CBD niche: opinions, reviews, methods

[CBD Partners]

Hey fixers!
Let's discuss CBD niche. Cannabidiol (now legal in many US states and around Europe), is a very attractive product. I suppose, it's every affiliate's mission now to let more people know about it and its pros.

There are several sub-niches that make it possible to target different audiences: beauty, health, food, pets, etc. This gives a potential affiliate so many opportunities that it is a crime not to use them.

Those already aboard and those only suggesting joining the niche - what are your thoughts? Do you think it sounds interesting and profit-promising? What kind of campaigns would you test?

 

[Graybeard]

First of all, CBD is a very new business. That's why I am trying to work with it.

If I could find a RELIABLE program that is PPS Paid for Customer acquisition (some call this CPS) but it is not the same thing -- this is what I would prefer to promote.
Maybe, something like $60 - $100 per customer acquired -- however from what I have see so far: I trust the people in this business as far as I can spit.

The affiliate stats are crude or almost nonexistent. I have never seen a JSON or XML product feed for CBD. Basically, they are using home-brewed programs or generalized affiliate programs that cannot support deep linking to products. They are using WordPress with WooCommerce in many cases -- not very sophisticated with IT or ecommerce. Because most of what I have seen is so rank-amateur I actually do see opportunity if done right

Too bad, as CBD is an interesting biological. There is isolate and full spectrum products and I have studied the differences. Also the differences in the extraction methods, i.e.; CO2, solvents. The only products that are FDA approved in the USA are topical applications, i.e. skin applied salve, balm, lotion, sprays ... Others are sold legally but are a sort of iffy market -- subject to restriction by the FDA at any time.

I know what it costs to buy product in bulk, bottle it, have it labeled and packaged -- let me assure you --the markup is there. I may just open a compounding facility but probably not -- too much effort. I would rather just find a straight deal with someone reliable and financially responsible (like me).

I have one subdomain "white label program" myname.them.com that I have some confidence with that I will get paid as the customers will return to the domain where they bought most likely and the supplier has no excuse of not tracking properly under those circumstances. They have been in business since 2011 -- longevity and expansion ...

I have signed up with 6 or 7 affiliate programs as an affiliate and then as a customer from my own link. I am very suspicious of their emails to me as a customer -- they seem to be in circumvention of my affiliation.

What proof do I have? When I follow my email link I do not show as a return visit on my affiliate stats. Come on, I have been dealing with shaving for almost 20 years now with these affiliate programs and I probably know every trick in the book.
Since there is no transparency my only alternative is to make purchases to see for sure in the above scenarios. This is hard to do with anonymity today because of KYC.

So what to do? I am planning advertising platforms for CBD, CBD/THC, MMJ (Medical Marijuana) and RMJ (Recreational Marijuana). They can PAY me to buy CPM or CPC or screw them! I am after the MMJ/RMJ market really -- that's where the long term big money is IMHO. Alcohol or RMJ -- what's the difference when either is used responsibly? NONE

I can target the traffic and segment it by zip code and state in the email newsletters. As long as the majors disallow MMJ/RMJ traffic, as they disallow alcohol and tobacco there is a place for what I am doing. As for CBD, more and more ad networks are accepting CBD traffic as they see new revenue streams -- the majors still disallow it however.

 

[CBD Partners]

@Graybeard Absolutely understand, why you chose buying the products to see if the program/network is shaving or not. It is usually considered as a rule breaking technique, but knowing how much some networks like to shave, even their long-term partners, I know what you are talking about.

We began cooperating with CBD advertisers like a couple of months ago, and I definitely see another point you mention: badly developed platforms, no postback options, no will to create good looking landing pages. It just looks like many of product owners/sellers are not ready to make affiliate marketing another source of profit and promotion. Shame, for they are missing huge opportunities. Some are ready to work on everything we need for integration (God bless them), others either don't understand why these little things are so important, or don't care. I suppose, the reason is the market is new. At the same time, it IS new and there is no way for the players to lose opportunities before CBD niche gets as usual thing as male enhancement.

We have a couple of publishers working with search traffic for CBD. I know it can be tricky due to search engine restrictions, still, judging on what I see, it can work.

I can understand why ad networks forbid CBD campaigns for their traffic, but it's just a matter of time. It soon be as much allowed and welcomed as porn/adult. Let the market (and governments ) get used to thinking about CBD as a usual and legal thing, and it will change. Yeah, I see that waiting steals the time we could use for earning, but not much depends on us here.

 

[Graybeard]

Did I strike a nerve? Well, it is what it is ...

 

[Graybeard]

We began cooperating with CBD advertisers like a couple of months ago, and I definitely see another point you mention: badly developed platforms, no postback options, no will to create good looking landing pages. It just looks like many of product owners/sellers are not ready to make affiliate marketing another source of profit and promotion.

What is your position in the industry?

1. Grower,
2. formulator,
3. wholesaler,
4. retailer online/or local,
5. affiliate/or other marketing?

This is indeed an interesting opportunity however the online market is extremely unsophisticated -- the idiots think Facebook *influencer marketing* is their solution really?

I have no problem seeing CBD SEO SERPs in the search engines --SEM ads for CBD are extremely difficult to outright denied. Hemp SEED derived products are NOT *CBD* or at least in sufficient CBD concentration to have any effect.

Were I am at is 5-6 months work planning and already I have had to pivot twice --I am currently working on Plan *C* LOL. Plan C entails using them (CBD sellers) to my own ends Surly, some want me to build their brands for a pittance -- I know how to play the game

Here's the 800 pound gorilla in the room -- the FDA. They can pull the plug at any time on CBD with restrictions and administrative work-arounds. The Hemp growing part of the Farm Act is murky on CBD. Hemp as rope, a material source also as a seed foodstuff and oil are the uncontested uses. So, what does this mean? Any investment in CBD may be short-term and speculative. I would accept the risk but only if there is a real reward.

MMJ/RMJ is long term and real unless the Feds behave like idiots. Warren, Saunders, Yang and other presidential contenders (Democratic Party) have endorsed normalization and legalization of Marijuana and 60% of the public wants it. I imagine big tobacco is shitting bricks after hearing Bernie's proposal to ban them from the RMJ market -- this is a very good proposal from my point of view

 

[Graybeard]

I am still trying to formulate the best approach to this whole CBD Phenomena. It's said to be a $2 billion dollar market in the USA.