YouTube shows help Saudi women find a niche

Whether you like to watch movies, cooking shows, talk shows, music videos or simply learn a new language, the famous video website YouTube offers something for everyone.
Of the 200 Saudi women who took an online Arab News survey, 20 percent say they follow fashion vlogers (video bloggers) and learn tips and tricks from them. About 50 percent of them like to watch beauty channels to learn more about cosmetics and the rest like to follow online cooking shows to learn making new dishes.
“I have always loved makeup. I used to go to Sephora and not know what I needed and what the products were. The easy way for me was to search for YouTube videos that taught me more about them,” said Salma Manaf, a college student in Dammam. “I am now very much up to date with everything new in the makeup world. Not just that, I also learnt how to use them,” she added.
Nour Sameer, a scholarship student in the US, just gave birth to her baby girl and is living home alone while her husband goes to school. “I have taken a semester off because my pregnancy was very difficult. I would log online when I was resting in bed and learn so much about my pregnancy and how to deal with a new born baby,” she said. “I found the whole thing to be very easy after I watched mothers posting videos and sharing helpful tips. To be honest, their advices were more advanced and up to date than what my mother used to tell me,” she added.
One of the most successful home businesses in Saudi Arabia is food catering. “I have always wanted to start my own business, especially because many of my family members and friends complement my cooking skills,” said Dareen Abdullah, a stay at home mother in Jeddah. “I started updating myself with new recipes and flavor combinations to bring out the best taste in my food. I took online cooking classes and now I have more knowledge than I ever had. I now offer more than 40 different dessert items in the menu thanks to my online classes,” she added.
The fashion industry is one that undergoes changes every now and then and those associated with it always need to remain in the loop. Ayah Jumaa, a college student in Riyadh said: “In this age and time, you got to be updated with the latest or else you will be frowned upon. I know this might sound mean but this is not a Saudi thing but an international thing. It pushed me to watch fashion channels on YouTube and take notes from globally celebrated fashion gurus.”
“I love how they teach; they always give you different options for colors, shapes and cuts. I also love the fact that I can watch videos of people who shop on a budget, just like me because my budget is not too big,” she added.
Sarah Hejazi and her family canceled their TV subscription because YouTube was entertaining enough. “My husband and I didn’t even realize how much time we spent watching YouTube and neglected the TV! I believe one of the reasons for this is that I can log in from anywhere in the house on the computer, iPad, laptop or mobile. We even connect the laptop to our TV and watch our favorite shows on the big screen,” she said. “Aside from the fact that YouTube is free, it is totally worth it because you can control what you watch, take breaks by just pausing and watch your favorite show without having to sit through boring TV advertisements,” she added.
Music is probably the most favorite segment of YouTube viewers and many Saudis have stopped using iPods because listening online is much easier. “I personally feel limited when I have pre-recorded music on my phone or iPod. It offers me the freedom to choose from any music style or language without using up my phone’s storage,” said banker Hatoon Abdulwahed. “You can just type ‘Best music for December 2000’ and you will find the best hits from that specific month. What more do you want?” she asked.

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