7 Real Marketing Strategies for Tattoo Artists

From an avid tattoo lover who fell for these.

Photo by Isabella Mendes

Alright, I’ll admit it.

I’m not actually a tattoo artist (though I would love to be).

And I’ve never done marketing for a tattoo studio — yet.

So why should you trust me?

Because I’m a huge fan of tattoos, and I’ve been a regular client of my favourite local artists here in Vancouver. Beyond that, I’ve worked in various marketing agencies and with clients in similar creative industries, so I’ve seen what really works — and what really doesn’t.

So, here are my tips for getting folks like me to walk into your studio.

#1 Paid Ads

First, let’s go with something I think far too many artists aren’t willing to try — paid ads. Sure, most of us hate social media these days. But there are still millions (and billions) of daily users, even if you don’t like it. (No judgment, I feel the same.)

And nowadays, it’s actually really easy to spend just a couple of bucks a day on a small campaign on social media. As a customer, I’ve often clicked on Instagram ads to learn about new tattoo artists' work.