How do you make a video go viral? Here are some tips

Rupak Chakrabarty has been associated with videography and motion graphics for quite some time now. He has worked with leading brands in his career and has learned the tricks of the trade in the process.

In 2018, Rupak moved to Delhi from Kolkata to pursue a postgraduate diploma degree at Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication (AIMC). Passionate about art as a child, the 25-year-old says AIMC was where he could actually explore and hone his skills and finally find the right career path. The alumnus tells us more about his work, brand video trends, the secret to viral brand content, and more. Read on:

What made you join AIMC? Tell us about your journey.

I, along with three of my friends from Kolkata enrolled in Apeejay. Together, we made many memories at college. The journey started pretty well. Rajeev sir and Naveen sir guided us in every aspect. I was totally into post-production and was interested in photography, videography, and graphic design. Apeejay gave us many opportunities to explore and uplift these skills. I edited my first short film at AIMC itself; prior to that, I had not done any work in editing.

Thanks to the curriculum and guidance of the mentors at AIMC, I was able to chalk out my career path and become sure of what I wanted to pursue. Apeejay offered me the clarity that post-production is where my interest lies.

Take us through your professional journey after completing your course.

I secured my first job during the campus placements—I joined Josh Talks as a trainee. I worked there for five months and then embarked on my own journey. I realised I was suited for a fast-paced work culture. Eventually, I joined House of GKB, founded by Gurnoor Kaur Behl, who is also an Apeejay alumna. In fact, Naveen sir gave me her contact number. After working there for 1.5 years, I joined Schbang, which was my dream company, as Senior Motion Graphic Designer and worked there till April 2022. There, I got the opportunity to work with some of the biggest brands in India and build my portfolio, which is of utmost importance for a designer. Recently, I moved back to Kolkata and am working as a freelancer. Meanwhile, I am on the lookout for other job opportunities.

What kind of work do you do as a freelancer?

I edit brand videos, animated videos, explainer videos, etc, all related to digital motion graphics.

Since you edit brand videos, can you tell us about some of the trends you have identified? What are clients looking for?

Majorly, the big brands are interested in brand integration, which is the strategic placement of the product or the brand name in topical content. If created well, these posts go viral. At Schbang, we also made something like this which went viral.

Brands are leveraging Instagram reels these days to showcase short, animated content. Now, reels have a much better reach as compared to a static post.

Would you say Instagram has become the rising star when it comes to promotions?

You can say so. People now engage on Instagram a lot more than on other social media platforms. Brands can target the right audience on Instagram based on their demographics, age groups, interests, and so on. Users get to see ads relevant to them. This guarantees better impressions and reach, and eventually conversions. Not to mention the importance of hashtags and collaboration tags, which have emerged as new trends.

What is it that makes a video viral?

In my last organisation, Schbang, the CEO said that when it comes to virality, you have to practise everyday creativity. It is not possible to get your post viral every day, so you have to be consistent with your content. It is through your work that you would discover the secret to making your content go viral—you will know what works for you and what does not. But there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

What is it that got you interested in video and motion graphics?

Everyone in my family is inclined towards art. My father was an artist, and my mother is a singer. As a child, I took a lot of interest in painting and drawing. With increasing academic pressure over time, I lost touch. But through Apeejay, I got to relive my childhood again and make a career out of it.