Are You on Clubhouse? Everything You Need to Know About the New Social Media App (Plus a Fair Warning!)
If you had to choose between having a conversation with Jay-Z or $50,000 cash which would you choose?
This was a debate that swirled around Twitter in early 2018 and has started to resurface once again. What it’s really asking people is, “what’s more valuable to you – money or knowledge?” For one person, having $50,000 in the bank is an indicator of success. For someone else, success may look like earning much more than the $50,000 through hard work, determination, and a little bit of advice from someone with proven results.
That’s exactly what the new and (for now) exclusive Clubhouse app is offering to its users: access to live conversations between celebrities, moguls, artists, content creator, industry experts and their peers. Some notable participants right now are Drake, Chris Rock, and Oprah. Yes, OPRAH!
The brand-new app is being criticized for it’s lack of oversight and the creators are doing little to nothing about. I don’t want to completely deter anyone from participating in conversations on Clubhouse if they get the opportunity, but I would be remiss to not point out some serious flaws that are disappointing at best, and dangerous at worst.
What is Clubhouse?
According to Clubhouse itself, it is "a new type of social product based on voice [that] allows people everywhere to talk, tell stories, develop ideas, deepen friendships, and meet interesting new people around the world."
Clubhouse is a voice-only social media app that put more focus on the “social” aspect than the “media.” Instead of creating a pressurized environment with algorithms that favor user interaction, it aims to foster professional networks and connections between like-minded individuals.
There are mastermind level experiences available on this platform. A recent notable conversation includes one between Grant Cardone, Courtney Adeleye, and other heavy hitters in the business world. They shared their billion-dollar secrets, hosted a Q&A, and gave away $1,000 to 14 business owners in the room!
That 9-hour conversation – which was completely free to participate in, as all Clubhouse conversations are – likely had a huge impact on all of the listeners, whether they were recipients of the cash or not. Moderators shared their personal business secrets, answered questions about how to navigate the entrepreneurial world, and provided inspiration for innovation and growth to newbies in the business world.
Sounds GREAT, right? Well, right now, Clubhouse is an exclusive club. You can download the app and create a username to get yourself on the waitlist, but full access is only given to those who are able to procure an invite. This can spark some serious FOMO in people who are looking for an “in” to their industry. Additionally, the app is completely inaccessible to those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing – no closed captions or transcription services are offered.
The exclusivity and inaccessibility of the app might make people on the “outside” feel downright BAD. It sounds like Clubhouse wants to connect the lay person with professionals and moguls, but they may need to tweak their methodology.
There aren’t any hard and fast rules for how to get invited to Clubhouse at the moment. You are either invited by the app directly, or someone you know has to extend an invite to you. It’s unknown how long Clubhouse will maintain its exclusivity, but in the meantime, we’re going to cover everything you need to know for the day you are able to join.
How does Clubhouse work?
When you enter the Clubhouse, you can navigate through virtual “hallways” and “rooms” where all kinds of conversations are taking place LIVE. Think of it as walking into a convention where there are hundreds of people having conversations in dozens of rooms. Once you enter a “room,” you can see who started the conversation (the moderator) and who is listening/participating. The moderator has the choice to keep the conversation closed or invite a certain amount of users to come on “stage” and chime in.
You’ll be able to sync your contacts to find users you know, as well as manually follow others. If you allow the app to follow people you know, you may want to take a good look at who’s on the list. Clubhouse is a place for thought leaders and verbal communicators to excel. You may find that certain people don’t offer same value here as on, say, Instagram which is a very visual platform.
The homepage will have a list of conversations that are currently taking place, as well as ones that are scheduled for later. There is currently no recording feature within the app, so you may want to set an alert if there’s a certain conversation that you don’t want to miss.
Before you click on a room that you want to enter, there are a few things to consider:
Some conversations are closed, and you will only be able to participate as a listener.
If you want to become a speaker in open conversations, you will be expected to follow proper conversation etiquette. Spend time listening before attempting to ask unrelated questions or share irrelevant information. Keep your microphone muted until it’s your turn to speak. Be polite.
Invites can be revoked. If moderators report that you’re acting inappropriately, both you and the person who invited you can be kicked out.
Recording conversations is prohibited without the expressed consent of every participant.
Quickly find out who is moderating the conversation and what are their credentials? Research their background to avoid receiving misinformation or being scammed.
Joining a Clubhouse Conversation as a Listener
When you enter a room, you won’t have access to your microphone right away. Take the time to get caught up on the conversation and see if it’s one that you want to participate in, or just continue listening to.
While you’re listening to the conversation, check out who is in the room with you! You might find someone that you want to follow or spark up your own conversation with for others to listen to.
You can continue exploring other rooms or close the app completely while still listening to the conversation you’ve joined. If the conversation isn’t your cup of tea, head to another room. If something piques your interest and you want to chime in, you can “raise your hand” to signal that you’d like to speak.
Joining a Clubhouse Conversation as a Speaker
There are many different ways for moderators to execute their conversations. For example, they might start with a closed monologue and then open up the conversation for a Q&A at the end. Others may have a group of moderators on “stage” with them and invite other users to participate in the conversation as they see fit.
Let the moderator(s) know that you’re interested in asking a question or providing insight by tapping the hand icon at the bottom left corner and “raising your hand.” When your selected to join the speaker(s) on the “stage,” you’ll gain access to your microphone. However, it’s proper etiquette to keep your microphone muted when you aren’t speaking so you don’t distract or interrupt others.
When it’s your turn, speak your piece in a concise and clear manner. It is recommended that you start with “my question is…” Depending on the rules set by the moderator, you may have a time limit. Once your question is answered, the moderator will send you back into the audience and your microphone will deactivate.
If you’re chosen to ask your question on stage, use this opportunity to ask that burning question that you’ve always had in the back of your mind! Don’t hold back. You never know if there’s someone else in the room that’s wondering the exact same thing, but they were too afraid to raise their hand.
Becoming a Clubhouse Moderator
You can become a moderator on Clubhouse one of two ways: open a new conversation or have a current moderator invite you to join them as one.
As a moderator, you will be able to choose the topic and tone of conversation. The way that you moderate will strongly influence the way your conversation unfolds.
Decide if you want to have an open conversation or one that is more structured. Rules are always a great option to serve as a guidepost for all who enter the room.
Consider the direction you want your conversation to go and what you will do if the room becomes stagnant or gets off topic.
How will you choose guest speakers?
If your room starts to gain popularity, make sure you can keep things organized so your audience can easily follow along. Introduce speakers or ask them to introduce themselves, close off the stage to new members, and ask questions to keep the conversation in line with your intentions. Be mindful that your room is a reflection of your brand. That said, be mindful of who you make moderator or leave in charge of your room if you step away.
How to Create and Join Clubhouse Clubs
A clubhouse would be nothing without clubs! In addition to sporadic conversations that take place in open rooms, there are clubhouses where members have the opportunity to virtually meet with a familiar group of people multiple times.
Just like real-life clubs, Clubhouse clubs have a theme and meet on a regular basis. Clubs are great for people who are experts in their field and want to create a community of like-minded people that can support and learn from each other.
There are four types of memberships within a Clubhouse club:
Founder: The person who created the club. They set the club’s intentions and rules and can invite members that they want to join without having to apply.
Admin: An admin is like the founder’s assistant. They help make sure everything runs smoothly and can approve/remove members.
Members: A member can join a club with an invitation or an approved application. They can create private conversations for the club, as well as participate in private and public rooms. Members are allowed to nominate others to join the club.
Follower: A follower is not an official member. They can follow public club activities and join public rooms, but they cannot participate in any private rooms or events.
Final Thoughts
Clubhouse helps users gain access to the people they admire in a valuable way – not one that is driven by algorithms, pretty images, and sound bites. Finally, we can be a fly on the wall during those conversations between the people that we’ve always to connect with! But, as always, there is another side to the story. Clubhouse is clearly allowing dangerous conversations to take place within their “walls,” and they don’t seem to be doing too much about it at the moment.
Joining Clubhouse certainly has a lot of perks, but the dark side of it may deter some users from utilizing their free invitation if they are even able to get one.
What do you think? Are you on Clubhouse? If not, are you jazzed about the new Clubhouse app and can’t wait to get your hands on an invitation? Or will you wait and see how Clubhouse handles the controversy? I’d love to hear your thoughts!