The introduction of a new social media app has rarely led to as much hype as the Clubhouse app. It has been available in the App Store since the spring of 2020, but it only experienced its hype at the turn of 2021, as many international celebrities and politicians discovered the app for themselves.
The self-defined audio app offers its members the opportunity to start their own live podcasts on any topic or participate in various talks. For the time being, it is, nevertheless, only available for iOS users and if you receive a so-called invitation from an existing user. However, these invitations are limited while many celebrities and private people from the media industry are also using the app.
Unlike ordinary podcasts, users can participate in the discussion.
Clubhouse vs. Podcasts
In comparison with a classic podcast, the users of Clubhouse can not only follow live conversations, but – and this is what is unique about Clubhouse – they can even join in the discussion. So basically, the drop-in audio chat app is basically a mixture of a panel discussion and a conference call. So, the major difference between an everyday podcast and a talk on Clubhouse is that listeners can not only listen to the live conversations, but also join in the discussion.
Another distinctive aspect is certainly the exclusivity of the app. Unlike podcasts, access to the app is not available to everyone. You have to possess an iOS device and receive an invitation from a user. When listening in you are also not able to see how long a talk has been running and you can’t simply rewind it like you can with a podcast.
Additionally, as a user you create your personal profile and can open a so-called “room” yourself and talk about any topic. The talks take place live.
From 600,000 users to 10 million in just a few weeks.
Clubhouse and its potential
In just a few weeks, Clubhouse has grown from 600,000 to 10 million active users, received a $100 million valuation, and hosted some of the world’s top speakers.Because of Clubhouse’s growing awareness, popularity and chat-like interface, brands interested in building their communities are becoming more curious about how they can integrate the app into their marketing strategies. Where consumers famously hang out, brands aren’t far behind. Thus, after only a few days, the first companies can be found on Clubhouse. Tech and consulting firms took the lead, but fashion brands have now also set up their own accounts.
The target group using Clubhouse is currently still relatively homogeneous compared to other social networks – which is due to the invitation principle. The first users on the platform were tech afficionados, creative professionals, influencers and media professionals.
Brands are also already starting to sponsor spaces. Toothpaste brand “Bite” has been on the market since 2017 and recently sponsored a space where the company’s founders told their startup story, attracting about 30 new customers. Currently they have 124k followers on Instagram.
With its interactive format and exclusivity, backed by popular advocates, we are excited to see what comes next in the Clubhouse story and whether the app will be available as a freeversion in the future and also available for android users or in which direction it will evolve.
Nevertheless, the honest and interactive format is already very well received by users.
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