It’s amazing how much value you can get from a free app like Clubhouse. In the last month, I’ve listened to Diane von Furstenberg, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian’s best friend Allison Statter while sitting in my bedroom. If those were in-person events, none of them would be in Toronto and they would cost at least $50 to attend, plus airfare and accommodations for me. That’s huge savings! I would totally consider a paid subscription someday.
The launch of Clubhouse is one of the best things to happen during quarantine. I feel like I’m really hanging out with people, regardless of whether I know them or not. It’s intimate in a way the other social platforms are not. Although Clubhouse creates less FOMO than other platforms, there’s a sense of urgency because the chats are not recorded, so you need to listen live.
Vogue has a great summary of the app. “Your algorithm corresponds with both your address book and who you choose to follow — so, depending on your field of work/interest/friends, you’ll see chat rooms hosting talks on music, film, culture, race, tech and beauty. I was instantly hooked: names of celebrities who were normally out of reach were suddenly a click away.” I fully agree!
Clubhouse offers massive learning opportunities. There’s something for everyone, whether it’s related to your full-time job, side hustle or personal interests. If you’re already following industry leaders on Twitter or Instagram, then it’s easier to find the best rooms on Clubhouse.
Aside from TikTok, I haven’t started fresh on social media in a long time and I think Clubhouse is a much better fit for me. Whereas I associate TikTok with silly short videos, Clubhouse lets me hear what people are thinking about and therefore what should be top of mind for me. Sure, there is potential to learn things in a bite-sized format on TikTok, but it’s not the same.
It’s also been really fun building an extension of my existing network on Clubhouse. Between Twitter and Instagram, I follow almost 2,000 people and I picked 150 of the most interesting people to follow on Clubhouse, plus a few friends who I’m not even connected to on those channels. Being active on Clubhouse can slowly help you gain followers on Twitter and Instagram. I gained a few simply as a listener and I gained a few more the first time I spoke up.
Clubhouse is kind of like an extension of LinkedIn and I’ve followed many coworkers, including former managers. I also invited my current team to join by emphasizing how much you can learn from competitors! People speak off the cuff and very freely while unaware of who is in the audience. One time, someone spoke about her experience at the same company as me, without knowing a current employee was listening!
You may recall my wish list for Instagram and I wouldn’t be a community manager for mobile apps without coming up with my own feedback for Clubhouse.
Suggestions for Clubhouse:
- Offer greater control for notifications. For example, let users turn off notifications during business hours!
- Let users have at least one link per profile, in addition to Twitter and Instagram. Please make it easier to include the URL for my blog and/or LinkedIn profile!
- Add something to confirm that you’ve invited a friend to a room. Didn’t realize it already worked until I looked it up and this doesn’t need to be confusing.
I skipped podcasts and went straight to Clubhouse and I have no regrets. I love it! Right now, it’s not about making money or gaining followers. It’s about making ideas accessible! In a weekly chat, one of my blogger friends said “tomorrow you’ll wish you started today” and the same applies to Clubhouse. Join now and let me know if you want an invite!