Clubhouse, an invite-only voice chatting platform available for iOS. Right now, it is making huge waves on social media due to its elusive and exclusive nature.
This app came straight from Alpha Exploration Co., a company from Silicone Valley. In addition, it is endorsed and even used by a number of huge celebrities. That includes Drake, Oprah Winfrey, Jared Leto, Ashton Kutcher, and Wiz Khalifa, to name a few.
A lot of professionals are deeming Clubhouse as the next giant in social media. And the platform’s recent evaluation of $100 million might prove them right. If you do not know much about Clubhouse, then let us tackle all the things that you need to understand about it.
Clubhouse Defined for Followers
The question that is probably running on everyone’s mind is, “what is Clubhouse?” Well, it is basically a social media platform but is not like any social app that you have seen before. Unlike Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, Clubhouse does not waste any time in sharing unnecessary information.
Clubhouse is an audio-only social media platform that allows you to share constructive conversations with celebrities and industry professionals. Once you have entered a Clubhouse room, you can join the discussions, listen to conversations, and even start a conversation of your own.
However, getting on Clubhouse is so much easier said than done. It’s not as easy as buying Twitter followers.
The platform is only available on iOS. When you download Clubhouse, you will not be able to use it. Instead, you will be added to what seems to be a fruitless waiting list. This is because it has an invite-only feature, and you have to have a significant amount of following before you can access it. Also, you cannot save anything that takes place in Clubhouse. This is the reason why it is very popular with celebrities. They do not have to worry about being the next headline of the news because of something that they said since everything that happens on Clubhouse is forever gone once the conversation has ended.
Needless to say, Clubhouse is a safe place where people can lecture, answer questions, and reveal information that is too personal for vast audiences.
How Does Clubhouse Work?
The Clubhouse app is straightforward to use. Instagram is focused on images and video, Twitter is focused on text, and Facebook is about profiles and photos. Clubhouse differs a little. This is because it has a tight focus on audio. Since the physical contact that we can have has been limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, chances are you have already spent a huge amount of time on platforms like Zoom. For this reason, Clubhouse will no longer seem unfamiliar.
When you enter Clubhouse, you will meet rooms where conversations are happening. You might even stumble across professionals, celebrities, musicians, commentators, and entrepreneurs who are sharing the knowledge and information that they have. Celebrities who frequently use Clubhouse include MC Hammer, Oprah Winfrey, Estelle, Drake, Tiffany Haddish, Jared Leto, Kevin Hart, and many others. A lot of Silicone Valley entrepreneurs also use the platform.
Moreover, the platform’s purpose is to allow people to join rooms as well as listen to constructive conversations that the app is built around. Similar to Zoom’s video call, the room’s host will moderate the members of the discussion. If a member wants to contribute to the conversation, they can raise their hand for the host to unmute them.
Needless to say, the platform is an excellent networking tool in so many ways. If you can secure an invite, you will get a chance to connect with the industry’s biggest names. As a result, it may open doors of opportunities along the way.
Two of the major reason why you would want to use this social platform are networking and eavesdropping. And just like LinkedIn, those reasons are surely enough for you to use the platform.
How to Join Clubhouse
As of now, the platform is valued at $100 million, and there are still not as many users as Facebook and Instagram. But what drives Clubhouse’s success is its exclusive nature. Right now, it is in the beta stage, meaning it is only available to a minimal and selected number of users. For this reason, only the people who were invited can join the platform along with those who receive an invite from them. Every new member can only invite one person. So, if you received an invite from an existing member, then you will only be able to pick one person to invite, too.
Unless you are someone with a large following, verified on social media platforms, or an entrepreneur who has a large network, then it would take some time before you can get an invite. And if you really want to eavesdrop on conversations by big names, you need to be fast in securing an invite. This is because some experts believe that Clubhouse will already lose its throne by July.
The co-founder of venture firm Freestyle Josh Felser says that Clubhouse is going to face some kind of binary outcome. Such is similar to Chatroulette, an anonymous video app that became viral in 2010. Felser said that Clubhouse could either be dead by July or become something big.
While you are waiting for an invite to come to you, you can download the app and sign up for the beta. That way, you will be able to secure a username and account while the platform is still not available for everyone.
According to Paul Davison, the co-founder, and CEO of Clubhouse, they are planning to make the platform available for everyone. But while that is not happening yet, all that we can do is wait and watch celebrities share their stories about using Clubhouse.