A new social media app is gaining rapid attention lately, and both brands and influencers are interested. Find out what the clamor around Clubhouse is all about and how joining it can benefit you as a company, thought leader, brand ambassador or social media influencer.
What Is the Clubhouse Social Media App?
Conversation. That’s what the new social network Clubhouse is all about — talking and listening to friends and strangers on an audio-only platform. It’s a place where a diverse group of people around the world goes to share, learn, debate, laugh, sing, perform, tell stories, ask questions, connect and more.
The social media app launched as an invite-only beta version in March 2020 to a small group of people. Since then, its creators, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Paul Davison and Rohan Seth have been tweaking and improving it based on feedback from its users. Their plan is to get it up to speed — including servers, support, safety and moderation — and make it available to everyone in 2021.
By all accounts so far, it’s a hit, a breath of fresh air in the video, photo and text-based social media platforms we all love. On Clubhouse, people can interact without worrying about what they look like and without being glued to a screen. And with audio being the mode of communication, subtleties in voice inflections that convey emotion and meaning in ways that can get lost in text enhance understanding and connection.
Inside the Clubhouse app are rooms where live conversations are happening. You can join a room as a listener, ask to participate or create a room of your own. Discussions happen in real-time and aren’t saved for playback later. This creates a fear-of-missing-out mentality that is encouraging users to stay tuned in more often.
Diversity is celebrated here too. Its developers hope that Clubhouse becomes a “new type of network based on empathy, discussion and sensemaking, rather than polarization.”
If you know an existing user of Clubhouse, you can ask them to invite you. If not, you can reserve a username and get recognized by someone on the platform and let in. Or at least you can get on the waiting list for when the app opens up to everyone.
In mid-January 2021, Clubhouse saw two million visitors in a single week. These folks range from musicians, artists and authors to stock traders, real estate agents, entrepreneurs and sports fans. Whether you’re a brand or influencer, chances are your audience is on Clubhouse, and you may want to be too.
Benefits of the Clubhouse App for Brands
When your brand is on Clubhouse, you have the opportunity to connect with people in an authentic, human way. Consumers value transparency from brands and are demanding it more and more these days. The live conversations that take place on Clubhouse invite authenticity and spontaneity. And there’s only so much scripting that can take place when you allow others to join the conversation. This can help you increase brand loyalty as well as brand reputation and brand awareness.
The app can also help your brand increase leads and grow your customer base. Being part of a casual conversation can give way to people being interested in what you’re all about. For example, after Bite Toothpaste’s founders hosted a room to share its brand’s story, it drew about 30 new customers, according to Social Media Examiner.
Because the app is constantly evolving to include all types of content on an endless list of topics, Clubhouse is positioned to help brands become industry experts. You can host rooms to offer the latest tips, create impromptu focus groups, get feedback about your products, provide customer service and share exclusive information. Overall, the app can help you meet many of your marketing goals, from building awareness to increasing sales.
Benefits of the Clubhouse App for Influencers
Clubhouse seems to be serious about supporting influencers in their craft. Not only were influencers part of its pilot group — as well as industry and thought leaders — but the platform rolled out a Creator Grant Program in March 2021. Armed with a new round of funding from over 180 investors, Clubhouse plans to put part of those funds toward supporting Clubhouse creators. Monetization with features like tickets, tipping and subscriptions are included.
The goal of the Creator Grant Program is to give influencers the equipment and support they need to spread their message on the platform. During its initial pilot program, and hopefully beyond, Clubhouse plans to do this by:
- Giving equipment to creators, such as an iPhone, iRig or Android phone (when the app expands beyond the App Store)
- Providing direct contact and developmental mentoring with the Clubhouse team
- Helping match guests and talent that enhance a creator’s events and shows
- Promoting shows on and off the Clubhouse platform
- Providing a monthly stipend for top creators
- Matching creators with brands to further monetization opportunities
The app is also investing heavily in improving discoverability and ranking. That means people who are looking for the type of content you create will find you more easily. Podcasting continues to grow in popularity, and Clubhouse capitalizes on this while taking it a step further by allowing interaction with hosts. This can help you boost your engagement with your audience.
Another interesting dynamic of Clubhouse is that many of its most prominent influencers are in their 40s and 50s, partly because its pilot group included industry leaders. This is a contrast to the Gen Z and millennials stars of TikTok and Instagram. And it provides an exciting opportunity for influencers to share their knowledge and insights with an interested audience. Still, there’s plenty of room for younger influencers, as the breadth of topics and niches grows as the number of Clubhouse users is growing.
Monetizing Clubhouse Using Shake
Some more good news for influencers and brands alike is there’s already an influencer marketing platform to help connect the two. Shake, an online marketplace for creators to bid for quality sponsorships by brands, has now added Clubhouse to its social media offerings. Brands can list their marketing campaigns on Shake, and influencers can respond to them to sell sponsorships and make brand mentions in their rooms in Clubhouse.
With the number of benefits Clubhouse is offering both brands and influencers, you just might want to download the app now. Getting in on the ground floor could prove to be advantageous for you, especially since the app is poised to continue to grow in popularity. And its developers seem serious about celebrating creators and brands that bring people together in a positive way.