Social Media Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Bhavani Seethamraju Is Helping To Change Our World
It is Ok to get inspired by other’s work? Yes, it’s ok to get inspired by others’ work. Sometimes it happens that you feel like it’s a copy of someone’s work, but what I feel is in the entertainment world there are many people who are like-minded and many people are there who got success because of it. You will get ideas from them, and you can pull up yourself by using and watching such ideas.
As a part of our series about leaders who are using their social media platform to make a significant social impact, we had the pleasure of interviewing Bhavani Seethamraju.
Bhavani Seethamraju is a certified Nutritionist, Health and wellness Coach and completed an Ayurveda for Balanced Lifestyle — Master Certificate Course. A social media personality who loves to talk about nutrition, health and about life lessons always believes in positive thinking, positive approach towards life. Someone who believes in yoga and good health, pranayama, daily walk and good diet.
Other than health she loves to travel a lot and photography is her passion. Whenever she gets time, she is ready with her camera. She is an active member of View Bug pictures website where she has won 263 in total 37 Awards, 176 peer awards, 48 Top ranks 2 emotion awards.
Planning to launch her book soon combination of travel and food. A foodie travel personality, Google guide level 6 loves to share her experiences on food, make videos on her travelling and food blog. She believes “One cannot sleep well, thinks well, love well, if one has not dined well.
There is one famous saying by Anthony Bourdain on travel “Travel changes you.”
Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I never wanted to be a social media personality as a camera-shy person, never thought to be in this field.
I used to run small catering services in Melbourne 2018, and it was running fair enough so one of my clients suggested, your recipes are so wonderful why don’t you upload your recipes on internet. That was the first time I searched on google how to upload videos on YouTube before that I never knew about uploading videos and all.
But somehow, I didn’t get time, or I like to say I didn’t spend much time on my channel and didn’t get that many followers.
During covid time when we all were in lock down That time social media was the only medium through which people from all walks of life shared their emotions, joy sorrow, strength and humanitarian. That time again I was like why not I try it again I started my channel and shared my experience’s feeling, and I love travelling I started my first travelling Instagram account. There I got nice followers, and I got nice travel offers from companies too, but it was covid time and Melbourne was under the longest lockdown city and my channel got shelved.
But Now I started a general channel about food and travel where I share many videos on daily basis as I like it when people who likes to watch my videos, they share their comments. Their views matter to me and it inspires me to do more. I feel I am connected to people and trying to make a difference.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this career?
I am a google guide level 6 and review places and many restaurants which I visits. So, one of the restaurants I rated that famous restaurant as 4 stars, the company replied to me and asked please let us know how to improve our standard or what to do get 5 stars from you. One of the travel brands said they will give some discount on cab services in Peru if I write some nice reviews about them so there are many interesting stories which I have been experiencing since I started this career.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
Failure is a natural part of the learning process. You are not a failure unless you give up. So, keep trying, sometimes we feel it’s over, we can’t think of anything new, there are so many competitors in the market. In my opinion failing allows you to try again and in a different direction, until you put your full determination and interest. Sometimes it clicks and sometimes it won’t. Don’t worry, there are many things and ways to try until you reach the destination.
Ok super. Let’s now jump to the core focus of our interview. Can you describe to our readers how you are using your platform to make a significant social impact?
My channel is about food and travel. As a certified nutritionist I share my views about food and health, how important it is to have good food and having healthy habits.
I have seen many videos in which people are just blindly using plenty of cheese and margarine. Mixing every cuisine, no authentic taste mostly deep fried refried not even bother about the side effects. I learnt that street food is fried or cooked in cotton seed or palm oil or reused oil, and such oils are risky for the heart and other vital organs. As we can see, many youngsters are facing health problems, they are having cardiac arrest in their early teens.
I can understand how busy our lifestyle is and it’s hard to manage/ maintain a healthy lifestyle. But can’t we reduce the intake.
People are adding milk or fresh cream to salty food which are the main cause of skin related diseases. There is a big growth in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, obesity, Diabetes and many other diseases which is taking the toll because of all these reasons. I too like street food but always scared of aftereffects. I share videos where yoga and nutrition are important, and we can do it on a regular basis.
Sometimes I share my travel videos with positive life quotes and poems to make people feel happy, stress free and connected.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I first started my YouTube channel. I did not know that there are many people who do subs for subs. They have created a WhatsApp group, and many are working as full-time administrators for getting subscription.
I got some nice comments on my first videos, so they were like if we like your videos, you must like it too and if we subscribe to your channel you have to do it too like a bartender system. When you are new you are like by hook or crook, I want subscribers and views and I joined but later I realized that all are fake for some time being they join you and later they unsubscribe your channel and I had genuinely followed them, and I am still following them as I don’t know who unsubscribed me.
So, it was the biggest mistake with a lesson that whatever is happening online is not true you can’t expect 100% from others.
That mistake I didn’t continue with my Instagram. I followed those who I want to follow not to those who are following me if I like their content, they are welcome.
But no more Subs for subs.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by this cause?
On my food and travel blog one of the videos, I got a DM from a person she was like do you do any catering services, I was like no I don’t, she said send me your shop address I will come and give order I said no I don’t have any food shop. I told her that I am in the USA not in India she was like can you please take any online classes. Such incidents inspire me to do good work. As I am impacting someone’s life.
Was there a tipping point that made you decide to focus on this particular area? Can you share a story about that?
When I moved to Australia, I didn’t realize that I was suffering from stress, I was having hell like health issues and I did blood test, scanning, MRI all kinds of test you name it and I have done it. I was suffering that time my GP recommended me a Dietician and she looked at my reports and told me, I am suffering from Iron deficiency and stress the way she treated me it was magical; I was so scared to eat food I stopped eating her treatment gave the confidence that eating right food is more important than just eating and filling your stomach.
After some time, she went for maternity leave I tried many dieticians, they didn’t work out for me, I decided it is my body and I must take care of my health, I took the decision to be a nutritionist. I am a certified Nutritionist now.
I have decided that whoever is suffering, if it is possible for me to treat with my words or suggestion or support, I will do it.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
The answer for this question is big yes, there are many people online who are posting real ad genuine post regarding health, food and wellness many community around me are organizing wellness programs, but still this is not sufficient I think politicians should show some interest on this topic and they should conduct such wellness program, health awareness program from grass root like from school if kids will stop asking for junks parents wont buy it and automatically from childhood they will have a habit of saying “No” to junk food.
If we spread awareness about the effect of sugar and salt on brain and body, there will be great change in society regarding health.
Yoga sessions for every age group, food and wellness related classes in every school and community.
Many people on social media are just giving random suggestions especially on tick Tok and ideas about health, and they claim themselves as a doctor or health coach.
What I believe is we should not just blindly follow them and do experiment on our body everybody is different so is the treatment so go to a certified Health coaches and not to follows everyone just like that and for such things the online company and government should take special steps and verify there channel and content if its really worth and true, they should promote them or should ban them for showing unnatural ways to loose weight and other stuff.
Why do you think social media in particular has the power to create social change and create a positive impact on humanity?
I believe through social media people get many information, which they like to share with their family and friends, and they get to meet people who are like minded and spread awareness about knowledge, educations, entertainment for the people by the people.
While people spending more time on social media there are many groups who are spreading awareness about cyberbullying, online scams, social anxiety, depression and content which is not appropriate for some age group. The biggest impact is sharing news with wider audiences, getting up to date information.
On social media you can share your expertise and here you get recognition for work and people like to follow you if have great content which can increase your visibility, because of which you educate yourself more and like to share more and more content. There is no limit or time barrier you can connect with the world any time anywhere. Easy to build your brand. You can evaluate your performance.
What specific strategies have you been using to promote and advance this cause? Can you recommend any good tips for people who want to follow your lead and use their social platform for social good?
I first tried different ways, after posting videos, I check on which kind of videos I am getting more crowd or more views than I started making videos related to food, travelling, and life quotes with poems or themes topic some time funny videos just for fun. To feel light and happy.
I do get many comments and DM to promote my channel to get larger viewer ship and followers and for that I need to pay some amount but it’s a big no for me.
There should be a specific goal in mind what kind of audience traffic do you really want on your page. Analyze your competition. As the market is huge and a wide range of topics are available.
Share inspiring and engaging posts. Be a brand which captures your audience’s attention. Keep interacting with your audiences and do some contests or ask some fun questions to them.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
- When to start and how to start making videos? When I first started making videos, I had no Idea how to use camera I used to make video holding phone on one hand, no clue which app to download for videos and how to upload on YouTube.
- Practice Your Work? Yes, for whatever content you have for your videos make sure you have done good research about your subject and there is no fake content about it.
- It is Ok to get inspired by other’s work? Yes, it’s ok to get inspired by others’ work. Sometimes it happens that you feel like it’s a copy of someone’s work, but what I feel is in the entertainment world there are many people who are like-minded and many people are there who got success because of it. You will get ideas from them, and you can pull up yourself by using and watching such ideas.
- How to promote the Content Online? It happened to me or happens with many they have great content but don’t get enough traffic online or they don’t have the idea where to promote their content and because of this they get trapped by some people who give fake promises that can give you traffic and most watched videos and followers to get monetized easily. The channel should provide proper guidelines. There should be proper information for the promotion of the videos and there are legal ways to do boost your content.
- Plan Your Content, how to give good caption / headline and detailed description. Its bit obvious we plan things before doing anything, in the same way if we plan about our content what, and how are we going to post the content online it will be a big help to promote our videos in the market if we are sure what our content, does it have a proper description and a nice headline which catches the eye of the viewer’s.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
The inspiring movement I was waiting for is to see every one in a good health specially after covid 19 I heard many experiences by people how it changed their life the downfall of health and covid vaccine side effect one of which I am suffering too. Sharing good suggestions regarding weight loss and selfcare. Want to do something for covid warriors.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a power lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Michelle Obama, an American attorney and author she preaches when she encourages healthy eating and fitness, waking up as early as 4:30 a.m. to run on a treadmill, lift weights, and do kickboxing and other activities. The way people love to listen to her. She is the source of inspiration to many through her knowledge, education, experience and sense of humor. The way she maintained her health is exceptional.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
People can follow me on Instagram id @bhavi_food_travel.
ApnaKitchen369 YouTube channel.
This was very meaningful. Thank you so much.
Social Media Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Bhavani Seethamraju Is Helping To Change Our… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.