Clubhouse is the newest social media kid on the block. And as it's by invitation only (and currently for iPhone users only), the FOMO is real and everyone is talking about it.
So what is it?
Firstly, it has nothing to do with Mickey Mouse or Hey Duggee (probably a relief to parents who already listen to more Disney + and CBeebies then they would like). It's an audio only social media platform. It's all live, there are no recordings, and anyone can start a conversation.
If you haven't already joined, you can register and secure your username whilst waiting for an invite.
But what do you actually do on there?
Conversations take place in Rooms. Anyone can start a room, and they can be open (to everyone on the platform), social (to people you follow) or closed (only for people you choose to invite into the room).
Anyone can start a conversation, and you can ping other people into the chat. Some rooms have just a couple of people in, others have several hundred.
It can be daunting, some of the rooms are large (and very US focused, especially by the evening, UK time) and some of them feel very sales focused. But if you pick your rooms, choose them by people you know (or perhaps follow on other social media platforms) there are some fascinating conversations taking place.
What's in it for me?
As it's so new, you can access live conversations by and with high profile people in your local area or industry - free of charge.
Anyone can raise their hand to join the stage (as oppose to simply listening in the audience) and you can then ask questions and join the conversation.
You can use it to discuss topics relevant to your business. By engaging in real time live conversations you can bring your brand to life.
Every user has a profile, and this contains clickable links to Twitter and Instagram profiles, so you can directly send people to your other social media platforms to find out more about your business.
You can join, or follow, Clubs, which give you badges and allow you to connect with other members of the same club.
A few Do's and Don'ts:
DO fill out your bio. Make sure the first few lines give as much info as possible - this is what people will see if they click on your profile photo.
DON'T: Only talk about yourself, or be pushy in selling your products or services. This will lead to other people blocking or reporting you.
DO: Use topics to find and follow relevant users and chats for you and your business.
DON'T: Use follow for follow rooms. This violates the platform rules and you could get kicked off.
DO: Listen and join in to as many rooms as you can. The more you take part, the more you'll get out of it.
DON'T: Invite people you don't know or trust. If someone you've invited to Clubhouse breaks the rules, you could be penalised.
DO: Post about Clubhouse on other social media platforms. Let people know when you are going to be talking, invite them to join you and
And finally, here's a Clubhouse Glossary:
Hallway: the newsfeed
Rooms: where the conversations take place
Host: the person who creates the room
Moderator(s): people with a green star next to their name. They can invite and remove speakers from the stage
Clubs: when a person (or group) hosts a regular chat for a defined community
Stage: you have to be on the stage (as a host or invited guest) to speak
🎉 shows for the first 7 days you are on Clubhouse
✋🏼 raise your hand to join a conversation
And finally, when you're in the Hallway, swipe to see which of your connections are online so that you can start a room with them.
My username on Clubhouse is @_njwebster, come and say hi. Let me know how you get on with Clubhouse, it's a growing platform and definitely one to be part of in 2021.
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