On Clubhouse
Clubhouse is the latest go-to app for the movers and shakers, influencers, celebrities, marketers, entrepreneurs, and virtually anyone with an iPhone and a perspective.
As with any new social media apps, businesses are always wondering if it’s the right place to spend time. Is it worthwhile for your audience? Can you realistically generate leads and sales from Clubhouse? Basically, is Clubhouse right for you and your business?
First, let’s examine the pros and cons of Clubhouse.
Pros
Come as you are. There’s something refreshing about an app that doesn’t require photoshopped images or perfectly curated videos. Clubhouse participants are sometimes meeting while lying in bed, cooking or running. Being a voice-based app relieves us of the pressure of needing to look perfect all the time, as is the perceived requirement on other apps like Instagram and TikTok.
Be human. There’s also something human about the exchange of voice. You can hear subtle cues like passion and authenticity in the voice on the other end.
You can (kind of multitask). With the pressure of being on camera completely out of the picture, you can sort of semi-multitask while on Clubhouse. But, it’s worth noting that there’s a limit to how much you can juggle while on the app--the best contributors seem to be the ones who are thoroughly engaged. As a friend once told me, Clubhouse is passive but not passive enough.
Anyone is welcome. The app is very inclusive. The hallways and rooms are wide open to everyone.
Cons
Clubhouse is a commitment. If you’re not truly committed to spending time on the app, you won’t get great results from Clubhouse. (More on this latter.)
No P2P messaging. As of this writing, there’s no way to directly message other Clubhouse members. This could change in the future, but for now it leaves users with more circuitous messaging options.
So, back to the original question: Is Clubhouse right for me?
Here are some considerations.
Why are you on Clubhouse? Are you on the app for networking, team building or to sell something? Clarify your intent first, so you can focus on rooms and relationships that bring you closer to your goal.
Are you in a niche business? Are you selling a commodity? If you’re on Clubhouse for leisure, you might be more interested in rooms that support this interest. But if you are considering building relationships or selling through the app, you have to be more creative and strategic. From your bio to your participation approach, you have to keep your Clubhouse intent in mind to have a chance of succeeding on the app.
To answer the question of whether or not you should be on the app, consider how much time and resources you have to commit to it.
If you have resources to throw at it, you can get some great results from Clubhouse. You will need to devote as much resources as you do to any of your major channels. Or maybe more. It’s common to hear moderators run rooms for 5-12 hours straight. Your results will match the amount of time you pour into it.
If you don’t have rich resources, you’re better off sticking with a platform that is currently generating results for you.
As long as you’re clear about your intent, available resources and goals, you can make Clubhouse work for you. If you have limited resources, you can find your niche elsewhere and achieve the same results.