Over the last year, we’ve seen some social media platforms rise to the top while others began and ended in the blink of an eye. Now, there’s a new platform on the rise and its popularity is undeniable. Let’s talk about Clubhouse.

What is Clubhouse?

Clubhouse is an exclusive, invite-only social media platform that has grown from 600K users in December to over 6 million users in February. It seems as though this app launched at the perfect time – during the pandemic. Clubhouse offers hundreds of different “Clubs” (or a community of people similar to a Facebook Group), that hosts events or “Rooms”. These Rooms allow listeners within their club to tune into live discussions on topics such as Entrepreneurship, branding, finance, and many others.

Similar to the practice of breaking people into different rooms for discussions at a conference, or CMO’s having sidebar conversations at SXSW, Clubhouse gives users the opportunity to be a part of that conversation. With Clubhouse, you can “raise your hand” signaling to the speaker that you’d like to speak. Once the speaker approves, your microphone is unmuted and you can add your two cents or ask questions.

Clubhouse is known for drawing in celebrities and other “elites”, like Elon Musk. In terms of the platform’s demographic, early analytics are showing roughly 44% of users are between the ages of 20-30, with a ratio of 55% male and 41% female.

How can a brand benefit?

Clubhouse’s purpose is to hold space for discussions or debates, and provide value. As a business, it’s a great way to leverage organic reach, engage with users, and get a head start on the audio world.In these early stages of Clubhouse, brands are beginning to sponsor rooms. In one example, Bite Toothpaste sponsored a room where the founders shared their story of how the brand came to life and gathered about 30 new customers.

From a start up perspective, brands also have the ability to connect with people they may not have had access to before. This makes it a great way to raise funds for new business ventures and meet with potential investors.

When considering Clubhouse, it’s important to keep authenticity top of mind. Create an exclusive experience that makes users feel special and organically highlights the values or benefits of your brand.

How can your brand get started?

Getting set up on Clubhouse is quick and easy. Just follow these steps:

• Download the app and create a Clubhouse account
• Connect with someone who can invite you
• Pick topics of interest and follow users
• Use the Explore page to find more users, clubs, and rooms.
• Join club or create a club
• Invite your friends

As audio and voice technologies advance, it will be important to consider new platforms as marketing opportunities for both start-up and established brands alike. Being an early adopter of trends like Clubhouse can have its advantages over those that decide to jump on the bandwagon later down the line – such as a higher growth in revenue and market position.

About the Author:

Huy Nguyen’s advertising career started in Mankato, Minnesota in early 2015 as an Audio Visual Producer. Curiosity in the social space took him to Minneapolis where he helped activate and optimize paid social campaigns for Walmart’s Direct Response account, Grocery Pickup and Delivery. His experience in both organic and paid social media has helped him to effectively grow as a content creator.