Feed categories explained
How InkMap's feed is organized — Discovery vs Following modes, the per-discipline category tabs, and the cross-discipline Studios, Lifestyle, and Collectors feeds.
InkMap's feed has two layers: a mode (Discovery or Following) and a category (Tattoos, Flash, Piercings, Makeup, Laser, Body Mod, Studios, Lifestyle, Collectors). The mode decides whose posts you see; the category decides what type of posts you see. This page explains how those two layers combine.
If you're new and your feed feels random or sparse, this is the page to read.
Pro tips
- Discovery mode = a ranked mix of public posts surfaced by an algorithm that weighs freshness, engagement, and what you haven't already seen. Good for inspiration and finding new artists.
- Following mode = posts in chronological order from accounts you follow. Good once you've built a follow list.
- Each category tab shows posts of one type. Tap Tattoos to see only tattoo posts, Makeup for permanent makeup, etc.
- Studios, Lifestyle, and Collectors are the cross-discipline categories. Studios pulls posts from every studio account (tattoo, piercing, body mod, makeup, laser). Lifestyle aggregates behind-the-scenes posts from practitioners across every discipline. Collectors shows posts from clients showing off the work they've collected, again across every discipline.
- The pencil at the end of the category strip switches the strip into Edit Your Feeds mode. There you press and hold any feed and drag it to a new position to reorder, and tap the eye under a feed to hide or show it. Reset Defaults restores the original order and unhides everything; Save Filters keeps your filter choices between sessions instead of resetting each time; Save Order saves your changes and leaves edit mode. At least one feed must stay visible. The small i button in edit mode spells all of this out in the app.
Frequently asked questions
- Why do I see body mod posts blurred?
Body modification content is sensitive by default. The blur is controlled by Settings > Content Preferences. Tap the post to reveal it, or change the setting if you want it always visible.
- Why don't I see flash posts in the Tattoos tab?
Flash designs have their own category (Flash) so collectors looking specifically for available flash work can find it. Custom tattoo work and flash live in different feeds.
- What's the trophy icon at the top of the feed?
That's Ranks. It opens a separate screen that lists the top tattoos for a chosen month, ranked by Quality Score. You can filter by elements, style, region, and ranking depth — Top 10, 50, 100, 500, or 1000 entries. Tap How does Quality Score work? inside Ranks for the in-app visual breakdown. The Hall of Fame sub-tab is reserved for convention prizes and isn't live yet.
See this in action
- Posting as a collectorHow collectors publish a post — the three ways to post (tag the practitioner, no practitioner, or a full look), tagging others, and how review happens quietly in the background.
- Posting as a practitionerHow practitioners publish work — portfolio posts in your discipline feed versus Lifestyle posts, the steps in the posting form, the extra fields for tattoo and Flash, and tagging your clients.
- Posting as a studioHow a studio publishes a Gallery post — adding photos, optionally tagging team members and clients, and where gallery posts appear.
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