It’s time to familiarize yourself with the new social media app on the scene — Clubhouse. 

While still in the beta stage, Clubhouse has already positioned itself to become the next big thing in social media. Here are some tips to help you prepare your Clubhouse strategy so you can take advantage of this platform while it’s still young.

Clubhouse: How it Works

Currently the app is still in development and is accessible by invite only. Once you manage to get that elusive golden ticket, you’ll be asked to select your interests. These interests and who you follow will determine the kinds of content you receive in your hallway.

The “hallway” is the homepage that shows you what discussions or “rooms” are currently taking place. It also shows you discussions that are scheduled for later in the day.

What are these discussions like? Clubhouse sets itself apart by being an audio-only based social media app. Once you enter a room, you can just quietly listen in on the conversation or “raise your hand” for the moderator to unmute you so you can participate.

How Do You Get In?

Just hope that you’re lucky enough to know someone with a spare invite. Once you get into the app, you start out with one invite to give to that one lucky friend or colleague, but you can earn more invites as you start to moderate rooms of your own and host events.

The Allure of Clubhouse

Exclusivity

We mentioned in our last blog post that “private” social media experiences were on the rise in 2020. Exclusivity is currently the biggest allure of Clubhouse. Just managing to get onto the app gives you that VIP feeling. 

What’s more, that exclusivity is just happenstance. The developers of the app just wanted some time to quietly test the beta phase before making it public, but word got out more quickly than they ever expected, and people are already loving the app — proving its potential to really become something big!

Better Communication

Anyone who has spent a decent amount of time on the internet knows that people hiding behind a username and text-based communication can be a lot more ill-mannered than they would in real life. Making Clubhouse a safe space for discussion is something that is really important to the developers. Part of the reason they are still in beta is that they are trying to perfect their reporting and moderating system.

• Clubhouse discourages anonymity by prompting users to sign up with their real name.

• Audio-only communication encourages more polite discussion than text communication. Furthermore, moderators can simply mute an attendee that becomes unruly and report them for misbehavior.
• It also helps that the app is currently invite only and that the behaviour of the invitee is linked to whoever sent them the invite — encouraging sort of a self-policing. You’re responsible for the guest that you invite to the dinner party.

Privacy

Although there really is no such thing as total privacy or confidentiality when sharing things on social media, Clubhouse tries its best. The recording of room discussions is strictly prohibited unless agreed upon beforehand by all participants. Rooms can be public or private. What happens in the room, presumably stays in the room — as long as all participants follow the rules.

Multitasking

Similar to a podcast, part of the allure of Clubhouse is the ability to multitask. You don’t need to have the app open to stay listening in on a conversation. You can passively learn something new or enjoy a fun conversation while on the go, doing chores, or getting some work done.

Clubhouse Uses for Marketers and Small Businesses

Many of the uses I mention here probably won’t be viable until the app goes public, but it’s never too early to start mapping out your strategy. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail”.

Once it’s completely open to the public, how will YOU differentiate yourself from all the experts out there?

Greater Potential for Increased Reach

Being one of the first to get onto a new social media platform can be a great advantage. The earlier you get on, the less competition there will be, and the more likely it is that you will be seen and grow a loyal following. Think about TikTok and the rapid growth one can achieve there due to the relative newness of the app and the higher number of passive followers compared to active content creators.

Networking

Through Clubhouse, you have the opportunity to speak directly with individuals who may have otherwise been out of reach. Getting into a group related to your industry is a great way to meet others in your field, get meaningful answers to any questions that you may have, or find new career opportunities.

Collab with Others

Clubhouse is a great place to connect with new people and new collaboration opportunities. It is also a convenient place for your current team to hop on a private chat and discuss your awesome, innovative ideas for the future. 

A lot of people have also been getting clients on there too, although we don’t recommend it for this purpose as too much self-promotion has a tendency to come off as spammy. Just focus on putting out quality discussions. The more value you give, the more people will gravitate towards you.

Thought Leadership

Clubhouse is an excellent platform to cement yourself as an expert in your field. You have the opportunity to schedule what is essentially a live podcast or seminar whenever you want, with listeners present to ask questions. Hold these events on a regular basis and prove your know-how.

Learn New Skills

Follow other thought leaders in your field and learn from them. On Clubhouse, you have the unique opportunity to get live responses to your questions. You might also learn exclusive info the moderator might not be sharing anywhere outside the app.

Teach New Skills

Pay it forward and educate and inspire others trying to get into your field. Clubhouse could be a great format to deliver an online course, or to supplement an e-course video series. Schedule times to come together with students live and address any questions. 

Audience Research: Learn about Different Niches and Subcultures

Have you been tasked to market to an audience you know little to nothing about? Want to dive deep and learn more about that niche target audience so you can really connect? Follow the topic on Clubhouse and find related groups to join. Listen in on conversations to learn what’s new and happening in that community, how members communicate, and what’s important to them.

Host an Online Convention

It is very likely 2021 will still see many events happening virtually due to COVID-19. Once Clubhouse opens to the public, consider hosting your next event via its chat rooms. Attendees will be able to browse through scheduled panels and attend the ones that strike their fancy. And they will still have the opportunity for live Q&A sessions like they would at an in-person event.

Customer Feedback: Host a Focus Group Meeting

Organize a time for your customers to come together and give suggestions on ways for your business to improve and what they hope to see from you next. Give VIP sneak peaks of things to come. Think of it like an industry panel at a convention, or a private Facebook group, where you share the latest news about your company and receive feedback from members.

Just Catch up with Colleagues or Friends

At this point, many people may be cringing at the thought of another Zoom happy hour after a year of Zoom fatigue. A private Clubhouse chat could be a great way to schedule your next group call. Attendees won’t have to worry about looking presentable or finding an appropriate backdrop to take the call.

Also alleviate some of the technical difficulties of people not being able to figure out how to get onto that conference call. Simply schedule a private room meeting for a certain time, and all your friends or colleagues have to do is hop into the chatroom when the time comes. 

Creative Uses for Clubhouse

Looking for a venue for your next theater performance? Try Clubhouse! Artists have hosted performances. Production companies have held plays and musicals. Political groups have held open discussion for current events. It’s all a matter of how you can creatively use this platform as a medium for your purpose. The possibilities are endless.

Conclusion

Clubhouse is still very new and it is difficult to accurately speculate how things will go once the app goes public. Will the hype die down once it’s no longer an exclusive club for invited guests only? Or will it continue to grow into the next big app? 

Whatever happens, it is important to be prepared and start planning out your Clubhouse strategy early. That way you’ll be ready to be a competitive force once the app opens up and reap the benefits of being an early presence.

Need help marketing your business on social media? My Pocket Partner wants to make it easier for you by taking on your workload so you can get back to growing your business. If you have more questions on what we can do to help your business, email us at info@mypocketpartner.com for customized solutions.