How to Get Your Work Seen Online: A Tattoo Artist’s Guide to Social SEO
- Mia Parziale
- May 6
- 4 min read
Most artists spend hours creating, editing, and posting, but still feel like their content gets lost in people's feeds. If you’re wondering why your posts aren’t getting attention, there’s a good chance it’s not about your work. It’s about how the algorithm sees your content.
That’s where Social SEO comes in.
Social SEO (search engine optimization for social platforms) is about helping your content get found. When done right, it can lead to more visibility, more engagement, and more clients (without having to post every day or worrying about hashtags).
What Is Social SEO, and Why Should You Care?
Social SEO is the mix of words, structure, and strategy that helps your posts show up when someone searches for something. Like on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. You’re not just posting for your followers, but you’re posting for people who don’t know you yet but are typing things like “fine line tattoo LA” or “tattoo aftercare tips” into their search bar.
This doesn’t mean you have to write like a blogger or keyword-stuff your captions. You just need to be intentional about the words you use, when you post, and how you build engagement.
Use Keywords That Match What People Are Searching
A lot of artists write captions that are either too vague or way too personal to reach new people. Sharing your thoughts is important, but if you want to grow, you also need to include searchable words.
Instead of:
“Feeling inspired lately 🖤”
Try:
“Booking small floral tattoos in Silver Lake, DM to claim a spot.”
That will put you in front of someone literally searching for “floral tattoos Silver Lake.”
Tips:
Think like your client: What would they type into the search bar?
Add these words naturally into your captions, but don’t make it sound robotic.
Use them in Reels descriptions too (not just the hashtags).
Even better: Instagram now uses captions to help decide what your content is about. If you’re only writing song lyrics or inside jokes, the algorithm won’t know how to help you get found.
Hashtags Still Matter... But Only If You Use Them Right
We’re past the “throw 30 hashtags and hope for the best” phase. Now, it’s about picking 3–5 that relate to your work.
Using a mix of:
Local tags (#losangelestattoos, #brooklyntattooartist)
Style-specific tags (#finelinetattoo, #blackworktattoo)
Niche or community tags (#womenwhotattoo, #queertattooartist)
Update your hashtag set regularly. If you’re doing flash, the tags should reflect that. If you’re offering free touch-ups or a guest spot somewhere, shift accordingly.
Engagement = Visibility
This matters just as much as the visuals. If people aren’t interacting with your content, the algorithm assumes it’s not worth showing. But you can shift that without being fake or forcing it.
Try:
Ask real questions in your captions. (“What’s the weirdest spot you’ve gotten tattooed?”)
Answer DMs. Reply to comments.
Repost stories and tag your clients. People love seeing their tattoos on your page.
Post behind the scenes - linework, stencil placements, your flash sketchbook. It builds trust and curiosity.
Every like, share, comment, or save helps you stay on your followers’ feeds and helps new people find you, too.
Tools to Help You Post Smarter (Not Harder)
You don’t have to do this manually. There are tools that make it easier:
Later or Planoly for planning and scheduling posts
Notion or Google Sheets to track keywords and caption ideas
Instagram Insights to see what posts are working
Check your insights once a week. If your booking posts perform best on Sundays, post more booking content on Sundays. Use the data to work WITH the algorithm.
You don’t need to copy anyone.Just study what works and make it fit your voice.
What’s Next for Social SEO
Social media is shifting fast (as it always does). Algorithms now read what’s in your photos and listen to what you say in your videos. Soon, even how people react to your stories may affect your reach.
That means:
Captions matter more than ever
Posting videos with spoken keywords (like “booking for July” or “tattoos in LA”) could help your visibility
Consistency > frequency - show up regularly, even if it’s just once a week
All This To Say...
You don’t have to become a marketing expert to get more eyes on your work. But understanding the basics of Social SEO does give you an advantage especially as platforms keep changing.
Your posts are like tiny billboards. The right words, right tags, and the right kind of interaction can take you from getting buried in the feed to booking consistently with the clients you WANT to have.
Want Help Figuring This Out?
If all of this still feels confusing or you’re not sure where to start, I offer 1:1 social media audits for tattoo artists. I’ll go through your posts, captions, analytics, bio, highlights,everything and give you a clear breakdown of what’s working, what’s not, and exactly what I’d do to improve your visibility, engagement, and bookings.
This is a personalized service, not just a blanket breakdown that I'd send to everybody . I work specifically with artists and understand how the algorithm sees tattoo content.
You can email me directly at mia@thepangeacollective.com
