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By now, you’ve probably heard all about how Instagram is shutting down cannabis accounts - even those that are completely legal. 
 
Even if Instagram wasn’t doing that, many dispensaries have lackluster accounts with boring pictures, less than descriptive captions, and tacky comments. 
 
It can be tricky to promote your dispensary on Instagram, but these tips will help make sure your dispensary stands out from the competition without attracting too much attention from the moderators. 
 
Let’s dive in: 
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# Avoid “red flag words” in your display name 
 
It may be difficult, but keeping words like “marijuana”, “bud”, "weed", or “cannabis” out of your display name will make it easier to avoid being red-flagged by Instagram. 
 
Use abbreviations instead, and then you can put your full company name down in the bio section of your profile.
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# Post more than just pictures of marijuana
 
There’s more to running a dispensary than just selling cannabis products. 
 
Switch things up by sharing pictures of your team members, giving a behind-the-scenes look of your shop, showing off your displays and cases, events you attend, sales you have going on, happy customers, and more. 
 
Not only will this position your dispensary as being more than just a faceless brand, but it also keeps your account from being as likely to get flagged by “terms of service” enforcers. It also makes your account way less boring and predictable. 
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# Post on a consistent schedule 
 
Setting up a schedule will help gain more followers, but also helps your dispensary account seem more legit to content moderators. 
 
Set up a pattern: Concentrates at 7 am? Flowers at noon? Shop and team images on Wednesdays? Customer shots on Fridays? 
 
Whichever schedule you find works for you, it’s important to remain consistent. This also helps when it comes to brand positioning and marketing.

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# Remember: Quality is key 

Always edit your photos. There are plenty of free apps and websites available, most of which are incredibly easy to use. 
 
People scroll through Instagram all day long, and you want to make sure your images stand out above the rest. Go for edited, polished photos rather than just bland, dull images with awkward angles. 
 
Make sure your photos have lighting, text, colors, and angles that are consistent with the other elements of your branding and aesthetic. 
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# Respond and engage with people 
 
This is one mistake a lot of shops make - they don’t engage with followers or even potential followers. 
 
Respond to comments, leave comments on the posts of others, and truly connect with people. The more you connect and respond, the more likely people are to follow you. This will also help your shop reach a new audience that may otherwise have never found your dispensary.
 
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**There’s no guarantee this will keep your account from getting shut down, but these tips will certainly help you out.**
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Are you a newer smoker? Read this: [Beginner's Guide to Cannabis](http://www.worldofweed.com/cannabis-101-beginners-guide-marijuana/)
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What tips do you have for cannabis accounts on Instagram? Let me know in the comments, and (if you feel so inclined), share and upvote!  

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Cheers! 

@alexiapbullard
www.alexiapbullard.com