What Is Clubhouse?

There’s a new Social Media buzzword being thrown about, and it’s got nothing to do with Mickey Mouse.

Clubhouse is an invite-only, audio-based app that was first launched in March 2020. Since then, Clubhouse has not only grown in popularity but received substantial financial investment and has subsequently gained traction thanks to some big names getting in on the action such as Elon Musk.

Historically, Social Media platforms (especially Twitter) have been based on users sharing their thoughts, feelings and conversations starters into the abyss and hoping to initiate a conversation with another user. However, this has all been done via the written word and, more recently, videos and going live.

Audio Based Social Media

Clubhouse is a 100% audio-based iPhone app which means it feels more like you’re listening to user’s live conversations. Not dissimilar to podcasts, but between strangers not in the same room. In fact, the only visuals available on Clubhouse is a single profile picture of each user.

Adding to the sense of unique, exclusivity, Clubhouse users are initially limited to two invites each, and the app is only accessible via an invitation from an existing user. The more a Clubhouse user utilises the app, the more invites they receive.

In a recent blog post, the creators of Clubhouse shared that their vision behind the app was to build ‘a social experience that felt more human’.

Their ambition was to create a platform that left you feeling better than when you opened it, with feelings of friendship and becoming more informed on the specific topics that matter most to you.

Privacy

Clubhouse does not record any of the audio, and with no professional editing or sound effects, the conversations have scope to be wholly free-flowing and authentic. It’s a forum for everyone and anyone, whether they’re an industry expert or just passionate, to share what they have to say with strangers on the internet!

When, or should that be if, you gain access to the app, you simply share your name and number.

You are also able to connect your Twitter account to port your profile picture. Next, the app will offer a page with conversational topics to follow, such as technology, sport or health. Within each conversation, you’ll join users with the same interests who you can then ‘follow’. The more users and topics you follow, the better the app will be at suggesting the sort of content you may be looking for.

How Conversation Works

You will likely find the format of conversations differs from topic to topic, room to room. Some may be very casual, whereas others may feel more like a professional interview. If a VIP happens to enter the room, such as Elon Musk, the room creator or moderator is able to put them on ‘stage’ as the main speaker.

If you’d like a chance to join the conversation, rather than just listening, you can ‘raise your hand’, and the speaker can invite you to join.

Alternatively, if you’d like to create a room of your own, this is also possible. The platform is designed to be a safe space to share knowledge, stories and debate  – while making connections and friends.

In a year of sitting at home in our comfies, Clubhouse has created a safe space where it doesn’t matter what you look like or how many books are on the shelves behind you.

All about context

What’s more, context can be better applied through tone of voice, certainly more so than via text. Although conversations can be on all topics and varying degrees of seriousness, there is little room for miscommunication and misunderstanding via verbal communication. It’s a platform designed to bring users up. With this in mind, before you access the platform, consider taking a look at their community guidelines here.

How it looks!

Android and Invites

If you’re an Android user, then fear not, your time will come. The creators of Clubhouse have shared their 2021 vision includes developing an Android compatible version of the app as well as improving the ranking and discovery of new, relevant conversations for users.

If you’re looking to become a creator on the platform, there may well be some financial benefit on the horizon through tickets and subscription features.

It’s also good news if you’re struggling to get an invite to the app, as the creators have suggested that the platform will be open to significantly more users soon, and in the meantime, you can get yourself on their waitlist!

Clubhouse was never designed to be exclusive, the creators simply want to ensure the best possible platform is available before the broader market has access.