What is Clubhouse, and how you need to be using it.

An exclusive, invite-only club is taken the social media world by storm, with the key driver being the fear of missing out on a VIP event. You can’t just download Clubhouse from the App Store – you need to know someone who already has it. It’s an online version of the booths you get in a night club, one with a bottle of Grey Goose on the table.

Clubhouse was launched in April 2020 and has since been valued at $1 billion dollars, earning it the unicorn title alongside start-ups like AirBnB, Uber and Space X. As of December 2020, the app had just 600,000 registered users, but that has quickly swelled to 10 million according to its CEO, Paul Davidson. In fact, its userbase has doubled in the month of February alone. Big names such as Tesla founder Elon Musk, who agreed to do Clubhouse with Kanye West, as well as Drake and Kevin Hart, have used the app and played host to conversations that can be listened in on by fans.

Reuters reported that the app was so in demand in China that users have taken to selling invites for up to $70 on Chinese e-commerce sites. Popularity in China mainly stemmed from the lack of censorship on the app – it had become a place where people could openly discuss politics and sensitive topics in the region, without fear of repercussions. Unsurprisingly, Clubhouse is now unavailable to download on the country’s App Store, having been banned by the ruling Communist party.

At the most basic level, Clubhouse is an audio-only podcast app, but has a discernible difference in that, as mentioned before, fans can listen in live to what’s been spoken about. It’s like listening in on someone else’s conference call. Listeners can ‘raise a hand’ to talk and contribute to the discussion, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they will get the opportunity to. If a big name drops in, they can be given the stage as a guest speaker.

Once the room ended, there would be no trace of the conversation and the audio wouldn’t be stored anywhere – that was thought to be the case, however after Elon Musk’s Clubhouse maxed out at 5,000 listeners, people would record the conversation taking place and upload it to YouTube, creating a permanent record of what was discussed. It’s also not quite what their privacy policy states, as Clubhouse does reveal they “temporarily record the audio in a room while the room is live.”

This has just been one of several privacy concerns associated with the app. Mostly the trepidation is directed at the fact users have to grant access to their entire contact list when signing up, and Clubhouse then uses this information to create a shadow profile of people who have not even downloaded the app.

Clubhouse does offer a unique opportunity for professionals in various industries to really expand their audience and influence. If used as a personal podcast, with a live audience, it can really be used to create a sense of community and grow a loyal fanbase. Utilising it as a form of audio Reddit Ask Me Anything, professionals can show off their knowledge and expertise by offering valuable insights to people who will truly treasure them and put them to use.

One explicit example of this is Sharktank co-host Kevin Harrington, who funded several ventures from entrepreneurs who had pitched their idea to him via Clubhouse in front of an audience of 3,000.

Invite-only is proving to be a pivotal point to growth for Clubhouse. Not only does it create exclusivity, but it’s that exclusivity that has helped to foster a community of like-minded individuals who have come together to glean insights and information. Think about it this way: if invitations to a party are limited, then surely you will only invite those who are most likely to embrace the experience and add something of worth to the occasion. This, ultimately, is Clubhouse at its core. It’s a tremendous opportunity for those looking to not only increase their own skillset, but also become a beacon of information and guidance in their industry.