The version of PR that helps SEO is digital PR: pitching a real story to a specific reporter so the published article links back to you. A wire release blasted to nobody in particular does little. An editorial link from MJBizDaily, Ganjapreneur, or a respected local paper carries authority a directory listing never will. The work is finding the angle and the right inbox.
Wire releases versus digital PR
Most "PR" a cannabis brand buys is a press release pushed over a wire service. It shows up as dozens of identical syndicated copies, usually with no-follow links or no links at all, and search engines discount that pattern almost entirely. Digital PR is a different craft. You develop a story a journalist would actually want to run, pitch it to that specific person, and the article they write links to you as the source. One earned editorial link from a site people trust does more than a hundred syndicated reprints — the trust of the outlet is the whole point. Judge PR by the links and coverage it earns, not by the number of "placements."
The story has to be real
Reporters cover news, not your product. Give them something with a hook: original data from your own sales or survey numbers, a first-of-its-kind launch, a founder with a real perspective on a regulatory change, a local angle tied to your city. Proprietary data is the strongest of these because no one else has it, and a single strong data study can earn links for months as other writers cite the figure. If the only thing you can say is "we exist and we're great," there is no story, and no amount of pitching will manufacture one.
Where to pitch in cannabis
Match the outlet to the angle. For business and industry stories, MJBizDaily and Ganjapreneur reach the trade and carry real authority. For culture and consumer pieces, High Times and Leafly hit a broader audience. Do not overlook local: for a dispensary, a link and a mention in a respected city newspaper reinforces exactly the local relevance that map-pack rankings depend on. Read what a reporter actually covers before pitching, and send them something in their lane. A generic blast to a list you scraped gets deleted.
Connectively for reactive wins
Alongside pitching your own stories, work the reactive side. Connectively, the platform that replaced HARO, is where journalists post requests for sources. Filter for cannabis and small-business queries, and answer the ones where you have real expertise: fast, specific, with a credential attached. This gets you quoted in articles you would never have pitched into, and those quotes come with links. It is low-cost and steady if you keep at it.
A worked example
An edibles maker had nothing but wire releases and a flat backlink profile. We pulled a year of their anonymized order data into a short study on which product formats sold in which seasons, wrote it up as a one-page pitch with a clean chart, and sent it to three trade reporters who covered market trends. Ganjapreneur ran a piece citing the data and linked back to the study page. Two other blogs then cited the same figure over the next couple of months, each linking to the source. On the reactive side, the founder answered a Connectively query about packaging regulations and got a quote plus a link in a consumer outlet. Four earned editorial links from one dataset and one good answer, none of it bought.
Key takeaways
- Digital PR earns editorial links; wire releases mostly produce discounted syndication.
- You need a real hook, and original data is the most durable one.
- Match the outlet to the angle: MJBizDaily and Ganjapreneur for trade, High Times and Leafly for consumer, local press for dispensaries.
- Work Connectively for reactive quotes and links from your real expertise.
- Measure PR by links and coverage earned, not placement counts.
Frequently asked questions
What is digital PR and how is it different from a press release?
Digital PR is earning coverage on other websites specifically to gain editorial links and mentions back to yours. A wire press release usually produces syndicated copies with no-follow or no links at all. Digital PR instead pitches a real story to a specific reporter so the resulting article links to you as a source. The link is the point, and it has to be earned, not paid.
Which cannabis outlets are worth pitching?
For business and trade angles, MJBizDaily and Ganjapreneur carry real weight with an industry audience. For culture and consumer stories, High Times and Leafly reach a wider crowd. Local business press and city newspapers matter too, especially for a dispensary, because a link from a respected local paper reinforces local relevance.
How do I get quoted without a PR agency?
Sign up for Connectively, the service that replaced HARO, where reporters post requests for sources. Answer the cannabis and small-business queries that fit your real expertise, quickly and specifically. A useful, concise answer with a credential can earn a quote and a link in a piece you would never have pitched your way into.
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