Pinterest is a great tool for people to share their interests by posting photos and collecting others. Saudis are pinning photos of their hometown, food, fashion and other interests to give subscribers an insight in their culture.

“Jeddah is a beautiful city and a group of photographers walk around and take photos every Friday and spread it all over the Internet,” said photographer Ali Hamwan. “I posted a number of them on my Pinterest account and found that many other Saudis are repinning it on theirs. This is a great way to show people the hidden beauty of the Kingdom,” he said. “It is a gesture from my friends and I to help those who are interested in the country to see professional photos of it,” he added.

One interest many people in the Kingdom share is food. Few people from non-Arab countries know about typical Saudi dishes, which is what made stay-at-home mother Hanaa Abduljawwad post recipes. “When I signed up for Pinterest I saw many people share recipes of different cuisines but I didn’t see any Arabic food, apart from Lebanese. I thought about taking photos of my home cooked meals and sharing those,” she said. “I found many people sharing it and liking it. That’s when I decided to share more than just photos. I shared recipes and step-by-step photos to teach people more about authentic Saudi food,” she added.

Saudi fashion designers use different social media platforms to promote their brand. Pinterest is a ways to showcase fashion lines. “I love seeing the new trends, how to match them with accessories and shoes and how people like to wear their fashion. I have noticed that many Saudi-based fashion brands have uploaded their lines to promote the Saudi fashion sense,” said Salwa Mattar. “I am an accessory designer and I also uploaded some of my work there. I have noticed that many international fashionistas started ordering my designs because they blend between cultural sense and international trends. Pinterest has helped me promote my work,” she added.