To some of us, Clubhouse came directly as an invitation to our iPhone. Others realized that something was going on when they suddenly started coming across a plethora of stories, tweets and posts with the hashtag #clubhouse, posted by friends who were looking for a way to join the only 24/7 open club in the world at the moment. Paul Davison and Rohan Seth’s project received $12 million in funding and has already excited those who were waiting for the next big thing on social media. Currently, the app is only available to iOS users, making the endless debate even more intense. It is expected, though, to be soon available on Android.
So, what exactly is Clubhouse, how does it work and why is it the ultimate social media hype right now?
Let’s start with the basic terminology of Clubhouse:
Rooms: are the virtual rooms in which the user can enter and listen or participate in conversations that are of interest with just a double-tap.
Stage: inside of each Clubhouse room there are the speakers at the top, who have a microphone and the audience is at the bottom. If someone in the audience presses the “raise hand” icon, he can ask for the floor and then one of the speakers can bring him on stage to speak.
Events: are the scheduled virtual discussions and appear in each user’s calendar, depending on the interests he has chosen in his settings.
Clubs: to build your own club, you must first organize an event with the same topic/title for 3 consecutive weeks. Then, fill out the Request a Clubhouse Club form on the website and just wait for the coveted approval!
Why Clubhouse is the most attractive 2021 social media trend?
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Clubhouse: a radio on-demand library, but with engagement!
It’s like listening to the most interesting conversations, debates and opinions on the radio, while at the same time you can ask any questions you may have. Yes, if you are lucky enough to invite you on stage.
Tip: do not enter rooms with 850 people, because you will not have the time to pose a question – however, you’ll listen!
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Engagement is the audio Queen!
The interaction that exists in Clubhouse is completely different than on any other social platform. Depending on your interests, you can find a room with various topics from tips about startups, digital marketing, to how you can grow your YouTube channel, meditation, personal branding and much more.
Tip: good manners matter; keep your microphone off while someone is talking, do not monopolize the conversation and give real value with your questions or opinion.
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Give value, don’t sell.
Yes, there are rooms where speakers do cold promos and want you to buy the book, the online course or the coaching session they offer. But there are also many rooms in which highly successful entrepreneurs, creators and mentors suggest valuable content and proven practices in a meaningful way.
Tip: the basis for effective communication is to listen. Therefore, before you rush to go on stage, take your time to see how Clubhouse works and how you, your business/work or interests can benefit. The secret is to first build relationships, and then use the app to generate leads. Learn more about the secrets to building a Clubhouse app lead generation funnel.
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Networking is now audio.
At Clubhouse you make a question and get an answer at that moment! Unlike Facebook – where a user waits for the page to respond to their message – or LinkedIn – where accounts often do not even send a response – YouTube and Instagram -where the game is mainly played with comments and hashtags – Clubhouse gives room to more effective networking. In fact, due to the app’s lack of chat, the conversation between participants in a room is constantly transferred to Instagram and Twitter that are the only social media accounts one can connect with his profile.
Tip: consider using the same photo and correctly set up your profile both on Clubhouse and Twitter and Instagram so that anyone who follows you outside the app can easily recognize you.
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Ephemeral content & FOMO
The conversations that take place in the rooms are not saved, so FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is much more intense. It is no coincidence that with Elon Musk’s participation in Clubhouse, the room reached the limit of 5K people in just a few seconds.
Tip: if you have the verbal approval of all participants, you can record the conversation with an external device.
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Clubhouse invitations
At the moment, to become a member, one must receive an invitation from a contact who is already a member. Once he clicks on the link and logs in to the application, as a new member he automatically has 2 invitations of his own to send to anyone he deems fit.
Tip: On your profile, it is shown from whom you received the invitation and for the creators to somehow ensure compliance with the terms of use, if a member violates them (e.g.: hate speech, etc.), then both the terms’ violator and the one that invited him/her are excluded from the application.
What will happen in the future, when Clubhouse will be available to everyone? What discussions will take place in rooms with hundreds of participants? What will be the subscription model that is already announced as a revenue model by the founders? The answers to the questions above remain to be seen.
Till then Clubhouse sounds good, really good!
Read the article about Clubhouse and its secrets in Greek on Medium.