In the cannabis industry, SEO plays a vital role in helping brands, dispensaries, and e-commerce stores rank higher in search results.
But when it comes to technical SEO, the conversation gets heated.
Some say it’s essential, while others dismiss it as unnecessary “technical nonsense.”
So, where does the truth lie?
A recent discussion in the SEO world sparked debate about whether technical SEO is worth the effort.
The key takeaway?
If you want your cannabis website to scale, drive traffic, and avoid costly ranking issues, technical SEO isn’t optional—it’s essential.
What Is Technical SEO for Cannabis Websites?
Jordan raised a critical question in a recent discussion:
“What do you consider technical SEO because it’s not schema or silos?”
Andy, a well-respected SEO expert, responded with a precise definition:
“For me, it’s about architecture, security, crawlability, performance, internationalization, etc… and everything that then sits beneath them. Making sure there is nothing holding the on-page back.”
In other words, technical SEO is about making sure search engines can access, crawl, and rank your cannabis website without issues.
It ensures your site’s structure, speed, and security don’t block growth.
For cannabis websites—whether a dispensary, CBD e-commerce store, or a cannabis media platform—this is critical.
Unlike mainstream industries, cannabis websites already face ranking difficulties due to advertising restrictions and compliance challenges.
The last thing you want is technical issues holding your site back even further.
Does Technical SEO Really Matter for Cannabis Businesses?
This is where the debate gets interesting.
Some argue that businesses should focus less on technical SEO and more on strategies that directly impact revenue.
John, an SEO professional, said:
“Spend less time worrying about technical nonsense and actually help your clients make money.”
While revenue-driven SEO is important, ignoring technical SEO can be a fatal mistake.
Andy countered this viewpoint with a real-world scenario:
“So what happens if they have an open search that is creating hundreds of thousands of pages? You wouldn’t see that as an issue? Or how about important pages being blocked due to a poorly managed robots.txt file?”
For cannabis sites, this is even more relevant.
Imagine your dispensary website has thousands of dynamically generated product pages—but they’re not being indexed by Google because of a misconfigured robots.txt file.
That could mean thousands of dollars in lost traffic and sales.
Small Cannabis Sites vs. Enterprise-Level SEO
David made a valid point about website size:
“If you have a simple WordPress site with less than 50 articles, the most technical SEO you’ll end up doing is internal linking.”
For small local dispensaries or cannabis service providers, excessive technical SEO may not be necessary.
But for large-scale cannabis e-commerce platforms, MSOs (multi-state operators), or international CBD brands, technical SEO is a game-changer.
John put it simply:
“This is why it depends. Usually less of an issue on local vs. larger sites.”
A small local dispensary might only need basic technical SEO—fast site speed, clean URLs, and proper indexing.
But a nationwide cannabis delivery service or an international hemp supplier?
They need a rock-solid technical SEO strategy to compete at scale.
What Happens If You Ignore Technical SEO?
For those who think technical SEO isn’t a priority, Kristine asked the ultimate question:
“So if Google can’t crawl and index your site, how do you think you’ll do?”
Steve broke it down even further:
- How can you index a page that can’t be crawled?
- How can you rank a page that can’t be indexed?
- How do you keep users from returning to Google if there are security, accessibility, or page loading issues?
For cannabis businesses, technical SEO isn’t just about rankings—it’s about compliance and user trust.
- Cannabis websites must be fast and secure—otherwise, they risk losing customers who are hesitant to enter personal information on a slow, unsecured site.
- If a cannabis e-commerce store has broken product pages (404 errors), it creates a poor user experience, leading to lost sales.
- If search engines can’t crawl a dispensary website properly, its local SEO rankings will suffer, limiting foot traffic to the store.
Ignoring technical SEO can create invisible barriers that prevent a cannabis business from reaching its full potential.
Technical SEO: A Necessary Evil or Just SEO?
Andrew had a blunt take on the debate:
“Optimize it so it’s more likely to rank.”
While that’s an entertaining (and somewhat valid) perspective, technical SEO is more than just a buzzword—it’s the foundation that allows content marketing and link-building efforts to succeed.
Andy summed it up well:
“That’s like saying all marketing is just analytics, just because that’s a part of marketing.”
Not every cannabis SEO expert needs to be a technical specialist, but completely dismissing technical SEO is a risky move for cannabis businesses that rely on organic search traffic.
The Verdict: Does Technical SEO Matter for Cannabis Businesses?
At the end of the day, the importance of technical SEO depends on the size and complexity of the cannabis website.
- If you run a small local dispensary website, you might only need basic technical SEO fixes (clean URLs, proper internal linking, and fast load times).
- If you’re a large-scale cannabis e-commerce brand, technical SEO is mission-critical to prevent duplicate content, indexing issues, and performance problems.
As Nick humorously concluded:
“It depends.”
And for cannabis SEO, that’s the best answer to this never-ending debate.
Final Thoughts: Should You Invest in Technical SEO for Your Cannabis Website?
If your cannabis business relies on organic search traffic, ignoring technical SEO could cost you rankings, customers, and revenue.
At Hemp Writer, we specialize in SEO for cannabis businesses—whether it’s technical audits, content strategy, or local dispensary SEO.
Want to ensure your website isn’t being held back by technical issues?
Apply for Services today and let’s get your cannabis website ranking.