Radhikaaa is a food blogger and influencer based out in Gorakhpur, India. She took to food blogging as an action to engage herself, yet little did she expect that embarking on this journey shall pave her path toward her dreams. As an influencer, she is committed to growing with her audience with relatable and informative content on her Instagram page ‘Gorakhpur Delicacies.’
Icy Tales is in conversation with Radhika, where she talks about her journey as Food Blogger and influencer.
Q. Can you tell our readers about yourself and your blog?
Radhikaaa: I am a food blogger, influencer and Social Media marketer for Gorakhpur, India. Getting into food blogging was triggered by an incident when I started deleting my pictures instead of the food pictures from my phone. When I started my food blogging journey, I had no idea that something like this existed, and I kick-started randomly.
Then I thought, since I don’t post my photos on social media, I can put up these pictures and add reviews with locations, and that’s how this started. Around a month later, I learned that so many other food bloggers from my city with a significant number of followers. So gradually, things paced up, and now I am one of the most renowned food bloggers in my city.
Q. Why and how did you start blogging?
Radhikaaa: Getting into food blogging was never a planned intention; it started due to boredom. I used to stay with my relatives and then moved to a hostel for my higher studies. Most of my school friends moved out of the city to pursue their higher studies, but as my family decided, I had to stay in Gorakhpur and back then, in the hostel since I was new, I did not have many friends. So it’s food blogging that kept me engaged. Food blogging also helped me connect with new people, and there has been no looking back.
Q. Choosing to become a blogger is your all-time aim, or do you have different plans?
Radhikaaa: To be honest, earlier, I was a storyteller, though not a professional one. I had and still have a great amount of interest in storytelling. The sad part was earlier, the idea of storytelling as an art form was not popular in Gorakhpur, so one time, during an open mic session, I got the chance to perform, and surprisingly that went very well.
Yet that is something I never pursued though I still write stories and sometimes share them with other people who can relate to those stories; that’s secondary for me now. As of today, my main focus is to become a good food blogger.
Q. What motivates you to keep the blog running?
Radhikaaa: Coming from a middle-class family, pursuing passion was off the chart, and while growing up, every time I was curious about elite restaurants or resorts, I was told that these were something that would always be out of my reach given the background I come from. So this, in a way, triggered my ego and pushed me to strive for it.
In addition to these, since my school days, I was a victim of bullying and was considered the black sheep of the household, so all these adverse stimuli pushed and kept me motivated to achieve something in life. I am not aware of how big a food blogger I will become or what’s in store for the future, but I have this inner calling which keeps telling me that I will achieve something big in life. When nobody around you supports or believes in you, you have to trust and believe in yourself; this keeps me going.
Q. What do you think is the best strategy that worked well to get more traffic to your blog?
Radhikaaa: Making relatable content, people will neither understand nor appreciate or indulge themselves in the content unless you make it relatable. One needs to be consistent in providing quality work. So I think its relatability, quality and consistency in work will draw attention automatically.
Q. How do you plan to improve your skills and abilities with the upcoming trends changing daily?
Radhikaaa: I concur with the quote ‘Change is the constant thing’ so one must go with the flow, keep themselves updated with the trends. Though I always keep myself involved with the ongoing trends, I sometimes feel I can be a trendsetter and post content that inspires other content creators to carry it forward.
Q. What is your take on the viral trends regarding street foods?
Radhikaaa: That’s something surprisingly weird, and it always makes me wonder why people are so obsessed with experimenting so much on such stuff. Trust me when I say this every time I had tried something weird; it tasted weirder, so I keep myself out of this scope. Thankfully there are not many experiments happening in Gorakhpur.
Every time I create content, I have only one thing in mind people feel nostalgic or could relate to the content they see. So here in Gorakhpur, we have had this famous bakery named “Bobi’s Bakery” since 1963, so when I covered that place recently highlighting their specials, that video received a great response because people could relate to it. So it’s better this way than sharing some random viral food experiments in the name of content sharing.
Q. Do you think that Food bloggers are responsible for encouraging these viral trends?
Radhikaaa: It is possible; I believe we are also responsible; if we do not cover such unusual food trends or hype them up, then definitely the person will stop making those. I have no hard feelings, but the way these ‘Amul Butter hyping Food bloggers’ post content fails the entire purpose because people enjoy watching these videos but would never really enjoy having these kinds of foods as they know that it will make them sick. So it’s just a treat for the eyes, and I believe if you are an influencer, you must teach people good things through your content.
Q. What would you say is your biggest strength as a blogger?
Radhikaaa: My audience is my biggest strength; unless they enjoy my content, share them, get involved in them, and relate to my content, I feel this would not run at all. My audience has constantly supported me, and it is for them I am here today, so yes, they are my strength.
Q. How do you deal with viewers who dislike your content?
Radhikaaa: Touchwood, until now, I have not posted any such content that would draw some negative attention. But as a food blogger, I understand how our content influences the audiences’ choices in picking places where they want to spend their money for a good eating experience. So in case of any conflicting opinion on the reviews of places I share, I consider both sides and respect the inputs from my audience.
Q. What is your favourite thing about blogging?
Radhikaaa: My favourite thing about blogging is meeting new people every day. No matter what we do, interacting with different people helps us learn new things, so that’s the best part I enjoy in what I am doing.
Radhikaaa is following her passion, and she is doing that very well as she works hard each day to fulfill her dreams and aspirations. It is not always easy to choose and stand by it, but the blogger believed in her dreams and made them a beautiful reality for her.
