What makes a great video? Like most treasures, you will know it when you see it. But, you can’t really put the finger on what makes it great. You’ll just know it is great. The perfect video has the power to teleport you from your living room and take you for a wild adventure across the world and back in an instant. If there is somebody who knows a thing or two about shooting viral videos, it is Jalil Najafov.

Jalil Najafov is a passionate conservationist and talented in video shoots with a keen eye to detail. His Instagram account is packed with viral videos that take millions of people for wild adventures thousands of miles across the world. Jalil’s most recent viral video captures some great waves crashing on the boat’s circular window with the perfect orange sunset as the backdrop.

“I took the video from the porthole on the Vortex Boat between Ensenada and Isla Guadalupe,” says Jalil Najafov.

Just like most treasures, this video is the definition of great, captivating, and amazing all at once. He posted the video on his Instagram account (@jalilnajafov) and got hundreds of thousands of shares from the reposted videos. To say this video was popular is an understatement. It was reposted, shared, and published by many famous people across social media to amaze their followers and fans. With each repost generating many unique views, the total number of indirect views from reposts on other people’s accounts is estimated to be over 40 million.

“It was popular as soon as I posted and continued to increase in popularity as more famous people reposted, shared, and talked about it,” said Jalil.

So, how did Jalil take this captivating video?   

As a passionate conservationist with nature’s interest at heart, Jalil is always seeking opportunities to use his skills to showcase all the best that nature has to offer. He recently took a trip to Isla Guadalupe, Mexico, with a couple of friends. For those who don’t know, Isla Guadalupe is one of the most exciting places in the world to see great white sharks. Its crystal clear waters make it a must-visit for shark diving and also shooting videos. So, he was really excited because capturing the gentle nature of sharks is what Jalil does best. To get to Isla Guadalupe, you have to take a 24-hr trip from Port Ensenada.

“So, on the way to Isla Guadalupe, I went down to the cabin of the boat and got this amazing view of the waves, and it just blew me away,” he says. “I was captivated by the power of nature,” he adds.

At this point, the waves were calm, and decided he will come back later to capture the view when there are bigger waves. At sunset, Jalil went back down to the cabin and focused on finding the best moment to capture the waves. He channeled his focus on the task at hand, but he focused on one spot with his camera for 30 minutes and got seasick. This is the passion that you see in great videos but can’t explain it.

“I felt really bad, but I didn’t want to stop and miss to catch that moment that I already imagined in my mind,” says Jalil.

Jalil took his time to edit the videos before posting on his Instagram account. One of the reasons why so many people love Instagram has to do with its algorithm. It is designed so perfectly that it grabs great videos and spread it around quickly. It operates like it actually knows a great video when you post it. Bloggers, content creators, filmmakers, and other pros in the field understand Instagram’s algorithm and know what they need to do to deliver viral videos.

“I already knew that is 100% viral video as soon as I posted on my Instagram account,” Jalil said.

One of the main indicators of a viral video is a quick reaction from followers. Jalil just posted the video, and comments started flowing in. From amazement to nostalgia, endless questions from the curious, and jokes comments for the fun-loving, having a wide range of comments is proof that your content touched all the different groups in your audience. One follower acknowledged that the video made her anxiety skyrocket while another felt seasick right there on their couch. Jalil’s video took many for an adventure across the open oceans and touched many more. Soon, they all started spreading the love by reposting and getting millions of views, likes, and comments. Within a short period, the video had over 30 million views on Instagram and over 10 million views on Facebook.

Over time, famous people and influencers started reposting and using the video. Even though it is a short 1-minute video, its impact is far-reaching. With 1.1 billion users on Instagram, Jalil’s viral video will continue to touch more people for a long period. Also, the number of views will continue growing every day.

“I am still getting 1-3 mentions every day from some bloggers who want to use this video,” says Jalil.

But, this is not Jalil’s first viral video. He has shot hundreds of shark videos with a total of around 100 million unique views of reposts across many accounts. Jalil has had to push back on people who use his videos without acknowledging his efforts with a simple credit. For example, @alok selibrity, with 21.7 million followers, posted Jalil’s cabin video along with his song and got over 1 million views, but he never credited Jalil. So, what did Jalil do?

“I sent him a message to credit me, but he decided to delete the video instead,” says Jalil. “But, I ensured to take a screenshot before he deleted,” he noted with a chuckle. “I love it when people use my videos and appreciate the effort that delivered the content,” he added.

In the recent past, Jalil’s Shark Videos has gained popularity and attracted followers beyond social media. Some of his videos have been used by TV channels and posted by celebrities on their social media accounts and other online networks.

Jalil Najafov delivers great videos because he loves to create content for millions to see. In a sense, he delivers millions of smiles using captivating shark videos. Like most treasures, you will know it when you see it. But, creating great content is not enough to make millions happy. Jalil’s success is attributed to the fact that he also knows how the Instagram algorithm works and can leverage the platform for people to see great shark videos and enjoy them. He has mastered the Instagram Explore Page Algorithm, categorizes content based on engagement and interests to create a spider web network between followers. His expertise is the reason why he can create viral content that has greater reach and exposure.

“I know how people react to videos, what they love, and how to shoot videos that will be great for Instagram Explore Page Algorithm,” Jalil concluded.

Jalil Najafov cares deeply about nature, loves filmmaking, and is a specialist when it comes to leveraging Instagram to deliver viral content. You can follow Jalil on Instagram @jalilnajafov.

Pratiksha