The tattoo industry got slow… but is covid and the algoritm really to blame?

Before 2020, tattooing was relatively simple: get good, build a portfolio, wait for clients. Post-COVID? A different world.

The pandemic didn’t just shut down studios; it changed tattoo client behavior forever. Clients now buy differently, trust differently, and book differently. If you’re not adapting your tattoo marketing strategy, you’re leaving money (and clients) on the table.

Here’s the reality: Tattoo Marketing is no longer optional.

During COVID-19, everything moved online. Tattoos didn’t — but tattoo clients did. They got used to researching everything on social media, checking reviews, analyzing profiles, and judging the “feel” of a tattoo studio before spending a dollar.

Post-pandemic, people aren’t just buying tattoos — they’re buying a memorable tattoo experience shaped by smart tattoo marketing.

Clients assume your tattoos are good — that’s the baseline now. What they care about is:

• Can I trust this tattoo artist?
• Will I feel welcome in their studio?
• Will this be a special experience?
• Will my friends think this was a cool choice?

Your tattoo marketing and social media presence answer all these questions before they ever DM you.

“When you’re not moving to meet your clients half way… they won’t either”

• Professionalism: Good branding, clean profiles, fast responses.
• Relatability: They want to connect with you, not just your art.
• Consistency: Posting regularly shows stability and reliability.
• Social Proof: Happy clients, healed tattoos, testimonials.
• The Vibe: They need to “feel” your studio’s energy before they ever visit it.

• Document Your Daily Work: Capture real moments, don’t perform.
• Tell Micro-Stories: Share the emotion and meaning behind each tattoo.
• Show Before-After-Healed Results: Build massive trust through visual journeys.
• Educate Tattoo Clients: Teach preparation, aftercare, and tattoo pricing basics.

You don’t need “content days” or fake photo shoots. Your daily routine is the goldmine for easy tattoo content creation and powerful tattoo marketing posts.

When you sketch, stencil, ink, wrap, or even clean — that’s content.

When a client laughs, cries, shares a story, or shows their healed piece — that’s content.

Your job? Capture it. Not stage it. Capture it.

• Stencil Shots: Show the design transfer before inking.
• Client Reactions: Capture the excitement of the big reveal.
• Before-After-Healed Series: Highlight the full tattoo journey.
• Sketchbook Flips: Showcase your raw creativity and ideas.
• Healing Tips: Share aftercare best practices in quick clips.
• Studio Tours: Let clients experience your welcoming environment.
• Q&A Sessions: Answer popular tattoo questions in short videos.

The goal of your content strategy is not to overwhelm yourself with posts. The key is consistency and relevance. Here’s how you can do it without burnout:

Pick three major themes (pillars) that align with both your brand and the interests of your audience:

• Behind the Scenes: Showcase your preparation, stencils, and the setup process.

• Client Journey: Highlight stories, testimonials, and the tattoo process.

• Education: Teach the basics of tattoo care, design choices, pricing, and expectations.

These three pillars give you a clear direction for creating a variety of content that resonates with your audience and highlights your expertise.

Aiming to post every day can lead to burnout, but consistency is key. Pick two days each week to post about specific content pillars:

• Example: Tuesday (Behind the Scenes), Friday (Client Journey)

This schedule keeps your content fresh and consistent without overwhelming you. When you’re ready, upscale to 3, 4, 5 or even 7 times a week if you’re up for it! Scheduling tools or the META planner can really help you here! 

Instead of scrambling each day for new content, spend one hour per week gathering clips, taking photos, and organizing your content. It doesn’t have to be perfect — just enough to get you through the week.

Focus on visibility and authenticity, not perfection. As tattoo artists, we tend to get caught up in perfectionism, but regular content that’s genuinely you will resonate better than trying to craft the perfect shot every time.

Repurposing content is key to maximizing effort. For example:

• One healed tattoo post can become a carousel: Sketch > Stencil > Fresh > Healed.

• One client story can become a post, a reel, and a pinned story.

This way, your content lives on for longer and reaches more people without needing new material every day.

As the tattoo industry has evolved, marketing agencies dedicated specifically to tattoo artists have emerged, helping artists get discovered and book clients more efficiently. These agencies provide specialized services in tattoo marketing, understanding both the intricacies of tattoo culture and the nuances of modern marketing.

Here are a few key agencies that have risen to prominence:

1. Ink Admin – Specializing in managing social media accounts, client interactions, and content planning for tattoo shops, Ink Admin helps artists and studios improve their online presence and engagement.

2. Ink Link – Known for their tailored digital marketing strategies, Ink Link offers SEO services, website optimization, and social media management to help tattoo artists and shops reach a wider audience.

3. SocialBeards.eu – As one of the first agencies dedicated to tattoo industry marketing, SocialBeards.eu specializes in building personal brands for tattoo artists. They focus on creating highly-targeted social media campaigns, SEO, and content strategies designed to help artists grow their online presence and attract the right clients. And even show their results straight on the website. 

These agencies are providing tattoo artists with the resources they need to build a powerful online presence and drive business growth in a highly competitive market. Trust me they’re not all just after your money… they want to help the industry become more professional and reach more of the right audience. 

There are only two games to play now: Visibility or invisibility.

Being a great tattoo artist is the price of entry. Tattoo clients today want more: the experience, the story, the vibe — and they find it through your tattoo marketing.

You don’t need to be an influencer. You need to be present, authentic, and consistent. That’s it.

You already have the skills. You already have the content. You already have the audience.

All you need to do now is show up for them.

The tattoo industry has changed forever. Those who evolve with it will dominate the future. Those who don’t will become forgotten legends.

Your move.