I first heard about this app from a colleague. He wanted me to listen in on a conversation about music. I was thrilled and instantly wanted to know more about this app. Turns out, the app was Clubhouse but I couldn’t get it because I wasn’t an iPhone user yet.
Fast forward to a month after that and I got an iPhone. I wanted to finally understand how the legendary clubhouse app worked.
If you are just like I was, wonder no more as I would be spilling the tea on how this app; clubhouse, works.
What is Clubhouse?
Clubhouse is an iPhone-only voice chatting app where users can create and join rooms for different conversations. It was developed by Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Paul Davison, and former Google employee, Rohan Seth.
While the app is solely for iPhone users, for now, there are plans underway to make it available for android users as well.
How do I Join Clubhouse?
You have to first be an iPhone user. Then proceed to the App Store and download it to reserve your username on a waiting list. However, that’s how far you can go without an invitation, plus there’s no guarantee that you will ever get an account that way.
Clubhouse is practically invite-only. Thus, anyone that wants to join, has to be invited by an already existing member with an account. So, once you receive an invite, click on the link, download the app, and set up your profile.
You can set up a profile photo, a bio, and link any relevant social media accounts. The app will just, as usual, alert your friends that you are now a member, you can follow them and them, you.
How does Clubhouse Work?
In Clubhouse, users can enter into different rooms to listen, or join in on conversations (be careful not to accidentally join rooms that would make you uncomfortable). In those rooms, there are no pictures or videos except the faces on the profile. You only get to hear voices. The person who created the room, the moderator, gets to choose the participants they want to join the conversation.
They can have as many people as they want “on stage” with them. They also get to invite and remove people from the stage as time goes on.
When the person on stage is not the one speaking, they are advised to mute, so as to enable the speaker to speak audibly.
Also, when someone on stage wants to speak, they too have to wait their turn before they unmute themselves and speak.
In the same vein, if a member of the audience desires to speak, they can raise their hands and wait to be invited on stage by the moderator.
Since they are all supposed to be muted when you are talking, how do you know when they are in support of what you are saying?
Or simply put, how’s excitement and support for a point been made, shown? You can flip your mute buttons on and off quickly for that.
How Do I Join Groups on ClubHouse?
After the sign-up process, you can select your interests and be given options for groups to join. Choose whatever niche you want to be a part of – from social media to fashion, beauty, the editorial world, etc. Clubhouse handles different topics, from religion to dating, to sports, to pop culture, and a lot more. Some groups are particular about business, networking, while others are fun groups for good laughs.
Fundamentally, Clubhouse can be whatever you choose to make it – entertaining, or solely professional. Once you join the groups, you will get access to what groups they are hosting and joining in. You can also search for topics of interest to you on the explore page.
Why is Clubhouse App So Popular?
There are a couple of reasons this app is as popular as it is now.
A standout reason was they launched it early in the pandemic when being with people in an enclosed environment and conversing was impossible.
So, people leveraged this new app that allowed them the opportunity of joining a room and hearing other humans talk, albeit virtually.
The exclusivity Clubhouse offers also played a good part here. It was a classic case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) because people love the things they can’t readily have.
Nevertheless, they attracted some pretty big names on the app, and it unequivocally encouraged more people to sign up and listen to their favorite talk.
Which Celebrities are on Clubhouse App?
There are a bunch of celebrities joining Clubhouse every day. From Tory Burch, Virgil Abloh, to other big fashion names to Tiffany Haddish, Drake, Oprah, and Kevin Hart.
Actor Jared Leto, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, and Silicon Valley elite like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and others. Among the Clubhouse, ranks are Oprah, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, actor Terry Crews, CBS This Morning host Gayle King, and venture capitalists like Mark Cuban, Marc Andreesen, and Reddit founder, Alexis Ohanian.
Currently, the app boasts a whopping 10.1 million users and has expanded to include popular podcast hosts and social-media stars such as Lindsey Metselaar, and Serena Kerrigan, who use the platform to host more private discussions with their friends and followers.
The exclusivity of Clubhouse offers high-profile users a sense of security and allows them to engage in interesting conversations.
For example, while MC Hammer is known for hosting rooms about cryptocurrencies, Kevin Hart drops in on debates about whether he is even funny and more.
Clubhouse is one where you’ve got to be there to follow conversations. None of the conversations are recorded, and it does not make transcripts available after the conversations.
So, celebrities (and you) don’t have to fear that everything they say on Clubhouse will become a news headline.
What Comes Next for Clubhouse?
Clubhouse’s reputation was built with conversations hosted by big personalities like Oprah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk. Now, the app is already considered a staple among Silicon Valley and entertainment personalities. It’s even earned an estimation of over $1 billion, even though it was founded less than a year ago.
Of course, Clubhouse has plans to expand further, and eventually become one of the other major social media sites like Facebook or Twitter. However, to do this, they’re also going to address some controversies surrounding the platform.
Some journalists on Clubhouse, have talked about being targets of bullying and harassment from others on the platform. Others have witnessed rooms descend into anti-Semitism, racism, and COVID-19 denialism.
Conclusion
For an app launched in March 2020, the Clubhouse app has done amazingly well for itself.
Breaking into the social media world with the brand-new concept of an audio-only app and getting celebrities on board has surely strengthened its user base.
At this pace, clubhouse may very well be one of the top social media platforms in a couple of years from now. However, until they release the Android version of the app, iPhone users can continue to have one over the android users.
