According to analytics firm App Annie, Clubhouse grew from over 3.5 million global downloads in January 2021 to 10 million users by March 1st. The rise is also contributed by billionaires and celebrities, who joined a few events on the app. Elon Musk talked about Mars and cryptos, whereas Mark Zuckerberg discussed Facebook’s futuristic technology and remote working topics. Perhaps you have heard about the hype of the app, but do not understand what it is all about. Here is a quick guide to explore the Clubhouse app and see if it could be beneficial for your business or relevant to your customers.
Started as an insider app in silicon valley, Clubhouse is an audio-only social media app, which allows users to listen to live discussions in a virtual room. Think of it as a podcast, which can be listened to live for whatever topic that interests you. You can also choose to just be a listener or request to be on ‘stage’ to speak. As of now, the app is only available for iPhone (iOS) users. Although there is a plan for Android users, there is no announcement of when it will happen yet.
Here is a brief description of the features.
The Clubhouse app is exclusive, so you can only join by invitation. You'll also receive more invites if the people you invited are frequently participating and have high engagement themselves. Your bio is very important because this is how people search for their interests and relevant topics to follow. When you join a room, don't worry, you are always muted. If you would like to speak or get invited to the stage, you just need to click on the little hand at the right side; your moderators will be notified and possibly give you the chance to speak on stage. You can also open a room, both publicly or privately, on your own.
You don’t want to speak now? Schedule an event later with a description of your topic and moderator information. People, or your followers, who are interested in the topic, will see it and may sign up for a notification. Scheduling an event also gives you some time to promote your event and share it with your potential prospects.
According to the New York Times, Adam Davidson, the author of “The Passion Economy.” said:
“Never before have so many brands, entrepreneurs, influencers, and regular folks had instant access to their most devoted audience.”
Clubhouse offers a platform and opportunities to network with business leaders in your industry. Since the room is live, you will have the chance to make interactions with anyone who might be interested in your business in a very personal way. You don’t have to dress up or make eye contact; everyone will focus entirely on your voice and content. This also explains why Clubhouse has so many rooms titled “Breakfast networking” or “Lunch quick social meet”, for example. This is because the app allows people to be spontaneous and requires no effort.
Unlike other social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, whose majority of content is not happening live, Clubhouse does exactly this. The logic of gaining followers here really depends on how much time you spend on the app to engage with the audiences in real-time and how your areas of expertise could be beneficial for them. In other words, the Clubhouse app enables you to show this content without any filters and editing. However, at the same time, a business that wants to gain attention will be required to spend a fair amount of time with their audiences. It might not be as easy as other social media platforms. Potential clients and followers would want to hear your authentic self. In summary, Clubhouse offers a platform to show the human side of your business, which is the fundamental key of inbound marketing.
Clubhouse doesn’t guarantee you will achieve your business objectives, but it could be a useful tool if you know how to leverage it. According to Techcrunch, Clubhouse’s CEO, Paul Davison, revealed in January that the app had grown to 2 million weekly active users. If you spend quality time engaging with your audience and offering valuable information, they may gain an interest in your business. You can potentially position yourself as an expert, which can give you a competitive advantage and increase the visibility of your company in the industry.
Interested in joining the Clubhouse app and do not have an invite yet? Then send me an email with the following data:
The first three senders will receive an invitation by 30 April 2021.