Why Local Cannabis Businesses in Cleveland Need Backlinks—And Where to Get Them

If you run a cannabis dispensary or processor in Cleveland, Cannabis Local SEO isn’t optional—it’s essential. As competition grows and regulations tighten, visibility on Google is one of the most powerful ways to increase foot traffic and sales. A strong backlink profile is one of the clearest signals to Google that your business is legitimate, trusted, and worth ranking on the first page of search results.

Why Google Cares About Backlinks for Cannabis Companies

Google sees backlinks as votes of confidence (also known as Domain Authority in the SEO world). When another site links to yours, it’s like a recommendation. High-quality backlinks improve your chances of showing up in Google Maps and organic search results. In Ohio’s growing cannabis market, this matters more than ever as there are limited options for marketing your brand, especially on places like Google. Once you've optimized your Google Business Profile, and updated your website for Local SEO, building your credibility via a strong domain authority may be your next best thing.

Why Cannabis Directories Are a Smart Starting Point

You don’t need a PR team or months of outreach to start earning backlinks. Cannabis directories are one of the easiest, most efficient ways to build your backlink profile. They help your business:

• Get found on Google Maps

• Improve local search rankings through Cannabis Local SEO

• Build Domain Authority with trustworthy citations

• Offer accurate business info to new customers

Below is a curated list of cannabis and local directories that offer high-value backlinks and visibility for Cleveland cannabis businesses.

Top Cannabis and Local Business Directories for Cleveland Dispensaries

If you're looking to improve your Cannabis Local SEO, these directories are some of the best places to start. Many of them offer high Domain Authority (DA), excellent monthly traffic, and credible backlink opportunities to strengthen your dispensary’s online presence. This is not the order I'd go to directly sell cannabis as you'll be surprised to see how low Weedmaps goes, but again is for the purposes of improving your domain authority. Note: Metrics are sourced from Moz and DA is a 0-100 scale with 100 being the highest number.

1. High Times (No longer around)

• DA: 80

• Monthly Traffic: 1.5M+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Backlink Value: High

• Why Use It: You are a time traveler. A legendary cannabis media brand with a popular business directory. It was great for brand credibility and backlinks from a trusted source.

2. Benzinga Cannabis

• DA: 75

• Monthly Traffic: 800K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: A top financial news site with a cannabis-focused section. Listings benefit from Benzinga’s strong authority and investor traffic.

3. Leafly

• DA: 74

• Monthly Traffic: 3.8M

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: One of the highest-traffic cannabis directories, essential for dispensaries. Offers user reviews, menus, and product listings.

4. Herb.co

• DA: 72

• Monthly Traffic: 1M+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: A lifestyle and education platform. Ideal for reaching new consumers and increasing topical backlinks.

5. MJBiz Daily

• DA: 70

• Monthly Traffic: 500K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: A trusted source for cannabis business news. Great for B2B backlinks and exposure to industry professionals.

6. Weedmaps

• DA: 68

• Monthly Traffic: 1.91M

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: Essential for dispensaries and product listings. Weedmaps helps drive foot traffic and local cannabis SEO performance.

7. Cannabis Business Times

• DA: 65

• Monthly Traffic: 400K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: A leading B2B cannabis directory ideal for brand partnerships, vendor listings, and backlinks with high Domain Authority.

8. Ganjapreneur

• DA: 60

• Monthly Traffic: 300K+

• Submission Fee: $99 one-time

• Why Use It: Focuses on business and networking. A valuable backlink and branding tool for cannabis startups and professionals.

9. Cannabiz Media

• DA: 60

• Monthly Traffic: 100K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: Provides a vetted directory of licensed cannabis businesses. Excellent for B2B marketing and compliance-focused backlinks.

10. Where’s Weed

• DA: 58

• Monthly Traffic: 300K+

• Submission Fee: $99/month

• Why Use It: Helps consumers find local dispensaries. Includes GPS tools and product menus, making it valuable for local discovery.

11. Medical Jane

• DA: 55

• Monthly Traffic: 100K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: Focused on medical cannabis education and dispensary listings. A solid backlink for Ohio’s medical license holders.

12. Marijuana Index

• DA: 55

• Monthly Traffic: 100K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: Tracks public cannabis companies. Offers directory entries that support financial visibility and SEO credibility.

13. Cannabis.net

• DA: 54

• Monthly Traffic: 200K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: An all-purpose community and business hub for cannabis. Useful for building topical backlinks.

14. Hail Mary Jane

• DA: 50

• Monthly Traffic: 50K+

• Submission Fee: $25/month

• Why Use It: A culture and lifestyle blog with cannabis business listings. Smaller traffic, but niche relevance helps Cannabis Local SEO.

15. Dispensaries.com

• DA: 50

• Monthly Traffic: 70K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: Offers a dispensary marketplace and brand exposure. Good for national SEO reach and credibility.

16. WeedLife Network

• DA: 48

• Monthly Traffic: 80K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: Cannabis-focused social media and business network. Good for backlinks and community engagement.

17. The Cannabis Industry

• DA: 47

• Monthly Traffic: 100K+

• Submission Fee: $100/month

• Why Use It: Official member directory of the NCIA. High trust factor and solid SEO benefit for businesses with budget.

18. THC Business Directory

• DA: 47

• Monthly Traffic: 60K+

• Submission Fee: $42/month

• Why Use It: Business directory supporting dispensary SEO and product listings.

19. The Pot Guide

• DA: 45

• Monthly Traffic: 250K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: Includes travel info, laws, and dispensary details. Great for building consumer trust and local backlinks.

20. CannaPages

• DA: 45

• Monthly Traffic: 150K+

• Submission Fee: Free

• Why Use It: Known for local business promotion and cannabis events. Adds geo-targeted SEO value.

21. THCList

• DA: 42

• Monthly Traffic: 60K+

• Submission Fee: $42/month

• Why Use It: Cannabis business directory for dispensaries and product brands. Affordable way to increase Domain Authority.

Need Help Building Your Cannabis SEO Strategy?

If you’re serious about growing your dispensary’s online presence in Cleveland, you need more than just listings—you need an intentional backlink strategy and strong Cannabis Local SEO foundation.

At Local Leaf Marketing, we help cannabis businesses:

• Build high-quality backlinks that improve Domain Authority

• Optimize Google Business Profiles and local citations

• Create SEO-rich content and location pages

• Drive measurable increases in dispensary foot traffic

Ready to dominate local search and get found by the right customers?
Contact Local Leaf Marketing to get started today.