Irfan Siddique is a prominent travel and lifestyle blogger who knows that travelling is more than just a vacation. He is a changemaker who has brought a revolution to build an Instagram community by sharing honest reviews. He has reviewed automobiles, different places, food and luxury. He understands the fact that social media can bring people together and make them happy. In our modern-day pandemic environment, that connection is even more important. Irfan’s Instagram page @irfansiddiqueofficial has been his way of facilitating that connection, and he has extended his reach through the use of his Instagram page since its inception.
Irfan promotes local culture and local brands. He stays in 5-star hotels, reviews luxurious stays and also travels like a native. He has more than 132K followers on his Instagram page, as he reviews watch brands, and collaborated with more than 150 brands like Taj Hotels, Ford India, Flipkart and many more.
Irfan isn’t just a blogger who clicks, reviews or posts, he has been part of many recognized TV shows and Bollywood projects. He has covered Salman Khan’s Tubelight and many movies like Tumbadd and many more as a blogger. Irfan has collaborated with Bollywood Actor Hrithik Roshan for cult fit. Apart from this, he has been invited as a guest blogger to judge food cooked by celebrity chef Ranveer Brar in a show named Emirates World in My Kitchen in the year 2017. Not only this he was again invited to a television show named Grilled Aired on Fox Channel in 2017. Adding a few more stars to his profile, he has been a part of Miss India Pageant as a blogger who covered it in the year 2017.
In this interview, Irfan spoke about how he became a successful blogger by balancing both his profession and blogging altogether and what it takes to become a successful influencer.
When did you start blogging/ social media, and what was your motivation for getting started?
Answer: I have been on the Instagram platform since its inception. Used to post personal pictures and my account was private. I was always a big-time foodie and traveller. It was around 2015 my friends asked me to share my experience so that they can get a gist of places. I changed my profile @IrfanSiddiqueOffical into business and started sharing detailed reviews of my experience. So it was my friends who pushed me into blogging. I am a software tester by profession and blogging is my passion. It gives me fuel and a getaway from the daily 9 to 5 life. I believe in stability and hence want to continue both my profession and passion simultaneously.
I started getting recognition around 2017 with all the hard work I put into blogging. I aim to help others with the reviews of food places, travel destinations, hotels, and products that were received well online. The best part was the appreciation from my community (Instagram Fam) I fondly call them. They want to know more about places so that they can consider visiting. My honest feedback helps them and this is the reason they follow my page and blogs. Followers started increasing, engagement increased, a collaboration started coming in and I built a community. Got featured in many reputed tabloids and was part of Two TV shows as a blogger.
I get DMs from my Insta community saying that my reviews and feedback have helped them a lot and they like my content. For me, this is a true success.
Where does your style-savvy come from, and where do you get your inspiration?
Answer: Style for me is being comfortable. Sometimes I follow trends as well. It’s a mixture of my mood. When I am travelling, I love to eat local, dress as local and travel as local. I try to understand the culture of the place. My inspiration is the boredom of a 9to5 job. I always wanted to experience and travel the world. Not live only on weekends.
What have been your keys to success?
Answer: Being honest with what I do help me succeed. I started when the blogging culture was not known by many in India. Starting early gave me an added advantage and built contacts. Friends and family were my support throughout. One needs that support to believe and grow. My Insta community liked my honest reviews and I got DMs that helped them a lot, for me, this is true success.
Who is your primary audience, and what do you think keeps them coming back to your blog?
Answer: My primary audience is people who love to travel and eat. They want to know more about places so that they can consider visiting. My honest feedback helps them and this is the reason they follow blogs.
Do you see yourself as an “Influencer”, and if so, what does that mean to you?
Answer: I see myself as a Content Creator. However, my followers and people around me call me by different names like blogger, Public figure, celebrity, Influencer, etc. For me, it is about building a genuine and authentic community that helps each other. If people visit places based on my reviews, that makes me an Influencer.
If you were to give someone advice who is thinking about getting into social media and the world of influencing, what would it be?
Answer: It is the right time to enter into blogging. Bring your flavour and try to create content that helps others. Do your work honestly and the rest will follow. I want to be that Changemaker when it comes to blogging.
Do you have any upcoming events or announcements you wish to share?
Answer: I am planning to conduct a Blogging workshop once the covid situation gets a little better. It will be how bloggers can build a community and help society. One of the focus areas would be responsible travel.
