Everyone is buzzing about the latest social platform on the scene — Clubhouse. If you’re unaware (or haven’t been able to get an invite yet), Clubhouse is an audio-only platform that allows you to drop into conversations as a participant or go live and chat with those you follow. Conversation topics range from entertainment and sports to world affairs, wellness, and beyond.
As of right now, Clubhouse is super-exclusive, as it’s only available on iOS devices and only available to those who get invited to register. (We can confirm: getting an invite to Clubhouse feels like you’re on the VIP list of the hottest club in town.)
Although this fledgling social media platform launched less than a year ago, it’s been getting other big players in the social media space to create their own version just to keep up (Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit, we see you!).
In short, Clubhouse is making quite a splash, and with good reason: it’s changing the landscape of content as we know it. Here are five of the most important things you need to know about Clubhouse:
#1: It’s more engaging than a podcast
These days, podcasts are often highly produced, filled with ads, and can be finely tuned to get your message across. Clubhouse, however, is none of these things (yet). Similar to how Stories are a little more casual compared to regular posts in the News Feed, Clubhouse is all about in-the-moment discussions happening in the here and now — allowing them to achieve a level of excitement that many recorded podcasts may not have.
#2: It’s more intimate than a webinar
Instead of being talked at as you might be in a one-to-many webinar, Clubhouse invites more one-on-one conversations by using a simple hand raise feature. Additionally, because Clubhouse is audio-only, people leading discussions do not have the luxury of relying on a PowerPoint presentation to carry a conversation forward. While this may be problematic for visual learners, it also means that the conversations on Clubhouse are more fluid than you might find in other online learning platforms.
#3: It’s more accessible for attendees
In terms of accessibility, Clubhouse is doing a lot of things right. For users who are blind or visually impaired, audio-only content is preferred. It’s also much easier for attendees to log in and listen on Clubhouse while attending to other work tasks or finishing chores around the house. Best of all, because there is no video, Clubhouse users don’t have to worry about buffering — the audio content loads lightning-fast!
#4: It’s more involved than a social media post
Clubhouse brings people to a virtual table within each room, making users far more engaged than simply clicking “like” on a social media post. Sure, users can pop in and out of your conversation just as they might scroll past a photo on Instagram, but as long as you’re curating an engaging conversation, people are likely to stick around and listen to what you have to say.
#5: It’s more human than a commercial
Brands have to completely rethink how they utilize Clubhouse, as there are no brand profiles allowed on the app (at least currently). Clubhouse is positioning itself as a more people-focused platform rather than a place where brand profiles take center stage. Not surprisingly, this is where influencers will come into play, bringing a more human side to your brand by speaking about your organization in an authentic way.
Although time will tell whether Clubhouse becomes a temporary trend or a platform with staying power, there’s no denying it’s changing the conversation by putting the focus of social media back on engagement, intimacy, humanity, and accessibility. We can’t wait to keep listening and see where the platform goes from here!
Searching for more social media tips? Start off by reading “The State of Social Media in 2021,” then inspire some creativity by learning “The ABCs of Successful Social Media Campaigns.”
