Incongruent

TikTok P2: Tarot Content Creators on TikTok: Mavericks of the Digital Sphere

August 12, 2023 Stephen King
Incongruent
TikTok P2: Tarot Content Creators on TikTok: Mavericks of the Digital Sphere
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

What if there's a world within TikTok where norms are defied, yet engagement rates surpass those of mainstream content creators? Welcome to the intriguing realm of TikTok tarot content creators! In our latest episode, we unravel the unconventional appeal of these influencers, who effortlessly command the attention of audiences ranging from 10,000 to 1 million followers. These mavericks don't play by the TikTok rules, often posting longer videos, skipping typical hashtags, and shunning background music. Yet, they continue to enthrall their audiences, offering a more personalized and non-conventional approach to content creation.

Here's a tantalizing teaser: these creators have mastered the art of sophisticated revenue generation, leveraging various technologies to monetize their content. From exploiting the platform's algorithmic capabilities to channel followers to intermediary platforms, to offering a diverse array of additional services, these modern spiritualists are redefining the entrepreneurial landscape on TikTok. But that's not all - they also tap into wellness discourse, offering a spectrum of pseudo psychiatric services and therapy to audiences numbering in the tens of thousands. As we unpack these fascinating insights, we also propose areas for future investigation, including the ethical implications and privacy concerns related to these practices. Stay tuned for this captivating exploration into the intersection of spirituality, technology, and digital entrepreneurship.

In the culmination of our research journey, we unveil the insightful conclusions and results that have emerged from our comprehensive study of TikTok tarot content creators. This endeavor has illuminated a range of intriguing facets that shed light on the popularity, uniqueness, and implications of this unconventional form of content.

1) Flourishing Engagement and Popularity

Our investigation revealed that assembling our sample was a relatively smooth process, even though we made adjustments to protect privacy and adhere to ethical standards. While we focused on English-speaking creators, we acknowledge the presence of a vibrant community of non-English readers. Notably, the influencers included in our sample enjoy robust engagement and account activity. Typical tarot influencers wield the attention of audiences ranging from 10,000 to 1 million followers, amassing impressive video views varying between 1.2 million to 2.2 million. This engagement level, averaging around 13%, competes with more mainstream content on the platform.

2) Unconventional Appeal

A fascinating discovery emerged as we scrutinized the content's structure in relation to TikTok's established conventions. Curiously, tarot readers seem to defy the standard TikTok practices. While TikTok typically advocates for shorter content under one minute, enhanced by trendy hashtags and music, our findings indicate that tarot creators refute these recommendations. These creators often post longer, multipart videos, and intriguingly, a substantial 46% of our sample used no hashtags at all. A remarkable 70% of these videos lacked music and featured only the reader's spoken voice. This unusual approach to TikTok norms underscores the optional and aesthetic use of hashtags and underscores a more personalized, nonconventional approach to content creation. Additionally, despite TikTok's emphasis on professional production quality, many tarot readers adopt an "amateur" style, addressing the camera directly, and even performing readings from their cars.

3) Sophisticated Revenue Generation

One of the most captivating revelations from our research pertains to the savvy exploitation of various technologies by content creators to generate revenue. This evolution signals a departure from traditional reliance on advertising shares or brand contracts. TikTok spiritualists ingeniously employ the platform's algorithmic distribution capabilities to channel their followers to intermediaries like Linktree and Snipfeed. From these entry points, a diverse array of additional services is offered, supported by platforms such as Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, CashApp, PayPal, and Venmo. Fans can express gratitude through direct cash donations, and for those seeking more tailored support, personalized messages catering to their situation can be ordered through the creator's website, Instagram page, Etsy, or Calendly.com. Furthermore, passive income streams are harnessed through affiliate marketing via Amazon's Shop Front. Importantly, creators continue to tap into potential ad shares through secondary accounts on Facebook and YouTube, maximizing both engagement and earning potential.

4) Insights into Wellness Discourse and Impact

Our study delves into the intersection of tarot content with wellness discourse and its potential impact. The findings highlight that TikTok tarot creators offer a spectrum of pseudo-psychiatric services and therapy to audiences numbering in tens of thousands. These services span live, recorded, and emergency readings ordered through various platforms, workshops, holistic products, and even clothing lines. The prevalence of healing-focused language on creators' profiles underscores their alignment with holistic and energy-based wellness experiences. Comments on videos and engagement rates demonstrate that users value the services provided by tarot readers, often treating TikTok as a virtual place of worship or therapy.

5) Future Research and Considerations

As we conclude this research endeavor, several avenues for future exploration and action emerge:

NUMBER 1 - Examining Unusual Engagement Rates: The content creators' ability to defy conventional engagement patterns on TikTok warrants further study. The incorporation of personal narrative and story-telling rhythms may underpin this phenomenon, which deserves deeper exploration through content analysis or user engagement studies.

NUMBER 2 - Scrutinizing Problematic Use of TikTok's Affordances: The potential ethical concerns and challenges experienced by this TikTok community are worthy of investigation. The ease with which certain unethical practices can occur, such as researching personal information, exploiting A.I. voice simulators, and manipulating downloaded content, invites examination.

NUMBER 3 - Privacy Implications and Policy Recommendations: The study underscores the need for TikTok management to develop new guidelines and policies regarding health-related services provided through the platform. Governments and public service entities should consider privacy literacy awareness campaigns to empower users in managing their shared information responsibly.

NUMBER 4 - Exploring Broader E-commerce Ethics: Further exploration of ethical considerations within technical and vocational education and entrepreneurship training is warranted. This could involve investigating what obligations entrepreneurs have to safeguard their customers' confidentiality and to gather user feedback.

NUMBER 5 - Advancing Sampling Methods: The AI snowballing sampling method used in this study presents a novel approach. We propose that this innovative approach should be further scrutinized and potentially adopted as a research standard in related investigations.

Our journey into the world of TikTok tarot content creators has unveiled captivating insights into the interplay of spirituality, technology, engagement, and revenue generation. We hope these findings spark further exploration and contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding digital content creation, wellness, and ethical considerations in the digital age.

Thank you for joining us on this research expedition. Stay tuned for more revelations in the world of emerging digital trends and their profound societal impact.

Flourishing Engagement and Popularity
Unconventional Appeal
Sophisticated Revenue Generation
Insights into Wellness Discourse and Impact
Future Research and Considerations