Over the past week, Google’s Keyword Planner tool has been restricting users from getting keyword data on terms related to marijuana, including medical marijuana, MMJ, dispensary, cannabis, and weed. At our agency, we do a lot of marketing for medical marijuana companies, so it’s kinda a pain.
There’s no benefit for Google to provide SEOs and webmasters with this data, seeing how marijuana is a restricted topic in AdWords campaigns. So I guess the move makes sense.
Alternatives to Keyword Planner
As an SEO, it sucks not being able to conduct keyword research using Keyword Planner for specific clients. Fortunately, there are a ton of alternatives out there for those of you who are a bit stuck like me.
LSI stands for latent semantic indexing and it’s a powerful tool for understanding user search patterns and behaviors. Just about everyone in the internet marketing field agrees that using semantic keywords in page copy and blog posts is advantageous; seeing favorable Google rankings when done properly. This is a very basic tool, but it provides powerful information. We strongly suggest you school yourself on the benefits of using semantic keywords in your work.
Here’s a great article from SEO Professor: LSI Keywords and Keyword Density
If you’ve ever used Ahrefs, you already know that this is one of the most powerful tools in an SEO’s arsenal. You can do just about anything you would ever need to do with this powerful suite of tools. Features include Rank Tracker (self explanatory), Site Explorer (backlinks, internal backlinks, new and lost backlinks, and indexed pages), Content Explorer (find popular content for inspiration), and, of course, Keywords Explorer. Plans start at $99.
SEMRush is another fan favorite for those in my industry. Like Ahrefs, this is a multi-functional set of tools that lets users research all sorts of metrics – domains, competitors, gap analysis, and lead generation. When it comes to keyword research, you can look at phrase matches, related keywords, and who’s currently ranking for those terms. Plans for this tool also start at $99.
Moz is another paid option but like Ahrefs and SEMRush, it comes equipped with a lot of useful tools. The Keyword Explorer has an Overview tab that shows suggestions, SERP analysis, and brand mentions. The Suggestions tab that lets you organize results in seven different ways with “mix of sources” as the default. Keyword volume is shown in monthly estimates and is considered 95% accurate (at least by Moz). Expect to pay $99 for the standard plan.
This is a tool I haven’t used much, especially since they greatly reduced the amount of info they give you for free. Their pricing page reminds me of a 15-year-old squeeze page and if you scroll far enough you’ll see pricing starts at $88. One feature that sets this tool apart from the other four is that you can look at keyword volume for YouTube, Bing, Amazon, eBay, App Store, and Google by simply choosing its tab from the top of the page. You can also use negative keywords, similarly to Keyword Planner, to exclude phrases and words that don’t match your intent. Unfortunately, I don’t have a paid account for this tool, so I can’t get as much data as Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMRush.
Conclusion
We have no idea if Google will change its mind and once again show users keyword volume for marijuana terms. I hope so. But if they don’t, there are at least five alternative options that will give you the insights you want. If you’ve used one or more of the tools listed above, please share your experiences (good or bad) with our readers. If you know of another Keyword Planner alternative, please share it with us too – be sure to include pricing, features, and limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Does Google Keyword Planner Block Marijuana-Related Keywords?
Google policy restricts keyword suggestions for cannabis-related terms due to varying state and international legality. This affects research workflows for legal cannabis businesses operating in states where marijuana is legal.
What Workarounds Exist for Cannabis Keyword Research?
Use third-party SEO tools (Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz) for cannabis-related keyword data. Bing Keyword Tool surfaces some terms Google Planner suppresses. Manual SERP analysis and Google Trends can supplement quantitative gaps.
Can Cannabis Businesses Run Google Ads at All?
Generally no for product ads. Brand-only ads (informational, age-gated content) may be allowed in some markets following policy review. Most cannabis advertising shifts to programmatic, geofenced, or industry-specific networks.
What’s the Best SEO Strategy for Cannabis Businesses Given Google Restrictions?
Heavy investment in organic content marketing, strong GBP optimization (where allowed), local citations in cannabis directories, and partnerships with industry publications for backlinks. Paid search constraints make organic the primary acquisition channel.
Are There Industry-Specific Keyword Tools for Cannabis Marketers?
Yes. Weedmaps Insights, Leafly Advertising Data, and dedicated cannabis SEO platforms (BDSA, Headset) provide search and consumer behavior data not available in mainstream SEO tools.
Problem is AHREFS, MOZ and SEMRUSH all rely on data from Google and now they also have zero or greatly reduced numbers for traffic from weed related terms. Any other ideas?