3 reasons why you should include Clubhouse in your communications strategy

There’s a new social media wunderkind in town and it’s called Clubhouse. When it launched in May 2020, Clubhouse had a mere 1,500 users. Things took off with the speed of a Tesla in February 2021 when Elon Musk used the new social media platform to host an audio-chat with the CEO of Robin Hood, Vlad Tenev. Since then, the app’s users have risen to two million and its valuation has grown to a whopping £1 billion. When you consider that the app is not even a year old yet, this is nothing short of phenomenal.

With Clubhouse on the rise, now’s the perfect time to consider the ways in which it could benefit B2B brands. Here’s why.

What is Clubhouse?

Clubhouse describes itself as “a space for casual, drop-in audio conversations – with friends and other interesting people around the world.”

It’s basically an audio-only social media platform. Users can listen in – and contribute – to live conversations, which take place in rooms (within groups) on the app. Think of it as an interactive broadcasting platform.

The grouping of conversations by topic gives users the freedom to join and be a part of the discussions that matter most to them.

At the time of writing, membership to Clubhouse is by invite only. The Clubhouse description on the App Store explains, “Anyone can get one by joining the waitlist, or by asking an existing user for one.”

How can Clubhouse benefit B2B brands?

Clubhouse holds a unique space in the social media ecosystem in that it is invite-only, audio-only, and allows users to contribute. From a B2B perspective, it can also help engage audiences in the following three ways:

1. It’s all about the content

As Clubhouse is audio-only, there’s nothing to detract from the discussion. Unlike video-call software, it doesn’t matter how you’re dressed or what your background is. The focus is purely on what’s being said.

Plus, because it’s invite-only, the audience has chosen to be there and is genuinely interested in the spoken content. This exclusivity means that the conversations are professional, relevant, and give value to the listeners.

During his chat with Tenev, Elon Musk neatly summarised Clubhouse’s appeal saying “context switching is the mind killer.” As Clubhouse helps ensure the focus is always on the topic in hand, it’s the ideal place to position your brand as a leader to a captive audience.

2. It’ll take your virtual events to another level

Events are expensive. Factors such as venue hire, promotional materials, and insurance don’t come cheap. Virtual events cost virtually nothing – and virtual events on Clubhouse take things to another level, as no visual branding is required.

So, for example, you could set up a group for your event on Clubhouse and create a schedule of speakers to take to the floor, making the whole event interactive by taking questions from your community of ‘attendees’.

In an age of COVID, there’s no denying the benefits of this socially distant but inclusive approach to events.

3. Prime networking opportunities

Another B2B benefit of Clubhouse is that it lets you follow other peoples’ profiles. This allows you and your audience to curate an engaged community.

The ability to create industry-specific groups and rooms within Clubhouse offers a fresh and new way for you to connect and share industry knowledge with your target audience. This not only builds your network but also gives you the opportunity to position your company as a reputable thought leader.

Also, because Clubhouse is invite-only, giving contacts you’d like to network with an exclusive invite to your group forges a bond that gets your working relationship off to a great start.