Clubhouse, the new social network

Clubhouse has landed on the mobile devices of millions of users and has come to stay.

This new social network, known as the new audio-social media app, currently has over 10 million registered users. To be aware of how fast it is growing, Clubhouse had “only” 600,000 members in December, according to Backlinko.

So, why is Clubhouse so popular? What is it exactly, and why is it so attractive? We’ll tell you all about it in this post.

What’s Clubhouse?

• Clubhouse is an audio-chat app and social network launched in 2020.

This social network lacks images, texts, or videos. The only content available is in audio format.

It comes in handy to share ideas, discuss, and interact with other users, even for training sessions. Imagine a social media podcast but with live broadcasts. This is what Clubhouse is and how it works.

The fact that famous personalities like Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg have talked about Clubhouse has made it the social network of the moment.

It brings fresh air among other social media platforms that generally use the same formula: 24-hour stories, audio-visual content, etc. The audio format makes this new app unique.

Let’s see now how to get into Clubhouse and register.

How to access Clubhouse

There are two things you should know about Clubhouse before continuing:

• It’s only available for download on iOS, although it probably won’t take much longer to reach Android devices.

• You can only access it through an invitation from another user. 

That said, let’s say you have received an invitation to get into Clubhouse; how do you create an account?

1. First, download the app on your iPhone and tap the link to the invitation you have received.

2. Then, click on ‘Have an invite text? Sign in ‘, in which you will have to enter your phone number.

Once you do so, the app will request a code that you will have previously received on your phone to confirm the registration. 

3. Now that you are in Clubhouse, the next step will be to add your personal information manually or import it directly from Twitter to set up your profile.

In this case, we are selecting ‘Enter my info manually’ so we see all the data you need to provide.

4. Clubhouse will ask you for a first name, last name, and username.

You can choose the name you want, but the app will warn you if another user has already taken it.

5. Finally, you can add a photo for other users to identify you. You can take it instantly or use one from your image gallery.

6. Now, it’s time to choose your interests. Although you can later edit this information, it’s ideal to start following accounts around topics that interest you from the beginning.

7. Once you have selected your interests, the app will suggest certain accounts to follow. You can give it ‘follow’ all at once or do it one at a time. Hit Follow and go!

8. You have everything set to start using Clubhouse!  You are already part of the Clubhouse community. 

Now, where do you start? Let’s continue!

How Clubhouse works

At first glance, the Clubhouse homepage, which is actually known as a “Hallway,” will seem a bit confusing.

Luckily, it’s intuitive and easy to use. In short, Clubhouse works through live public audio-rooms with one or more participants and listeners. Also, listeners can ‘raise their hands’ to participate.

Let’s start from the beginning. At the top of the screen, you’ll find four options:

The magnifying glass.

This option will help you find users or clubs, also following recommendations and conversations around a specific topic.

The envelope.

In this option, you can send two invitations from your contact list. To do so, you must allow the app to “enter” your contact list.

The bell.

You will find here all the notifications. You can set it up to receive notifications when your mobile is locked.

The profile.

Here you can edit your Clubhouse profile: add a bio, your Twitter and Instagram profile, and check out your followers and profiles you follow. 

Now, let’s get to the gist, how can you enter a Club?

You will find a series of recommendations in your hallway according to the interests you have chosen before.

To enter, simply tap the block that interests you to start listening to the talk automatically.

This is how a room looks like, where you can leave it whenever you want or raise your hand to request to speak.

While listening to it, you can press the hand button, located at the bottom right, to ask the club’s creators to speak. If you want to leave the chat, you will have to click on the ‘✌🏽 Leave quietly’ button, and you will go back to your hallway to find another room.

You are already part of the Clubhouse, and you can enter any talk and enjoy, but how to create your own room?

How to create a room within ClubHouse

Creating a room is easier than you think. Once you sign up with the app, you can start to create content on the social network by following these simple steps.

1. . Click on ‘Start a room’ from the hallway.

2. When you click it, you will have three options to create your ‘room’: Open, to star a room open for everyone. Social, for the people you follow, and Closed, for a group of members you choose.

3. Before choosing the type of room, add a title so users know what it is about. You have up to 60 characters, but the more specific the topic is, the better for the user to identify it.

4. By choosing a room and live, you can start chatting in any type of ‘room’. Except in ‘Closed’, where you will have to select the participants before starting it: remember, you can only choose users who follow you.

Another option is to create a new Clubhouse event. The ‘New Event’ option is used to schedule a room on a specific date.

1. Click on the calendar icon in the top right. Upcoming events related to your interests will appear.

2. We didn’t mention this option before because it is up to you to schedule an event. So click on the calendar option and the plus button that you will see at the top right.

3. You will have the ‘New event’ screen. From here, you can add a name to the event so that people can find it, add guests or a co-host, the date and time, and a description of the event, up to 200 characters.

4. Finally, click on ‘Publish’, and you will have your event scheduled.

How does a room work? Who are the participants?

Who participates in a room?

In each room you enter, you will find three types of participants with different roles.

Moderator

Moderators are responsible for moderating the room. Also, they can remove members from a room, report bad behavior or  a problem.

When you create a room, you can be a moderator or entrust someone with this role, just as the creator of a room can make you a moderator.

Speakers

The speakers are in charge of speaking although the audience can also participate if the moderator allows it.

If you are a speaker, we recommend keeping the microphone muted until you have to speak to avoid interrupting when it’s not your turn.

Audience

Being a listener is the most common way to enter a Club. Their role is mostly passive, although they can intervene by clicking the ‘raise your hand’ button. The moderators will decide whether to give them the way or not.

Now that you know everything about Clubhouse, you may be wondering why you should start using it for your business or personal brand. Let’s get into this in the next section!

Why use ClubHouse

You should be in the Clubhouse since it’s a new social media platform that does not seem to have limits. The number of users, topics, and, therefore, content continues to grow.

But, what else can this application do for you?

Interactive debate.

While viewers listen to the live audio, they can raise their hand and ask a question or comment on something.

It is a debate in which you interact with your audience, which does not happen in a podcast.

You listen to it at any time.

No external downloads or apps. It is as simple as having an internet connection and headphones to start talking or being a listener.

Ready, you can now enjoy the content anywhere.

You can create your own room.

Suppose YouTube or Twitch is not your thing, and you don’t know whether to create a podcast. In that case, Clubhouse is your ideal platform to have a room where you can spread your knowledge, discuss topics that interest you, or chat with other members.

Create your room and start growing using it as an another mean of communication.

So now you have all the information to get into Clubhouse and be familiar with it. If you’ve already received an invitation, put on your headphones and participate!

Isabel Romero , 15 February 2022