Clubhouse App: What Is It and How Can Your Brand Leverage It?

What Is Clubhouse And How Does It Work?

Clubhouse is the latest social media networking app to hit the market in early March. Clubhouse combines a live audio-chat with open conference calling conversations on various topics that users can participate in and access. Much like a podcast, this invite-only app allows interviews, discussions, and dialogues to take place on a single platform. With some people talking and most listening in, this app is much like a group phone call.

Unlike a normal app, Clubhouse has a gatekeeping feature that purveys elitist status by requiring an invite from an existing member. Virtual invitations are what allow you to enter audio chats. Without an invitation from an existing user, you cannot get access to the app. Every new user received two invites to begin. Many say that Clubhouse mirrors the functions of listening in on someone’s live conversation, legally. Think of it as a social network for audio-chats.

When joining, Clubhouse asks a series of topics such as interests like tech, wellness, sports, life, faith, places etc. This information gives the app knowledge tailored to your account and will recommend conversation rooms and individuals to follow or join. Clubhouse calls act like phone calls, once the conversation is over, the audio room closes. In contrast to other live streaming channels where videos or audios may stay on the platform to return to, Clubhouse chats disappear when finished. This allows for the recording feature to come into play. A user can record a live conversation to then be uploaded onto YouTube. The app has no pictures or videos, only profile pictures for each user. When viewers surpass the current limit of 5,000 people per room, you can start to live-stream the conversation on Youtube. Elon Musk recently discovered this in the interview below.

Clubhouse has recently announced that the app will be showcasing new features like subscriptions, tipping and tickets to directly pay creators on the app. Clubhouse was originally launched in March 2020 but has recently been foreshadowed to take over the business and social media industry as the new “it” platform for audio conversations. Much like a live conference call, this platform will allow business representatives to collaborate with various important figures of topics of your choice. Clubhouse is currently only available on iOS, able to be downloaded on any iPhone.

All you need is the Clubhouse app and an invitation. The website, joinclubhouse.com, simply points you to the Apple App Store for downloading. The welcoming interface of the website is shown below.

How Does Trellis Plan On Using Clubhouse?

There is unexplored potential that the Trellis team can apply to the Clubhouse app. Not only will this application allow our executives to share valuable eCommerce knowledge, but it will also provide the opportunity for our company to host calls with partners and share insights on the B2B world. This is especially powerful for brands interested in co-marketing and maximizing brand awareness. In this day in age, a large chunk of a brand’s marketing is now done digitally. Clubhouse serves as another social media platform to leverage as you optimize your digital footprint. The Clubhouse app has much flexibility, it can be casual one-on-one calls or can be a more formal talk-show-style interview. Whether the conversation is a big group discussion or an eCommerce tip-sharing session, the app will be beneficial to our company. Hosting conversations that any eCommerce fanatic can listen in on and engage with our team will allow for a refreshing change from today’s daily Zoom calls.

As Clubhouse grows, it will give Trellis the opportunity to shake up the audio-chat realm and showcase a new audience for eCommerce fanatics to get their fix. Users should be grouped based on interests. This means that eCommerce discussions should attract eCommerce enthusiasts. This curated matching can allow brands to reach new target customers digitally.

Clubhouse creates easily digestible content and formats it in a way that feels like social media. Users do not feel like they are listening to a lecture or slide presentation, but rather tuning in to personal discussions about topics they truly care about. The application has shown some minor issues with speech but has instituted community moderation guidelines that are said to fix these mistakes. Time will tell on how this app will create room for the leading figures of eCommerce to share their knowledge.

How Can Other Brands Leverage Clubhouse?

Clubhouse could be used for endorsements, discussions, and brand features. The application could potentially allow companies to promote products, services or events. Clubhouse presents an opportunity to share your brand’s story as well as connect with your customers directly. Similarly, the app creates room to leverage product feedback and participation via follower reach.

Many brands can use Clubhouse as a platform to host calls that share a library of tips, tricks and discussions between groups of people. Conversing opinions and insights can launch your brand past the domain of their sales and followers. Clubhouse has the potential to create a stage for important figures that businesses can engage with. The main attraction of Clubhouse is the ingenuity of connecting with someone on a live call.

Clubhouse offers an arrangement of low-hanging fruit for brands to capture during the initial rollout phase. Just like any other social media platform that sticks, the early adopters will reap the rewards. Just like we saw TikTok creators blow up over the past 18 months, Clubhouse offers a similar opportunity. Although it may never reach TikTok levels, the piece of the pie will be too big to ignore.

For consumer brands, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs, Clubhouse is a great avenue for brand (personal or commercial) exposure. Since its inception in early March, user growth is exploding. Brands should create their stake on the platform before it’s too late. As the dust settles, we will be interested to see how Clubhouse performs over the long run, but you better secure your invite before it’s too late!