Hey everyone,

I run a small SEO/content tool that helps local businesses get found on Google through blog content. Wanted to share a case study because I think it's genuinely useful for anyone in a restricted advertising niche.

The Starting Point

This client runs two recreational cannabis retail locations in the Greater Boston area. Their challenge? Cannabis businesses can't really use traditional advertising. Google Ads, Meta, most paid channels are off-limits or heavily restricted.

Their existing blog had basically zero traction. No organic traffic, no search visibility. They were relying entirely on foot traffic and word of mouth.

What We Did

Instead of generic content, we focused on what people were actually searching for:

• Product and strain-specific keywords – stuff like "[strain name] effects" or "best indica for sleep near me"
• Local intent keywords – targeting Greater Boston specifically
• Answer-the-question content – what customers are Googling before they walk into a store

The owner put it well: "Blog content that utilizes product and strain specific keywords has worked best for bringing in local customers."

We let Google Search Console guide the strategy. Once we saw what was getting impressions, we doubled down on those topics.

The Results (6 months)

• 321,000 impressions in Google search
• 1,710 clicks to the website
• Average position: 11.8 (basically page 1-2 of Google)

The GSC chart is a literal hockey stick. First few months were slow, then it compounds fast.

Key Takeaways

1. Restricted niches need SEO even more. If you can't run ads, organic is your only scalable channel.
2. Specificity beats volume. Targeting "wedding cake strain review" beats targeting "cannabis" every time for local businesses.
3. Consistency compounds. The first 2-3 months feel like nothing's happening. Then it snowballs.
4. Let the data guide you. GSC shows you what's almost ranking. Double down on those.

As the owner said: "SEO is the best place to meet customers where they want to be met—content responses for what they are searching for."

Happy to answer questions if anyone's curious about content strategy for restricted industries or local SEO in general.