5 Social Media Strategy Tips for Tattoo Artists
As a queer business coach, a lot of folks don’t know that my first few social media consulting clients were tattoo artists. As someone who loves tattoos, and enjoys unwinding in a tattoo shop — it only made sense to combine my passion for tattoos and social media by consulting with independent artists.
These tips won’t be a catch-all for every tattoo artist — but I am going to provide some coaching freebies that I share with my clients regarding shop guidelines and competing for art styles between artists.
Here are 5 tips for Tattoo Artists to improve their social media strategy
Tip #1 Find your platform and commit to it!
With social media today, tattoo artists absolutely do not need to be on every platform. I recommend (in this priority order) Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or Pinterest. I encourage clients to test drive each of these platforms and see if one fits with their content creation style
(it goes without saying, but social media is a HUGE source of discovery for tattoo artists, and leaving profiles un-updated means leaving money on the table)
Once you’ve found your niche, it’s time to set up a strategy. I would set a goal to upload at least 3 times a week, whether a work-in-progress update, a before and after healed tattoo, or someone’s new piece (these are just some ideas to get you started).
Tip #2 schedule social media time
It may seem obvious, but schedule your social media time just like you would if you had a client coming in for an appointment. Be specific in your notes — what are you posting, when, and on what platform? You can prepare for this at home or in the studio to cut down on your actual posting time. The key here is consistency.
Coaching tip: most tattoo artists stop posting consistently when their books are full. As a coach, I LOVE this problem for clients — but it also indicates that it’s time to raise your rates. This is when you can begin to have a more niche selection process, take on longer projects or double your rates. You can always offer a flash sale over a weekend, but the goal here is for you to be able to increase your income as an artist doing what you love. (you should be reviewing your rates every year as you gain experience on new and different styles, check out this 2021 report to compare your rates)
Tip #3 Experiment in different styles
I could write a whole post on red flags in different shops, I’ve heard some intense stories from clients about shop politics and competition among artists in the same studio. I encourage all artists to branch out and try different styles if they feel enthused about the process. If a shop owner or neighbor artist is preventing you from branching out, that’s going to directly impede your interactions in the shop and with potential clients. I’d encourage you to have a conversation with the fellow artist, maybe ask about sitting in on a consultation, or collaborating on a piece for the shared experience. When you’ve had the chance to test out a new style and feel comfortable adding it to your portfolio — that is when you should begin to share on social media.
Tip #4 your social media IS your portfolio
It may seem straightforward, but a tattoo artist’s social media serves as a live, online digital portfolio. Many clients will decide to book within the first few posts on your page, regardless of platform. Keeping this in mind, you should be planning to post between 3–5 times in a week (or in a day if you’re trying to grow on tiktok). If you’re having trouble getting inspired, check out other successful tattoo artist’s socials. Social media isn’t a closed book test, it’s an open note group project! Meaning: study other people’s strategies and use this to inform your own strategies.
Coaching tip: Racism is rampant in the tattoo industry, so it’s important to share your work on a variety of skin tones in a multitude of colors. If you’re not sure where to start learning how to ink colors on different skin tones, start here. If your portfolio features exclusively white and light-skinned individuals, it sends a clear message that folks of other skin tones may not be welcome in your shop.
Tip #5 post YOURSELF
A general rule of thumb I give to all business owners (which tattoo artists ARE business owners) is to remember to post an intro or photo of themselves in action // just of themself at least every 7 posts. For tattoo artists, it can be helpful to ask a client to take a few photos during a session, or set aside a specific time to do some staged action shots if posting selfies is uncomfortable. This is crucial for people to make a connection with the artist (you) and to get a feel for your own voice and personality, as well as your art.
Work with me
Did you love these tips? I currently have openings for business coaching clients for 2022, and would love to work with you! You can visit my site www.itsjustliz.com or follow me on Twitter @itsjuustliz
My favorite project management software
One of my favorite softwares for project management is Notion. If you’d like the scoop on how I use Notion to manage my projects, you can check out the webinar I have available here.
