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