember your brand. Someone might see an influencer post about your CBD oil, remember it later when they're in a store, and then buy it. This long-term effect is valuable, even if you can't directly link it to one influencer post.

There are a few ways to judge if influencer marketing is working for you:

Check influencers' analytics

Ask your CBD influencers to share their post analytics with you.

For example, if an influencer posts about your CBD brand on Instagram, request a screenshot of the post insights. This should show you the reach (how many unique accounts saw the post), engagement (likes, comments, shares), and saved posts. If the influencer created a story, ask for the story views and any "swipe up" data if they have that feature.

These numbers give you an idea of how many people your CBD brand reached through that specific influencer.

Ask your customers

While immediate sales are great, the real value of CBD influencer marketing often comes from long-term brand recognition.

Set up a system to track how people discover your brand over time. For instance, add a "How did you hear about us?" question to your checkout process or customer surveys. Include "Social media influencer" as an option. Over time, you might notice an increase in customers selecting this option, even if they didn't purchase immediately after seeing an influencer post. This data helps you understand the impact of your influencer campaigns.

Use Google Analytics

Use UTM parameters to create unique links for each influencer.

For example, if you're working with a yoga influencer named Sarah, your link might look like this:

www.yourcbdbrand.com/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=sarah_yoga

Use these unique links to track exactly how much traffic each influencer drives to your site in Google Analytics.

You can also look at metrics like time on site and pages per session to gauge the quality of this traffic.

Automate your reports with SARAL's Dashboard

If you use an all-in-one influencer marketing tool like SARAL, you'll get detailed performance reports.

Easy-to-understand reports help you understand the overall impact of your influencer marketing efforts without getting overwhelmed. Using these reports, you can show stakeholders the direct impact of your influencer marketing efforts on revenue or brand.

🤝 Step 5 — Build long-term relationships with your ambassadors

When you build long-lasting partnerships with influencers, they become regular supporters of your CBD brand. They'll often talk about and recommend your products to their followers. As the influencer keeps showing real enthusiasm for your brand over time, their audience starts to trust your CBD products too. This happens because people already believe in what the influencer says and suggests.

Working with the same influencers for a long time can also save you money. Instead of always looking for new influencers for short campaigns, long-term partners might give you better deals for ongoing work. This means you get more value for the money you spend on influencer marketing.

Here are 8 ideas we've gathered after observing how influencer-favorite brands treat their partners:

1. Early access to new products: Give influencers exclusive access to the latest CBD formulations before public launch. This makes them feel valued and helps them share new wellness trends with their followers first.
2. Collaborative wellness projects: Propose joint projects like CBD-infused recipe development or wellness routine videos, allowing influencers to showcase their expertise while promoting your products.
3. Feature influencer content: Regularly share influencer-generated CBD content on your brand's social media accounts. This could include testimonials, usage tips, or wellness routines incorporating your products.
4. CBD education opportunities: Offer exclusive educational sessions where influencers can learn from CBD experts in your network. This could include deep dives into cannabinoid science, compliance regulations, or wellness applications.
5. Invite to industry events: Invite influencers to attend CBD expos, product launches, or wellness meetups. This increases their industry knowledge and provides networking opportunities.
6. Regular check-ins: Keep in touch often, not just about work. Show interest in their wellness journey and personal goals, fostering a deeper connection.
7. Personalized wellness packages: Send curated CBD gift sets on special occasions or after completing successful campaigns. This shows appreciation and strengthens your relationship.

Regulations for CBD influencer marketing

Brands and influencers must be aware of various federal, state, and local regulations to ensure compliance and avoid potential legal issues:

1. FTC Disclosure Requirements: The influencer must clearly disclose their relationship with the brand (e.g. using #ad or #sponsored). The disclosure should be clear, conspicuous, and not hidden in a string of hashtags.

Influencer post with hashtag ‘#ad’ to comply with regulations

1. FDA Regulations: Influencers cannot make unsubstantiated health claims about CBD products or promote them as a dietary supplement or food additive. They must avoid claiming CBD can treat, cure, or prevent any diseases
2. State and Local Laws: CBD regulations vary by state, so brands must ensure compliance with local laws where the influencer is based. For example, Idaho has strict laws against hemp-derived CBD. Influencers based in Idaho likely can't promote any CBD products. New York has specific labeling requirements for CBD products. Influencers in New York should ensure any products they promote meet these requirements.
3. Age Restrictions: Content should not target or appeal to minors. Influencers should have an audience primarily over 21 years old

Ultimately the brand should take primary responsibility for ensuring compliance. Non-compliant content could damage the brand's reputation more than the influencer's, so it's in the brand's best interest to be proactive about compliance.

CBD brands should:

• Provide clear, written guidelines to influencers on what they can and cannot say about CBD products
• Have a review process for influencer content before it's posted
• Educate influencers on basic CBD regulations
• Include compliance requirements in influencer contracts

Tool to give CBD brands a competitive edge

CBD brands are popping up everywhere, and the competition is fierce. It's no longer a market of boutique companies trying to stay nimble; everyone wants a piece of the pie. But the brands that will get the biggest share are those who not only know the right strategy but can apply it efficiently, and at scale. The brands that can identify the right influencers quickly, manage campaigns effectively, and measure results accurately are the ones that will grow (pun intended!).

All that is time-consuming if you're relying on spreadsheets, notes, and manual work. You need tools like SARAL — an all-in-one influencer marketing platform designed to automate your influencer marketing strategy.

Here's what you can do with SARAL:

• Automated influencer outreach: Saral allows you to reach out to thousands of influencers with personalized messages, saving time and effort.
• Campaign management: Manage all your influencer campaigns from a single dashboard, including tracking deliverables and payments.
• Detailed analytics and reporting: Get insights into campaign performance, including reach, engagement, and ROI, to optimize your strategies.
• Influencer relationship management: Build and maintain long-term relationships with influencers through Saral's CRM-like features.

Claim your free trial of SARAL now. Explore the features, experience the dedicated support, and even run your first campaign. There's no long-term commitment – if you're not impressed, you can cancel anytime. But we're confident that once you see the results, you'll wonder how you ever managed without SARAL.