Faraaz Siddiqui: Be Consistent; That's The Toughest Task You Need To Follow When You Start Blogging

"The complete drift in my personality after starting blogging is something I am so proud of," said Faraaz Siddiqui when asked about his proudest achievement. His journey from an Engineer to a successful food blogger & entrepreneur has been a remarkable one. He considers the tiger to be his spirit animal, king of the jungle.

Faraaz Siddiqui in an exclusive tête-à-tête with FilmiBeat gets candid about sharing tips for novice food bloggers, sharing things about commencing his blogging journey, the change he witnessed in himself in the past 6 years, a challenging moment that turned his life upside down, and much more.

I think it started because of my food addiction. I belong to Hyderabad and have always been inspired by the amazing food this city offers. There are many good restaurants, and most of them go unexplored mostly. Hyderabad is big on restaurants and cafes & so many local rich cuisines, there are many unique dishes that are of different types, and people do not know about them and that's when I started "Spoonful of Hyderabad ''. Now exploring different restaurants or food joints. You can look and get to know about great places to eat in Hyderabad. Food blogging is a passion both about food and about discovering a dish that can tickle not only your tummy but also your tongue.

On what parameters do you give your reviews on a particular restaurant?

I review my dining experience in an honest, professional, constructive, and balanced manner based on five parameters - food (from presentation to taste), location, interior, ambiance, hygiene of the café or restaurant, and value for money - to help you, my readers, make an informed decision. I do pay my way, review incognito, and refuse freebies in exchange for reviews. Whilst I appreciate chefs spending hours perfecting a dish, so do I with a review - on average a blog post takes a full working day to research and write, and that's without the time spent eating out.

What's your favorite restaurant or food place?

Well, there are a lot, but my current favorite is Taj Mahal Hotel. The in-house dining facilities offer nothing short of a magical multi-cuisine experience. It serves delicious buffet spreads that include south Indian as well as North Indian delicacies but is especially famous for flavorsome masala Dosas and Idly Vadas.

Did you ever think that you would be so successful at blogging when you started?

Depends on your definition of "successful." I started blogging exactly 6 years ago and learned everything from scratch. I think I am lucky enough to see that much growth in 6 years. Today I am renowned as the top Hyderabadi food blogger you could say the pioneer in starting blogging in Hyderabad. I have been featured in the 5th position in the top 21 Emerging Entrepreneurs in India in the Digital Era. Also, stand in the top 100 bloggers of India. I couldn't be happier than this.

The photos of your recipes are one of the highlights of your blog. What are the elements that go into each photo?

The hard work of my outstanding team. The time they spend clicking the pictures in such a way that they should be crystal clear, well-thought-out, and well-balanced, viewers should feel hungry by seeing the photos and convey a message immediately that we want to signify. If you're doing it right, it's going to provoke an emotional response. In the best-case scenario, viewers will associate your image with happiness, success, and improvement-something positive, and something that you can offer them.

What advice would you like to give to people who want to start blogging?

The single best blogging tip would be, "Be Consistent, Be very Consistent." Yes, that's the toughest task you must follow. Other than this:

1)Jump into blogging only if you are passionate enough.
2)Never start with the aim of earning BIG, you will end up getting disappointed.
3)You will fail, fail a lot - Keep Going.
4)Follow the industry experts but don't blindly follow.
5)Get the basics right.
6)Quality matters far more than quantity.

What's your most guilty pleasure?

I don't have any guilty pleasure because food is what I live for. I don't have guilt when it comes to food. I either eat it or don't eat it. Usually, I am quite conservative with the amount I eat and eat below the norm, so this is how I have zero guilt. In the end, it's all about knowing your portions and when you know that there is no place left for guilt.

What was the most challenging moment in your blogging journey so far?

Consistency is the most challenging part of blogging. Quality content along with regularity requires overcoming a lot of hurdles such as forgoing a lot of me-time. Maintaining content that attracts traffic and gains followers is yet another challenging aspect for a blogger. I believe one can overcome all challenges with hard work and focus.

Tell me about your proudest achievement?

The proudest moment was when I started gaining recognition for my work. Started first with friends & family then spread out in the city. As when I initially started my journey the term influencer or blogger was not known in the city. A lot of them thought that all I was doing is wasting my time. These things motivated me even more and slowly now everyone knows what I am & "Spoonful" is now a brand in Hyderabad. I would consider this my proudest achievement.

How did you manage blogging and your food cravings during the lockdown?

Undoubtedly, 2020 has been the worst year for everybody in the world. I was not able to explore new places to eat out & take pictures. While people have been stuck at home, they've been experimenting with cooking and eating more homemade food now and so have I. I've tried making so many food recipes such as pav bhaji, garlic bread, paneer tikka, and many more. Apart from this, I used to post self-made food videos and pictures for my followers and named this series 'Spoonful Eatery'. A lot of people showed their participation by sharing their food recipes and using the hashtag #SpoonfulEatery.

In your opinion what's the quick technique or way for getting more fan following or becoming famous on Instagram?

Your bio is the first thing people see. People come on Instagram not to be sold to by a corporation, but to be entertained. They want to know the YOU behind your account. Keep current followers informed on your latest updates. Being open and transparent will go a long way to help you connect with your audience. Staying organized and planning content can make being Instagram famous significantly more manageable. Keep engaging in new and fresh content at the right time for your followers.