10 Best Influencer Marketing Tools for Cannabis Brands

Looking to boost your cannabis brand’s visibility? Here are the top 10 influencer marketing tools to help you navigate this unique industry:

These tools offer features like influencer discovery, campaign management, performance tracking, and compliance monitoring.

Tool	Key Feature	Best For
Upfluence	Advanced search filters	Finding niche cannabis influencers
HypeAuditor	Fraud detection	Verifying influencer authenticity
GRIN	Relationship management	Building long-term partnerships
BuzzSumo	Content analysis	Identifying trending cannabis topics
NeoReach	Large database	Accessing 3M+ influencers

Choose a tool that fits your budget, aligns with your goals, and helps you navigate cannabis marketing regulations.

Problems with Cannabis Influencer Marketing

Cannabis influencer marketing faces unique challenges:

Legal Hurdles

The cannabis industry operates in a complex legal landscape:

Federal law still prohibits cannabis, despite state-level legalization
Advertising regulations vary widely between states
Companies can be held liable for influencer regulatory violations

Social Media Restrictions

Major platforms have strict policies against cannabis content:

Platform	Cannabis Content Policy
Facebook/Instagram	Prohibits promotion of recreational drugs
Twitter	Global restrictions on drug promotion
YouTube	Bans recreational drug promotion
Snapchat	Restricts drug-related content

These policies lead to account suspensions and content removal, even for legal cannabis businesses.

Inconsistent Enforcement

Platform policies are often vaguely worded and inconsistently applied. This unpredictability makes it hard for cannabis brands to plan effective influencer campaigns.

Shadowbanning

Instagram’s algorithm can restrict cannabis content without notifying users, drastically reducing reach and engagement.

Limited Advertising Channels

With traditional advertising methods off-limits, cannabis brands rely heavily on influencer marketing. However, restrictions make it challenging to reach target audiences effectively.

Public Perception

Cannabis still faces stigma in some circles. Brands must carefully choose influencers who can help shift perceptions without alienating potential customers.

To navigate these challenges, cannabis brands should:

Provide clear guidelines to influencers about what they can and can’t say
Work with lawyers to ensure compliance with regulations
Focus on authentic content that doesn’t explicitly promote sales
Build relationships with influencers who align with brand values
Stay updated on platform policies and adjust strategies accordingly

What to Look for in Cannabis Influencer Tools

When choosing influencer marketing tools for cannabis brands, focus on:

Compliance and Legal Support

Regulation Integration: Tools like Apex Trading integrate with METRC, ensuring compliance with US legal requirements.
Content Guidelines: Seek platforms that provide clear guidelines on what influencers can say about cannabis products.

Audience Targeting and Analysis

Demographic Insights: Look for detailed information on age, interests, and lifestyle of potential customers.
Engagement Metrics: Choose tools that offer in-depth analysis of follower engagement and authenticity.

Campaign Management and Tracking

Automated Prospecting: Platforms should help identify suitable influencers based on your brand and budget.
Performance Monitoring: Look for tools that track posts, engagement, and provide statistical reporting.

Multi-Channel Support

Channel	Importance
Website	Essential for detailed product information
Newsletters	Direct communication with customers
Social Media	Brand awareness and community building

ROI Measurement

Conversion Tracking: Look for features that link influencer activities to actual sales or sign-ups.
Cost Analysis: Tools should help calculate the return on investment for each influencer partnership.

Pricing Considerations

Influencer marketing tools come with various pricing structures:

Tool	Starting Price (Monthly)
Impulze.ai	$89
Influence.co	$600
Influencity	$134
Influencer Hero	$249
Creable	$49 per user
Modash	$99

1. Upfluence

Upfluence stands out for cannabis brands with its large influencer database and advanced search filters.

Key features:

Large Influencer Database: Over 3 million profiles
Advanced Search Filters: Narrow down searches based on brand affinities and audience interests
Campaign Management: Automate outreach, collaborate on content, and process payments
ROI Tracking: Measure campaign impact with detailed analytics

Upfluence’s comprehensive approach helps cannabis brands navigate the complex landscape of influencer marketing. The platform’s advanced filters can identify influencers who align with cannabis-friendly content guidelines.

While Upfluence doesn’t publicly disclose pricing, reports suggest quotes typically start from around $2,000 per month with an annual commitment.

Pros	Cons
Comprehensive campaign management	Higher price point
Large influencer database	Annual commitment required
Advanced search and filtering	May be complex for small teams
Integrated payment processing

2. HypeAuditor

HypeAuditor offers cannabis brands powerful tools for influencer marketing campaigns.

Key features:

Influencer Discovery: Find suitable influencers in 253 countries using various filters
Audience Quality Score: Quickly assess influencer authenticity and engagement
Campaign Management: Tools for outreach, contracts, content approval, and payments
Analytics: Over 35 metrics to analyze influencers and campaign performance

HypeAuditor’s fraud detection capabilities are particularly useful for avoiding partnerships with influencers who have fake followers. The platform can detect 95.5% of known fraud activities.

Pricing starts at $299 per month, which may be steep for smaller cannabis brands. Users report a steep learning curve, especially for those new to influencer marketing tools.

To get the most out of HypeAuditor, cannabis brands should:

Use the Audience Quality Score to quickly filter out low-quality influencers
Leverage audience demographic data to ensure alignment with target markets
Utilize the campaign management tools to streamline workflows and track ROI

3. Aspire

Aspire offers cannabis brands a robust platform for managing influencer marketing campaigns.

Key features:

Influencer Discovery: Search engine with filters for follower count, industry, and more
Campaign Management: Tools for outreach, content approval, and performance tracking
Custom Application Pages: Create branded pages to attract influencers
Analytics: Detailed reports on influencer performance and campaign ROI

Aspire’s strength lies in its comprehensive approach to influencer marketing. The platform streamlines the entire process, from finding influencers to measuring results.

Pricing starts at $2,499 per month, which may be steep for smaller cannabis brands. Long-term commitment is required, with no trial option.

For cannabis brands looking to maximize their influencer marketing efforts, Aspire provides several advantages:

Use advanced search filters to find influencers who align with cannabis industry regulations
Leverage custom application pages to attract influencers familiar with cannabis marketing guidelines
Utilize comprehensive reporting tools to track campaign performance and ROI

4. Traackr

Traackr stands out as a powerful influencer marketing platform tailored for cannabis brands.

Key features:

Influencer Discovery: Access to a vast global influencer database across major platforms
Data-Driven Insights: In-depth profiles and performance metrics to find the right partners
Campaign Management: Tools to streamline outreach, content approval, and performance tracking
Customizable Dashboards: Quick access to core KPIs and business-critical information
Compliance Monitoring: Automatic risk monitoring to keep brands safe in the regulated cannabis industry

Traackr’s strength lies in its data-driven approach, allowing cannabis brands to make informed decisions about their influencer partnerships.

While Traackr offers robust features, it has a steep learning curve and may require training. Pricing is not publicly available and is customized based on needs.

For cannabis brands looking to elevate their influencer marketing efforts, Traackr provides several advantages:

Use the extensive data capabilities to identify influencers who align with cannabis regulations
Leverage the Campaign Management module to ensure all aspects of your campaigns comply with industry guidelines
Utilize the interactive dashboard to quickly assess the ROI of your influencer partnerships

5. BuzzSumo

BuzzSumo offers cannabis brands a powerful set of tools for content discovery and influencer identification.

Key features:

Content Discovery: Search through 8 billion articles to find trending topics in the cannabis industry
Influencer Identification: Access a database of 294 million influencers
Social Engagement Tracking: Monitor how content performs across major social platforms
Competitor Analysis: Keep an eye on what other cannabis brands are doing in the influencer space

Here’s how cannabis brands can use BuzzSumo effectively:

Find Relevant Influencers: Use the Influencers tab to search for cannabis-related topics
Analyze Top-Performing Content: Search for cannabis-related keywords in the Content Analyzer
Monitor Brand Mentions: Set up alerts for your brand name and cannabis-related keywords
Identify Trending Topics: Use the Trending Now feature to spot current hot topics in the cannabis industry

The starting price is $79 per month when billed annually, which might be steep for smaller cannabis brands. The free version is limited to 4 searches per day and doesn’t include reporting features.

6. GRIN

GRIN offers a complete platform for managing cannabis influencer relationships.

Key features:

Influencer Discovery: Find and filter influencers by category, social channel, and more
Relationship Management: Keep track of all communications and collaborations
Campaign Management: Create briefs, track performance, and measure ROI
Product Seeding: Manage product shipments to influencers
Reporting and Analytics: Track KPIs and demonstrate campaign success

Here’s how cannabis brands can use GRIN effectively:

Streamline Influencer Recruitment: Use GRIN’s extensive database to find influencers who align with your brand values
Manage Campaigns Efficiently: Create detailed campaign briefs outlining expectations, goals, and timelines
Track Performance: Use GRIN’s analytics tools to monitor individual influencer performance and overall campaign success
Maintain Long-term Relationships: Keep in touch with influencers even when not actively collaborating

The platform may have a learning curve for teams new to influencer marketing. Pricing is not publicly available, so smaller brands may need to inquire about costs.

7. NeoReach

NeoReach offers a powerful platform for cannabis brands looking to leverage influencer marketing.

Key features:

Influencer Discovery: Find relevant influencers using over 40 filters
Campaign Management: Oversee multiple campaigns from a central hub
Performance Tracking: Monitor real-time analytics and ROI
Audience Analysis: Gain insights into influencer audiences

NeoReach’s end-to-end managed service can be particularly useful for cannabis brands. Their team develops data-backed strategies based on goals, competitor audits, and channel-specific opportunities.

However, cannabis brands should note:

NeoReach’s annual subscription fees range from $50K to $500K
The platform is best suited for large companies with extensive marketing departments
Small to medium-sized cannabis businesses may find the pricing prohibitive

To make the most of NeoReach:

Define your target audience and influencer criteria before using the platform
Use the AI-driven recommendations to refine your influencer selection
Take advantage of the centralized communications hub to manage influencer relationships

8. trendHERO

trendHERO offers cannabis brands a focused Instagram influencer analysis tool.

Key features:

Fake follower detection
Audience demographics analysis
Competitor tracking
Advanced search filters

trendHERO’s pricing starts at $15.99 per month after a 14-day free trial, making it accessible for small to medium-sized cannabis businesses.

To maximize trendHERO for cannabis marketing:

Use the free trial to check accounts with up to 10,000 followers
Focus on influencers with high audience authenticity scores
Analyze audience interests to ensure alignment with cannabis consumers

While trendHERO excels in Instagram analytics, cannabis brands should note its limitation to a single platform. For multi-channel campaigns, consider complementing trendHERO with other tools.

Social Blade is a useful tool for cannabis brands looking to track influencer statistics across multiple platforms.

Key features:

Follower count tracking
Engagement metrics analysis
Cross-platform performance comparison
Historical data access

Social Blade’s free account provides basic metrics, while paid options offer more detailed analytics. This makes it a good choice for cannabis startups with limited budgets.

To use Social Blade effectively in cannabis influencer marketing:

Monitor follower growth trends to spot rising influencers in the cannabis niche
Compare engagement rates across platforms to determine where an influencer performs best
Use historical data to assess long-term influencer performance and consistency

While Social Blade offers a broad overview of influencer stats, it’s important to note that the tool doesn’t provide cannabis-specific insights. Brands should use Social Blade in conjunction with other tools for a more complete picture of an influencer’s fit for cannabis marketing campaigns.

10. Storyclash

Storyclash is an AI-powered influencer marketing platform that can help cannabis brands find and manage influencers effectively.

Key features:

AI-powered influencer search based on content relevance
Cross-platform campaign reporting (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube)
Built-in Influencer CRM for relationship management
Competitor insights and brand collaboration tracking

Storyclash’s AI technology allows cannabis brands to find suitable influencers up to 10 times faster than traditional methods. This can be particularly useful in the fast-paced cannabis industry where trends change quickly.

While Storyclash offers powerful features, pricing starts at €599 per month, which may be steep for smaller cannabis startups. Additionally, some advanced features like audience filters are only available in higher-priced tiers (€1,600/month and up).

For cannabis brands looking to scale their influencer marketing efforts, Storyclash’s AI-powered tools can streamline the process of finding and managing influencers. However, brands should weigh the costs against their budget and campaign needs before committing to this platform.

Wrap-up

The cannabis industry’s rapid growth has sparked a need for effective influencer marketing tools. As brands navigate this complex landscape, choosing the right tools is key to success.

Looking ahead, cannabis influencer marketing is set to evolve:

Platform diversification: Brands will explore niche platforms as alternatives to restrictive mainstream social media.
Data-driven campaigns: Tools that offer detailed analytics will become essential for measuring ROI.
Compliance focus: Platforms with built-in compliance features will gain popularity as regulations tighten.

To stay ahead, cannabis brands should:

Invest in tools that offer both discovery and management features
Prioritize platforms with strong analytics capabilities
Focus on building authentic, long-term influencer relationships

10 Best Influencer Marketing Tools for Cannabis Brands

Problems with Cannabis Influencer Marketing