Just a few years ago, Instagram could take an unknown artist to celebrity status with just a few posts. But nowadays, Instagram is so saturated with artists all the time that it can be really hard to stand out.
However, if you have a strategy to win Instagram’s algorithm, you can reach new followers every single day. In this article, you’ll learn how to:
How to Get Tattoo Clients on Instagram
Find and Build an Audience with Instagram Reels
When you’re building a following on Instagram, it’s important to think about who you want your audience to be.
As a tattoo artist, you will mainly be going for people that get tattoos, and will likely want to get a tattoo in the near future.
To gain that audience fast, you’ll want to reach as many potential clients as possible. The best way to do this is by making Reels about tattoos. Right now Instagram will only show pictures posts to people who are already following you. But they'll show your videos to anyone that is interested in tattooing or getting tattooed, whether they’re following you or not.
Types of Instagram Posts for Building an Audience
Tattoo posts can come in two categories: trends and evergreen content.
Trending Content
Trends are videos that use trending memes, sounds, and current events. You can:
- 1Recreate a meme by putting your own twist on it
- 2Show off your tattoos where you can use trending audios to help promote your work
- 3Talk about any any current events or news that comes up in the tattoo community
Evergreen Content
“Evergreen” content is long term content that will still be relevant for a couple months up to a year. To create evergreen content, you can:
- 1Find out what your potential clients are searching for online
- 2See what big creators and tattoo studios are posting about
To figure out what clients are searching for, you can use autofill on Google, YouTube, and TikTok and see what pops up in the search bar. Other tools like answerthepublic.com or an AI generator like Chat GPT can also help you find ideas for your content.
Additionally, you can do some research to see which videos are getting the most views and recreate your own version without copying them word for word.
Note:
Evergreen content that answers a question or solves a problem can help potential clients see you a knowledgeable tattoo artist. For example, if you see that clients are searching for tattoo hygiene or tattoo infections, you can see that they are worried about getting tattooed in an unsafe environment. If you then make a video showing how you as an artist set up in a safe environment, that can build people’s trust in them.
Create a Relationship With Your Audience through Instagram Posts
Your followers are more likely to see your regular posts on your Instagram because they’ll show up on their feed.
Types of Instagram Posts for Creating a Relationship with Your Audience
At this point, you want your clients to get to know more about you and your work. This is a good time to post:
- 1Pictures of your work
- 2Testimonials of customers that had a great experience with you
- 3Posts showing who you are as a person and your character
When your followers feel like they know you and like you, they’re going to be way more likely to come to you for a tattoo than a random artist they’ve never seen before.
Turn Followers into Clients with Instagram Stories
When it’s time to sell your work, your Instagram story is a great place to show what deals and events you have going on alongside your regular posts.
Pro Tip:
To beat the algorithm, you can’t rely on Instagram to show your posts to your clients’ feeds. Instead, ask your followers to join an Instagram Broadcast channel that allows you to send DMs to them or use a lead magnet to add them to your email list. To do this, leave a link to your lead magnet in your Instagram bio, or tell people to DM you a keyword to receive the lead magnet, which feels more personal.
Tattoo Artist Bio for Instagram
If you’re using Instagram to build your tattoo business, it’s important to clean up your Instagram bio. That way, when people look at your Instagram account, it’s very clear what you offer. Your Instagram bio should list:
Profile Highlights
The highlights on your profile are also important. It's best to leave it limited to information that followers want to look at. This can include:
Instagram Best Practices
There are a few important “best practices” to follow when you post to Instagram.
- 1Always have a “call to action” for people to engage with you (comment, like, or tag a friend).
- 2Use 5-10 hashtags in your caption.
- 3Find a posting schedule that works for you (ex: two times a week).
Boosting an Instagram Post
Image via Flick
Boosting your content means paying for your posts to show up on potential clients feeds. If you have a post that provides a lot of valuable information, it might be worth boosting.
This can be risky, but paying $200-$300 to boost a post can be worth it. If you get a couple clients booked in, the boosted post will pay for itself.
Break Into the Tattoo Industry with a Marketing Plan Designed by Professionals
Developing and using a marketing strategy on your own can be difficult. That’s why we build the 6-Figure Artist Blueprint Course. It has everything you need to build a brand and business around yourself so that you can reach the 6-figure earnings mark as a tattoo artist - no side gigs needed.
Inside, you’ll find pre-built programs, including:
Ready-to-use marketing materials like:
As well as step-by-step instructions that will show you how to set up important online systems that make your life easier so you can:
It’s all inside…
