Most people can agree that visual content is the one that generates the most engagement, interest, and interaction, however, last year Alpha Exploration Co. launched an app that made people speculate about its success, because it eliminated all the visual elements, which were believed to make an app popular, including text, images, and video.
Clubhouse is a social networking app based on audio-chat, which resembles the format of radio, conference calls, or live podcasts. Not only can people talk with friends and family, but users can listen to celebrities and engaging creators. Celebrities using this platform include Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Kanye West, and Oprah Winfrey.
You can create or join a “conversation room”, where generally one person talks (the
Speaker) while the rest listen in, and the presentation is monitored by a moderator. Like a conference call, once the conversation is over, the room is closed. One thing to consider is that there is a limit of 5,000 participants, and the live audio-chats do not stay on the platform for users to return and listen.
By now, you’re likely to be grabbing your phone to get the app, but not so fast.
Clubhouse is invite-only, meaning that to join, you have to be invited by an existing member, and a member can only invite 2 people. Don´t fret if you find yourself “not on the list”. Clubhouse creators confirmed that the app will be available for
general release this summer.
Here are some features that make Clubhouse interesting:
- “Stage” section: a conversation room where at least one person is a moderator, who has the power to mute and remove users, as well as pull up a listener and make them a speaker.
- Leave Quietly Button: unlike Whatsapp and similar platforms, when a listener decides to leave the room, they can use this button to do so without notifying everybody else.
- No Passwords or Permissions: unlike some conference call platforms, if you want to join a room, there is no need to have a code or password. This allows the platform to keep things casual.
- Ad-Free: this app is currently ad-free and does not offer revenue streams for users.
- No Recordings: all conversations are live. There is no way to return and listen to a recording after the event has occurred. The only exception is that Clubhouse maintains records for a while in case an incident is reported.
- Variety of Topics: you can have a one-on-one conversation, or listen to talk shows, music sessions, workshops, and more.
Available now on Android and IOS, Clubhouse seems to be ideal for people (and brands) who enjoy live podcasts, conversations, and for those who are seeking a more personal connection with people who share their interests, and want to build communities. Eliminating the visual elements that may pressure or make some people uncomfortable, Clubhouse is allowing people to be more genuine, and offer that
dinner table sensation, where people exchange ideas and anecdotes verbally.
There are multiple platforms that can be used not only for individuals but for brands too, and every business has its ideal platform, it´s just a matter of knowing your voice, your audience, and creating the best content. At
Miss Ink, we can identify the best way to reach your audience with individualized content specific to your brand. Give us a call at (305) 537-6465 for more information.
