The Clubhouse App: What Is It & How Can It Help Your Business?

Hey guys, today I want to chat to you about the new Clubhouse app currently blowing up social media channels across the world! We’re going to talk through what exactly it is, what it does, why it’s gaining so much traction and, most importantly, how you can utilise it to promote your authority in your space and further your business goals.

What is the Clubhouse App?

If you hang around social media a lot, you may well have heard of Clubhouse, a buzzy new app that’s got a lot of people talking. However, it’s unlikely you’re part of Clubhouse; at least not yet! So what exactly is this thing that’s come hot out of Silicon Valley and got everyone talking? Essentially, Clubhouse is an invite-only, audio-based social media app. Heavy on the ‘social’, light on the ‘media’. It lets people chat in real time, whether they’re sharing stories, collaborating, brainstorming or simply catching up.

How Does Clubhouse App Work?

Think of it like a live, free-flowing, communal podcast. You can jump in and out of various chats, covering a whole range of subjects. You can add your voice to the discussion, or you can simply sit back and take in the conversation at your own pace. It’s the social media equivalent of a soirée; you can drift between guests, stop and mingle a while, or jump around on until you find a conversation that interests you. The word ‘soirée’ is also apt as it suggests some form of exclusivity; ClubHouse is exactly that. Exclusive. As it stands, you can only get onto Clubhouse with an invitation. Predictably, it’s this exclusivity that has got people to sit up and take notice, with the limitations of invitations only increasing the app’s allure among celebrities and the entrepreneurial elite.

What is Clubhouse App Used For?

This brings us on to the next topic. Clubhouse might be hot, but what exactly is it used for? Well, there are a few ways to make the most out of ClubHouse, and there’s a damn good reason why it was worth $100 million last May, despite only having around 1,500 members. ClubHouse could redefine social media as we know it. And if you’re a savvy entrepreneur, you’ll want to pay attention, as getting in on the ground floor of the next big thing could prove invaluable for your business in the future.

For starters, Clubhouse is used for high-value conversations, as opposed to produced content. This allows the format of the app to be consistently exciting, dynamic, unpredictable and engaging. Real-time content has been explored in social media before, in the form of Instagram and Facebook lives. But never has it been front and center of a platform. This focus on a conversation over one-way produced content could be defining. The lack of algorithms effectively stops the app from devolving into an ‘echo chamber’, as other platforms have in recent years.

On top of that, the conversations themselves are exciting. Clubhouse offers people the chance to connect and interact with professionals, both inside your industry and outside it. It levels the playing field like no other social media app has before. And it’s doing it in the most natural way possible; by using audio. Twitter favours the written word. Instagram likes pictures. Facebook likes them both, especially when they’re promoting a crackpot conspiracy theory or two. But Clubhouse makes audio king, which means it makes conversation king. It’s as close to real-life interactions as you can get on a social media platform and there’s major value in this, for clients and entrepreneurs alike.

Opportunities with Clubhouse

My mind is already racing with different ways I can use this app to further my business and bring value to my clients and followers. As chats can be private or massively public, networking and collaborating are equally easy. Want to host a massive free-for-all conversation about your particular industry? You can. Need to chat with a collaborator one-on-one about a specific project? You can do that too, all from the same app. You can even hop into a discussion focused on another industry that you might not know anything about, but immediately get value out of hearing an expert in that field chat through their experiences. The possibilities are mind-blowing. I can’t imagine firing up this app and not being excited every time I get involved.

Unlike Instagram, which is often very reactive, Clubhouse is way more proactive, encouraging you to seek out topics and conversations which interest you, roll up your sleeves, and dive right in.

How Do You Get Invited to Clubhouse App?

As of right now, Clubhouse is an invite-only affair. This has done wonders for its reputation in the early stages, but as it grows and grows I expect it will become far more open, much like Facebook did with its trajectory. On top of being exclusive via invite, it’s also only available to iPhone users.

There are two ways to join Clubhouse right now; both require a personal relationship with someone who’s already on the app. First off, when a person joins the app, they’re automatically given one extra invitation that they can pass on to someone using their phone number. You can earn more invites the more time you spend on the app, but with that initial invite, they’re probably going to give it to a close friend as opposed to a business acquaintance.

The second option is to download the app now and reserve your username (I recommend you do this right away!). This won’t give you access to the club itself, but it will put you on a waiting list of sorts. If the app recognises that you have a few friends already on there, they might offer one of them the chance to ‘wave you through’, granting you access. Don’t worry; the app will almost definitely open up to everyone in time; it’s a very new platform and is essentially still in the testing stages, so this kind of ‘dam breaker’ is to be expected.

How Can Clubhouse Benefit My Business?

The first thing that springs to mind is, well, exclusivity. What do you need to do to get in a room with the richest person on the planet? With a Clubhouse invitation, you can hang out with Elon Musk (OK, OK, in a virtual room) without having to solve nuclear fission or gatecrash Tesla HQ. This is an extreme example but it gives you an idea as to the gigantic potential for connecting your business with the top dogs in your industry.

Think of it as a massive (virtual) building in which you can wander around and meet the type of people who can advance your business through advice, information, referrals, collaborations and recommendations. So kind of like a…clubhouse 🙂

Why is Clubhouse Good for Podcast Owners? 

Short-form content is great. So is one-way content. This blog allows me to write in as few (or as many) words exactly what’s on my mind and share it with my audience. But it’s also pretty limited in terms of actually engaging with my audience in an interactive and truly meaningful way.

The dialogue, the back and forth, the generation of new ideas that can only happen in live conversation – that’s what Clubhouse brings to the party. With ‘one-way’ communication, content creators are really only taking the temperature of their audience and cutting out content that they think will engage, inspire and connect. But in a conversation, you can go off on wild tangents, head on a deep dive on a subject that no one ever thought of before the chat and discover new things about the way you, your guest or your audience thinks about, well, everything!

If you are a fellow podcast host then Clubhouse is an awesome way to promote and grow your followership and brand. No one knows how insanely useful podcasts are more than me, but the space between episodes is, let’s face it, dead air. Clubhouse lets you interact with people between episodes in real time, so you can: 

• Go deeper on subjects you’ve covered on your shows 
• Discuss new ideas for future shows with the very people who will be listening to them (your audience)
• Promote your show to a wider audience in other peoples ‘rooms’
• Recruit interesting guests for upcoming interviews

How To Use Clubhouse For Networking

If you take your business on Clubhouse, you’ve got a whole new platform on which to make new connections, expand your network and get in contact with people who you simply would never meet in person…or who wouldn’t notice you on Twitter or Insta. Imagine meeting a life coach on Clubhouse and getting the opportunity to ask this business mentor a question that you’d usually have to pay thousands of bucks…for this type of access. (Elon, you’ve got my contact details: Clubhouse @jailong.)

How To Use Clubhouse For Collaborating

If you want to grow your business with Clubhouse then use it as a collaboration tool as well as a way to reach mentors and coaches. If someone’s made it into Clubhouse then they’re already at a certain level in their career, so your pool of contacts has already been filtered down to people who probably know how to achieve a decent level of success. These people will understand the benefit of cross-promotion on Clubhouse, so reach out and create a club or room together so that you can talk to each other’s audiences.

Growing Your Brand On Clubhouse

A business’s brand is arguably its most important asset and Clubhouse gives you the perfect platform on which to showcase your skills and knowledge. As I just mentioned, Clubhouse was built for deep dives – so if you want to connect with your audience on a deeper level (and maybe bust any limiting beliefs about hiring or collaborating with you) then start conversations that display just how much you know about your specialist subject. This will add so much value to your audience and will build trust in your brand amongst the people who will be talking about, sharing and potentially working with your brand.

How Can I Improve My Presence On Clubhouse?

The platform is in its very early stages but what I would recommend is putting a lot of thought into filling out your Clubhouse bio. This is going to decide whether most people connect with you…or don’t. Keep it short, impactful and to the point. Visitors should be able to scan your Clubhouse bio and know what you do within a second. Maybe two.

Create clubs! This is essential. We’ve talked about how the platform is interesting from a user perspective but from a business owner on Clubhouse, you want to be hosting a few parties. Create a club for your brand so that people can sign up and get to know what you’re all about on a more profound level.

How To Succeed On Clubhouse

OK, you’re through the door. The rush of getting past those (virtual) bouncers and into the main event is still with you, so harness that energy and start adding value to other members. Be consistent! Just like Google and most of the other tech giants with social platforms, Clubhouse values consistency. Show up at the same time each month/week/day and people will know when to find you, wherever you are in the world. Consistency is key to building a loyal following on Clubhouse.

Take advantage of the Clubhouse ping function, so if you’re confident that you have something valuable to talk about, ping your friends to invite them to join the room.

 

I don’t know about you guys, but hearing about new social media tools I can use to further my business gets me so excited! I can’t wait to get involved and start adding that extra layer of value to my clients and followers through Clubhouse. I hope you found this article helpful and more importantly, I hope you’re as stoked as I am!

Don’t forget to find me at Clubhouse!

When you login, you can find me by my username: @jailong

See you over there!