Featured image of tarot cards (TheFlowerMoonTarot n.d.) via Pinterest

Before the popular app TikTok if you had asked me to describe some media niches I knew about I probably would not be able to tell you many. However, now I could go into great detail about a variety of weird and random media niches that I have personally seen and interacted with. This is because the internet has a variety of niche opportunities that allow for increased user satisfaction compared to traditional media (Dimmick, Chen & Li 2004).

One particular niche that constantly comes up on my ‘for you page’ is tarot card readings. The act of tarot card reading presented itself on my TikTok ‘For You Page’ (fyp) and my Instagram Explore page. It also has a very small presence on Twitter (X) and Youtube. This niche originally caught my attention as I have met a lot of people that are very passionate about this area and it is something I have always been curious yet slightly sceptical about.

To analyse this media niche on TikTok I will be utilising the ethnography approach. It is important to note that ethnography is a research approach that explores people’s beliefs, behaviours and experiences within their cultural and social settings. Ethnography is utilised to gain an in-depth understanding of a particular phenomenon from the perspective of research participation (Winter & Lavis 2019). Therefore, online ethnography adapts the traditional ethnographic approach to the social spaces of the internet (Airoldi 2018).

Typically the tarot card and psychic readings on my FYP tell me “This reading is meant for you” but I see that at least 40k other people have claimed that the reading is also for them, this makes me question if they are really true. I also wonder how can this complete stranger know precisely what is going to happen in my future and that this specific message will reach me – or are they just relying on the TikTok algorithm to reach the people that their content will interest and resonate with? (Schellewald 2021).

Example of Tarot Card Reading video

@anadasiarose

♬ original sound – ANADASIA🌹 ~ SPIRITUAL GUIDE

​​Digital social platforms have transformed the way people communicate and interact. Having infiltrated our daily routines and habits, computer-mediated communication (CMC) allows for quick and easy correspondence and these virtual environments allow us to create communities with others who may be separated geographically (Hallett & Barber 2013). As a researcher, I am curious as to how a community of like-minded people from across the globe interact and present themselves on social media platforms such as TikTok. I find this topic extremely interesting as it appears to be a core part of many people’s identity. It will be interesting to uncover whether this niche can truly be utilised through media or if it is something more of a scam or a way to get views. 

Finally, to conduct my research I will be incorporating ethnographic approaches including observation and participation while being sure to act in an ethical manner.

But what is tarot card reading on TikTok?

Note: This audio was recorded when I was sick, sorry!

References:

Airoldi, M 2018, ‘Ethnography and the digital fields of social media’, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 661–673, Viewed 3 August 2023, <​​10.1080/13645579.2018.1465622>

Designboom.com n.d., Pinterest, Viewed 3 August 2023, <https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/668714244683638955/> 

Dimmick, J, Chen, Y & Li, Z 2004, ‘Competition Between the Internet and Traditional News Media: The Gratification-Opportunities Niche Dimension’, Journal of Media Economics, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 19–33, Viewed 3 August 2023, <10.1207/s15327736me1701_2>

Hallett, RE & Barber, K 2013, ‘Ethnographic Research in a Cyber Era’, Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 306–330, Viewed 3 August 2023, <10.1177/0891241613497749>

Rose, A 2023, I Channel God & Angels , TikTok, Viewed 3 August 2023, <https://www.tiktok.com/@anadasiarose/video/7264363882851061038?_r=1&_t=8enW3uj306S>  

Schellewald, A 2021, ‘Communicative Forms on TikTok: Perspectives From Digital Ethnography’, International Journal of Communication, vol. 15, no. 0, p. 21, Viewed 3 August 2023, <https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/16414/3389>

Simply Sofia n.d., Pinterest, Viewed 3 August 2023, <https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/639440847109390933/> 

TheFlowerMoonTarot n.d., Pinterest, Viewed 3 August 2023 <https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/954340977269450659/> Winter, R & Lavis, A 2019, ‘Looking, But Not Listening? Theorizing the Practice and Ethics of Online Ethnography’, Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, vol. 15, no. 1-2, pp. 55–62, Viewed 3 August 2023, <10.1177/1556264619857529>