Clubhouse, it’s an invite-only app, but do you even want to be invited?

While most platforms target mass audiences with widespread availability and access, Clubhouse takes a different approach. With its members-only design, the exclusivity element plays a crucial role in its rising popularity. If you haven’t been able to secure an invite— fear not, we’ve got the inside scoop on what’s going on behind the closed virtual doors. Read on to learn more about how the platform works and if brands should hop on the Clubhouse bandwagon.

What Is Clubhouse?

The invite-only platform launched in March 2020 and has garnered the attention of celebrities, influencers and everyday people. The platform connects users in real-time with audio-only chat rooms, spanning various topics from veganism, social media marketing and everything in between.

Clubhouse combines aspects of multiple media channels and forms of communication to create a unique user experience that competing social networks are trying to keep up with. The rooms on Clubhouse, private or public, function as a virtual panel or live podcast, with moderators, speakers, and listeners. Rooms are typically planned, with moderators and speakers organizing topics, questions, and everything else to be discussed. Unlike traditional podcasts, Clubhouse rooms allow listeners to participate as speakers if chosen by the moderators. This is done by raising their virtual hand and contributing to the conversation.

Given that rooms are live and nothing is recorded, Clubhouse functions in the moment and gives users a unique experience that other platforms don’t offer. Another unique feature is that users can search based on specific areas of interest rather than for particular users. This ultimately creates more opportunities for them to engage with interests while learning and interacting with people with common interests.

Why It Matters?

While it may be a new app, Clubhouse is capitalizing on a form of content we have yet to see from other platforms. In recent years, the popularity of podcasts has increased, and Clubhouse is offering a live version with an ever-expanding number of topics. The educational and conversational features of Clubhouse set it apart from other platforms and allow for more significant ways of connection with specific people and specific interests. Another notable aspect of Clubhouse is its relevance amongst media and entertainment industry professionals, specifically those working in digital spaces. The platform can function as a tool to build professional connections, network, and learn more about your industry in a more authentic and personal way.

Should Brands Be Using It?

Aside from staying up to date on current social media trends, utilizing a platform like Clubhouse is essential for all brands to explore. It increases a brands’ online presence and helps connect with a broader audience. It can also offer new ways of communicating with existing followers in a more interactive and personal way. The element of intimacy is what sets the platform apart from other social channels. The audio-only aspect and option of inviting listeners to become speakers on the app offer a different form of content most brands— and consumers— aren’t used to. With one of Clubhouse’s biggest focuses being educating audiences, brands can utilize the platform to create more informational content relating to who they are and what they do. Although it may not be an ‘essential’ social network today, Clubhouses’ popularity continues to grow and is an untapped space for brands to take advantage of. Clubhouse allows brands to connect with their audiences through a new and innovative way of communicating that offers a sense of intimacy that other platforms cannot match.