How SEO Trauma Is Costing Weed Brands 70% Of Sales —And Why Most Dispensaries Fail: JP Donahue Unleashed

JP Donahue, the CMO of Deeproots, a digital agency focused on helping cannabis retailers increase market share, began his journey in the cannabis industry with deep roots in cultivation under California’s Prop 215. 

Transitioning from a career in screenwriting and law, Donahue’s experience in cultivation has significantly shaped his approach to cannabis branding. His understanding of the complexities involved in maintaining consistent product quality has been crucial in his branding strategies.

In 2024, Donahue has shifted his focus to helping cannabis brands recover from what he refers to as “SEO trauma”—the damage caused by agencies that overpromise and underdeliver on search engine optimization. His approach is rooted in transparency and realistic strategies, aiming to restore trust and drive tangible results for businesses burned by unreliable SEO practices.

Drawing from his diverse background, Donahue's journey exemplifies how brands can overcome setbacks and achieve lasting success. For those frustrated by ineffective SEO efforts, his work offers a clear path to turning things around and achieving real, measurable outcomes.

The Superhero Model: Finding Your Brand's Superpower

In an upcoming book, "How to Sell Weed – A Field Guide," Donahue presents the “Superhero Model” for cannabis branding, which centers on identifying and leveraging a brand’s unique “superpower”—what it does best.

"The answer to that question is your brand," Donahue explained. "Every brand needs to have an answer to the question: What's your superpower? What do you do better than anyone else? If you don't have an answer, you're not a brand." To illustrate this, he brought up the example of cannabis dispensary and delivery service Tropicanna. In this case, the superpower was customer service.

Donahue's Superhero Model also emphasizes the importance of a cohesive brand experience. He argues that branding goes far beyond just a logo or a name. "All the logo and the name are a symbol. Underneath that symbol are your brand values and your brand experience, which covers every single thing you do," he said. "Your menu is your brand, your customer service is your brand, even how you empty your trash cans is part of your brand."

"You have to create a narrative and an experience that people want to be a part of. If you're not doing that, you're running a gas station or a 7-Eleven," Donahue said.

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Make Cannabis Fun Again

In 2019, Donahue co-founded Tropicanna Dispensary in Santa Ana, California, entering a highly competitive market with 20 dispensaries already operating in proximity. 

At that time, most cannabis dispensaries were stuck in a medical-focused mindset, branding themselves with sterile, clinical aesthetics. Donahue saw an opportunity to break away from this mold. "Everybody was trying to blend in rather than stand out," Donahue explained. "But we were recreational. Nobody started smoking weed for their glaucoma."

Tropicanna's branding embraced the fun, recreational side of cannabis, creating a vibrant, colorful atmosphere that felt more like a Miami Beach day club than a traditional dispensary. 

This approach was not without its skeptics. "People made fun of us," Donahue recalled. Critics questioned whether Tropicanna's bold, playful branding would resonate with consumers. 

But the strategy paid off. Within a year and a half, Tropicanna rose from the bottom of the market to a top-five position, achieving $15 million in annual revenue. Bright colors, engaging retail spaces and a welcoming atmosphere drew in customers tired of the stale, medical-centric approach that dominated the industry.

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The 70/30 Rule: How Deeproots Drives Cannabis Retail Success

JP Donahue's partnership with Matthew Shterenberg and the team at Deeproots was a game-changer for Tropicanna Dispensary. Donahue attributes much of Tropicanna's rapid rise to the top of the market to the effective use of search engine optimization (SEO) provided by Deeproots. 

"The difference between being first and second is huge. First place can take up to 70% of the clicks, leaving the rest to fight for the remaining 30%," Donahue shared. This 70/30 rule—where the top search result can command up to 70% of the clicks—demonstrates the power of effective SEO.

Deeproots approaches SEO with a meticulous, data-driven strategy, something Donahue emphasizes as essential in an industry plagued by overpromising and underdelivering agencies. "We call it ‘SEO trauma,'" Donahue explained, referring to the disillusionment many businesses feel after investing in ineffective SEO services. 

Deeproots, however, differentiates itself by offering what Donahue describes as "a high-touch service that delivers results." The process at Deeproots begins with an in-depth diagnostic of a client’s digital health, including a complete teardown of its website, an analysis of keyword rankings and an assessment of its Google Business page.

This diagnostic phase culminates in a detailed roadmap outlining the exact strategies needed to improve both organic website rankings and the Google Business page. "We provide a step-by-step GPS for getting them where they need to go," Donahue said.

"We have a regular reporting cadence where we get with clients once a month," Donahue noted. During these sessions, Deeproots reviews what's working, what's not and what adjustments are needed to optimize performance further. 

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