10-year-old's viral video mirrors the rise of online motivational content

Joby’s father, a retired army officer, started recording and uploading his son’s videos as he practised reciting speeches of famous people like Martin Luther King Jr for competitions in 2021. “We didn't even know his video went viral on Instagram as I would upload it on Facebook and it would be uploaded there as well by default," Joby PU told Mint. “I didn't even have the app installed."

His content grew organically as there was an appetite for motivational content on social media, and it paved the way for commercial deals.

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“Over the past year, more people have been turning to motivational voices not just for inspiration but for practical guidance and life coaching," said Aditya Gurwara, co-founder of influencer marketing software services provider Qoruz.

“These creators are no longer only sharing positive messages. They are becoming mentors, thought leaders, and community builders," said Gurwara. “They are shaping how people think, act, and make decisions, and their influence is growing stronger by the day."

Motivational influencers

The number of motivational influencers on Instagram rose 13.2% to 22,145 in 2023-24 from 19,562 in the previous year, a study report by Qoruz, a Saas (Software as a service) platform. The growth of such videos mirrors the explosion in short-form content and social media usage in India, the world’s second-biggest internet market by users after China.

“While people are addicted to doom scrolling and their feeds are cluttered with cringe content, they increasingly seek content like motivational content that add value to their daily lives while they continue spending time on social media," said Sayanatan Dey, who has 297,000 followers on his Instagram handle @sayant06, where he posts self-development content.

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Dey shifted his active social media presence to Instagram reels this year in January from creating long videos on Youtube. Motivational creators, according to him, can make at least 15 lakh per year.

But will the trend sustain, especially when brands are demanding exclusivity and becoming selective?

“It may be just another trend we are picking up from the west, but it will not be a temporary one," Dey said. "India has started adopting this self-improvement culture recently and it will continue to grow for the next five years." Dey was himself inspired by celebrity youtubers like Alex Hormozi and Iman Gadzhi.

Online traction and interest from brands have prompted motivational speakers and life coaches with offline businesses to build social media presence.

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Sonu Sharma, a well-known inspirational speaker, also has 5.3 million Instagram followers on his handle @officesonusharma. He said regular social media postings help him expand his presence not just nationally but worldwide. “Besides, brands also offer deals and we charge around ₹10 lakh for 90-second promotional reels."

Ten-year-old Benjamin Joby, who creates content in Hindi, English, Malayalam, Tamil and Telegu, initially negotiated and offered discounts. Now, he charges a fixed ₹10,000 from brands that reach out to him for collaboration.

For him, Sapne dekhna achhi baat hai.