Tattooing is an art form that's been around for thousands of years, but it's only been in the last few decades that tattoos have become a mainstream part of American culture. That means tattoo artists are now a part of the broader digital world—and they need to make sure they're using it to their advantage.
There are plenty of ways to use digital marketing for tattoo shops, and we've gathered some tips and advice based on our experience on how to do just that. Here are ten ways you can use digital marketing to benefit your shop:
1. Build your tattoo shops online presence with a website and social media accounts
You probably already have a website for your tattoo shop, but if you don't, this is the first step in any digital marketing strategy. A website allows potential customers to see your work, find out more about your business, and provide them with a way to contact you if necessary. It's also important to build an online presence on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. These platforms are easy ways to connect with customers, share information about your business and build a community around it. Social media accounts are also great for promoting special offers and discounts that can help you attract new customers to your tattoo shop.
2. Create content (videos, articles) that will attract new clients and customers to your tattoo shop
Content marketing is the practice of creating valuable content that attracts new customers and clients. This can include blog posts, videos, infographics, and more. Social media platforms are great for sharing this type of content with your existing audience but it's also important to share it on other websites and blogs in your industry. This helps you build a reputation as an expert in the tattoo industry which will attract new customers who want to work with someone who knows what they're doing.
3. Analyze what's working by tracking engagement metrics (views, shares)
When you're using social media for marketing, it's important to track what's working. Tracking engagement metrics such as views and shares will help you determine which types of content are most popular with your audience. This is also a great way to identify which platforms are working best for you and where you should focus more time and energy.
4. Get more traffic through SEO (search engine optimization) optimization and paid ads
One of the most important things you can do to get more traffic and sales is to optimize your website for search engines. This means writing content that will rank highly in search engine results (SEO), as well as creating a strong social media presence that links back to your site. There are also paid advertising options such as Google AdWords and Facebook ads that you can use to get more traffic instantly.
5. Create landing pages so you can collect leads from potential clients for your tattoo shop
Create a properly structured SEO landing page for each of your most important services and products. For example, color realism, traditional, black and grey tattoos as well as piercings. Each landing page should be optimized for conversions, which means they have all the information potential clients need in order to contact you. This will allow you to capture leads from potential clients who are interested in what you have to offer. You can also use these pages as a way of collecting emails so that you can send out marketing emails later on.
6. Make sure your website is optimized for mobile devices.
One of the most important things you can do for your website is to make sure it's optimized for mobile devices. Mobile devices are now responsible for more than half of all web traffic, so if your site isn't easily viewable on smartphones and tablets, you're missing out on a huge chunk of potential customers.
7. Update your social media accounts regularly, especially on Instagram and Facebook.
Make sure you're posting regularly on your social media accounts. This can be as simple as taking some new photos of your most recent tattoos and posting them with relevant hashtags. This is very important as it shows your tattoo shop is active and open for business.
8. Use video in your posts to show off the work you do, as well as how you do it (and how other artists at your shop do it).
Clients love videos! They're a great way to show off the work you do, as well as how you do it. It's also a great way to show how other artists at your tattoo shop work—and you can even make them interactive, so viewers can click around and see some of the behind-the-scenes stuff that goes into making each piece.
9. Use targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram to target people who are already interested in tattoos or body art in general—that way, they're more likely to make an appointment with you!
If you're trying to get people interested in your tattoo business, it can be tough to know where to start. It's easy to just throw up some ads and hope for the best, but it's also easy to waste a lot of money that way.
Instead, try targeting people who are already interested in tattoos or body art in general. People who like tattoos on Facebook are probably going to be more interested in getting one than someone who doesn't like them at all. So if you want to target the right crowd, use targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram!
10. Don't be afraid to experiment with new forms of content like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and —live-streaming videos can be extremely effective at engaging customers who aren't even looking yet (but will be soon).
The modern tattoo shop has to be able to adapt and change with the times—and that means putting out content on a regular basis that's as engaging as it is informative. And while creating TikToks, Reels, and live-streaming videos aren't going to make or break your business, they will definitely attract more customers to your tattoo shop.
There's always room for improvement in any business, and the tattoo industry is no exception. Digital marketing is a great way to build awareness and draw people into your tattoo shop easily. We've seen how these ten tips can help you optimize your digital marketing strategy for any tattoo shop, and we hope that you found them useful.
Check out our case study on how we’ve helped a local Miami Tattoo Shop Fame Tattoos tackle its marketing goals.
Want us to run your tattoo shops digital marketing for you? Contact us today to get started!