Witchcraft

TikTok and Witchcraft

To understand why TikTok was able to attract so many practitioners to the app, it’s necessary to know how it works. TikTok’s secret is how it is structured. Videos can be anywhere from 15 seconds to three minutes in length, making it easy to scroll through lots of videos in a short amount of time. Once you begin liking, commenting, saving, and viewing videos, the app will begin to tailor your For You Page (fyp). Your fyp is hyper specific to what you enjoy and based on what you interact with. This endless stream of videos is the first thing that pops up when you open the app. If you post a video, your video is then shown to your followers (if you have any) and other people that the allusive algorithm thinks might enjoy it. The more likes and views it gets, the more people will continue to see it. Unlike other apps where you need to have a following to gain popularity, TikTok bypasses this through its fyp structure. Anyone can get on someone's For You Page. I know many people who have gotten famous on TikTok from posting random videos that got TikTok’s success lies in its ability to get content out to the public much easier without needing a large, preexisting following. TikTok’s user-friendly format, combined with the ability to become viral easier than other social media platforms, makes it a great place for Wiccans and witches to congregate. Contemporary pop news outlets interviewed witches online to hear their thoughts. On November 1, 2020 in their article “TikTok has become the home of modern witchcraft (yes, really),” Wired UK interviewed creators on TikTok and asked them why the app has been so successful at creating a community of witches. “‘TikTok seems open to interpretation,’” Natasha Slee, a social media creative, says. She continues saying “‘Yes, it began as a lip-synching concept but, its tools and algorithm encourage creativity and promote variety. There’s less of a quest for perfection in image and appearance, and more for humour and creative editing.’” TikTok is able to foster a more creative and casual Selby says “this makes the app feel more laid-back and accessible than Instagram. ‘On TikTok it’s quick tips and things that anyone can do. It also humanises witches. There’s a lot of negative stigma surrounding witchcraft and witches but with TikTok, I can show the more personal side of myself, like being a mother.’” Instead of being faceless people behind blogs and books, or done up for a Youtube video or Instagram post, TikTok is able to show witches and Wiccans at home as regular people.

TikTok and Witchcraft Author and witch Juliet continued Diaz comments in the article saying “TikTok’s appeal comes from the positivity of the community compared to other platforms. ‘I use TikTok as a very positive feed to spread love and spirituality in a way that connects with everyone, rather than a select few,’ says Diaz, who has close to 88,000 TikTok followers. ‘The community is very open to other people’s beliefs and so far, I’ve had a very positive experience.’” The TikTok showing its more environment created on casual style the app is one of TikTok has been openness and positivity. In instrumental in the rise of a Vice article, “introducing witchcraft online and the the witches of tiktok,” introduction of it to more creator Rayanne Wilson and more people. TikTok’s echoes this statement creative, accessible, and calling TikTok “‘a safe accepting atmosphere space to connect with creates a place where other individuals that witches can practice their share the same Craft. In turn, it interests.’” The openness humanizes witches and and safety of TikTok has introduces others to created a space where Wicca and witchcraft. people feel comfortable Most videos take place in sharing their practice. people’s homes making it Diaz continues by saying feel as though anyone can “‘The reason professional practice witchcraft. witches are so successful Instead of the faceless is because we’re very Wiccans who wrote books genuine about what we in the 1940s-1990s and do, and platforms like the blog writers of the TikTok don’t make it seem 1990s-2000s, people can like we’re trying to make a see Wiccans and witches The highly stylized Instagram posts and Youtube videos of the 2010s made practicing Wicca or witchcraft seem unattainable and the creators unrelatable. Watching a TikTok of people doing rituals in their bedrooms or kitchens with clothing everywhere and dishes in the sink makes it feel less distant. The ability to not need a previous following also helped practicing witches from all around the country get their content out to many people. TikTok’s ability to be a collaborative space has helped many feel as though they are engaged in a conversation. TikTok’s Q&A feature makes it so people can ask questions to the creator and have them directly reply to people’s questions with videos. TikTok’s format has been key to witchcraft's renaissance by making witchcraft feel accessible and easy, the creators feel human and relatable, making it simple to become viral by not needing a previous following, and fostering community and conversation 19 through comment sections and the Q&A