Chances are, you’ve heard of the new platform Clubhouse.
However, the likelihood that you’ve joined it is lower.
This new invite-only platform is an exclusive tool that holds immense potential for individuals and organizations.
In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about this new app and how to best use it.
What is Clubhouse?
Clubhouse is being talked about as the latest social media app, but really it’s not social media. It’s social networks. Small, intimate groups just talking.
Clubhouse is a new platform that’s sprung up. It’s quite different from the others, as it’s just audio. It’s not social media in the sense that you record it like a podcast, it’s more like interactive radio. Instead of recording, the words disappear instantly. Imagine it like mini audio live streams, almost like a real-time phone in. Anyone can join a room and ask a question.
The demographic of intended Clubhouse users is very interesting. Since it’s only audio and there’s no recording, it allows people to feel more confident. It’s a great fit for those who are working from home, and have time to listen, but maybe not to watch. Conversely, it could also be beneficial for those driving or commuting. It’s like having background radio, so it’s a good fit for any age group, but right now it has many black followers that span all ages and genders.
At only 10 months old, Clubhouse has 2 million users and has just reached a BILLION dollar valuation. Woah. According to “early adopter” Thomas Power, “it’s a monster in embryo” with enormous potential to boom.
How Does Clubhouse Work
On the Clubhouse app, there are many different “rooms” (sort of like the old Club Penguin), and different time zones. There’s a group for every topic imaginable, prayer singing, business, mental health, and more.
It’s just audio, no video. Users can create clubs and host rooms, which other users can follow and join. A room a conversation around a topic, and you can have anywhere from 2 to 500,000 people in a room. A club is people who want to be involved in a certain topic. Right now, there are only 60 clubs. To create a club, the user must run a successful room every day for three weeks before you can even apply for a club. What’s a “successful room”? There’s not a clear definition, but it’s likely related to the app’s algorithm.
Much like you can block users on other apps, you can block rooms on Clubhouse. Doing so will teach the AI what to recommend to you.
How to Join Clubhouse
Right now, it’s invite-only for Apple. Android users cannot join, they must use an iOS device. A current member must send you an invite, and right now members only get around one invite a week. If you have an iOS device, you can download the app from the app store and reserve a username. Clubhouse has mentioned plans to expand to the general public soon, but right now they’re still focused on slowly building the community and preparing features for handling more people.
Potential Opportunities with Clubhouse
Undoubtedly, there will be a “clone” of this concept popping up on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc, but Clubhouse is on the brink of something big because everyone is stuck at home.
There are many potential opportunities, namely intimate, deep sharing on issues. It’s almost like a virtual “town hall”, where people congregate for different reasons. The difference is that it’s international.
Building an Audience
In his first 23 days, Thomas has a network growing at 100 followers a day. These are brand new followers he doesn’t have on other platforms. To get those followers, Thomas is running a room every day, one talking about Clubhouse (beginner’s guide, how it works, etc). The group he admins, Talk Club, has 28,000 members. When he opens a chat, about 10% would be online (2,800), and within five minutes he can have 100-200 people live online in a call. It’s like a live interactive breakthrough, which poses incredible potential.
How to Get People to Join the Conversation
On traditional live streams or other social platforms, it can be hard to get people to participate in the conversation, even if they’re watching. One way is to interview someone or feature someone on the show. Ask a few questions to get the conversation started, and more join as the conversation goes on.
With Clubhouse, you can invite your entire network into the live room as it goes on. These instant invites make it easy to get rooms to blow up with followers quickly.
Networking
Clubhouse offers a great ability to learn from and connect with others. Listening to a voice is more intimate than text. It’s also easier to respond to inquiries when they’re asked and answered out loud, in real-time. Celebrities and experts in many fields (like Silicone Valley) have used Clubhouse to connect and share experiences.
Live Feedback
The potential for social listening and helpful feedback is huge on Clubhouse. For example, we at Beep may have a certain vision of how our clients should use our service, but they may be using it in ways we never could imagine. With Clubhouse, we could have an open conversation where we could gain valuable insights that help us and help our other clients. Additionally, we could get helpful feedback on how to improve or information that we should share with other clients. Clubhouse can serve as a great resource for:
- Finding new selling points to articulate to prospects
- FAQ questions
- How-to videos
- Blog topics
- Other social media content to share with your audience
- Topics to address during onboarding
How Can I Get Started with Clubhouse?
At first, Clubhouse can sound like a lot to wrap your head around, and just another social media platform to keep up with. To even have a chance at forming a club, you have to run “successful” rooms every day for three weeks. That’s a big commitment, and it suggests that consistency is key to success with Clubhouse.
However, there are many key benefits to Clubhouse, as a user and creator. To start, focus on getting an invite. If you know someone personally using Clubhouse, express your interest. Once you get on the app, start by just listening. You can join rooms without saying a thing if you want. Conversely, you may notice that the app is very easy to converse in and decide to chime into a few rooms.
The future of Clubhouse is exciting but uncertain. The traction it’s already garnered in just 10 months while still limited to invites is impressive, and its vast difference from other “social media” presents key opportunities.
