15 Things You Should Know About Clubhouse the App
If you’ve been on Clubhouse or curious about the app, you might be wondering what it’s all about and what you can get out of it. You can check out my post about beginner’s lingo, understanding the app, and my first impressions, but for today I’ll be addressing a few points to consider as you start your Clubhouse journey.
1. THE APP IS STILL NEW AND CHANGING
The app is still less than a year old since it’s launch to the public, so this means the app is still developing and changing to the needs of its users.. There are Town Halls every Sunday, 12pm EST, where the Cofounders Paul Davison and Rohan Seth answer questions asked by Clubhouse users. They address any changes and things they are working on, but also address questions and concerns that come up throughout the week. Because it’s still developing, the cofounders and developers are still figuring out new ways to make the app more efficient, useful, and a general good experience for the user. There are still many aspects to the app that they acknowledge they need to address and develop, including using algorithmic data to form your feeds/room, filter settings, language application, accessibility, monetization, Android usage, and more.
Recently, I’ve been seen more rooms in specific languages and these groups just naturally occur through people’s follows, despite the app not having an actual language setting. Rohan Seth even acknowledged that the Town Halls used to be in the later afternoon EST, but has since changed to accommodate for more listeners outside of the United States. The peak usage of the app is actually in the morning of the US because more people around the world are using it during their day!
Overall, they are still figuring out how to welcome more people, how to develop and continue support operations for a growing base, and enhancing the in-room experience.
2.Understand that it’s a network of communities
Be mindful that it’s not just one community. Clubhouse is a network of several different communities from all around the world. Don’t be off put if you see clubs and conversations unfamiliar to you. Clubhouse is a learning space. This is especially pertinent when you are actively listening in a room and understanding the different perspectives that can come and go. With this said, be conscious of the composition of the stage and the diversity of the room. Be generous and share the mic and let others speak without hostility. If you do not vibe with certain people or a room, then you can leave quietly. Obviously, there are Community Guidelines and that should be followed and one should have a sensitivity to the conjunction of all these communities in one space, the app. Additionally, don’t limit yourself to certain communities and clubs, discovery is important and this app encourages being a fly on the wall to learn new things and gain new perspectives. Be curious and considerate.
3. GAIN CONFIDENCE AND Host your Own Room
I find it interesting that you can simply just start a discussion about anything. Being able to start and spearhead the conversation is a really unique feature of the app that enables you to reach a new audience. Conversations are dynamic and evolve as new perspectives join in, so you really have a great chance to gain confidence as you moderate and facilitate the discussion. I once attended an “unconference” in NYC, which is a “participant-driven meeting. The term "unconference" has been applied, or self-applied, to a wide range of gatherings that try to avoid hierarchical aspects of a conventional conference, such as sponsored presentations and top-down organization.” The topics and activities at an “unconference” are suggested by the attendees, so every attendee has the opportunity to participate and shape the event. On Clubhouse, you have the chance to initiate a discussion on a topic, and claim a room, or a space for it to be discussed. Now is your chance to spearhead something and show off a topic you are well versed in.
4. It can sometimes feel awkward or invasive.
When I first started joining rooms, I felt invasive. Like any natural conversation, especially that with a bunch of strangers, it feels weird to join in the middle of a conversation or start talking with someone new. Additionally, there are many niches and communities that are going to be unfamiliar with you. Because of the unfamiliarity, it felt intrusive sometimes to join a conversation that I had no expertise, knowledge, or experience in, but I was here to learn. But the beauty of the app is being able to expose yourself to these new and diverse conversations.
5. Your Bio is Important
For Clubhouse, it’s pertinent you put some effort into your bio. The top 3 lines are the most important part because that’s what is initially visible when someone clicks your profile icon. You can actually have a much longer description in your profile, but someone would have to click ‘View full profile.’ These initial descriptors on your profile should be important aspects about yourself, whether it’s your profession, interests, name pronunciation, if you’re a content creator for something, or other. Some things to keep in mind when writing your bio:
Include who you are, what you do, and what you’re trying to achieve
Use emojis to help describe and make it visual! Use them as a related icon, identifier, etc.
Emojis are searchable in the app, so if your interests or communities tend to use certain emojis, it can help find others with similar interests.
Include your location so others can relate their experiences
You can include links to your content, outside of Twitter and Instagram, but it won’t be hyperlinked.
6. Profile Pictures MATTER
I don’t necessarily mean this in a vanity sense, but it’s literally the only visual thing people can associate you with. You might notice 3 different kinds of profile photos:
The typical headshot, selfie, or portrait of the person. This is self explanatory. It’s important people have a face to your voice, so be mindful of your profile photo!
A headshot with a bright, solid color background or a ring of color around their profile pic. Often, these people will want to be more participatory in conversations and as a means to be more easily ‘seen’ in the Room, they’ll reference their profile photo. When you speak, the talking ring is a pretty neutral tan ring, which can be hard to spot sometimes and when there’s a bunch of people on the stage, it can be hard for Mods to manage who can speak next. I’ve heard people say “Uhm, I’m somewhere in the middle of the page” vs “I’m in the bright teal ring". The colors don’t necessarily mean anything, but some people may also choose a color that speaks to their brand.
A miscellaneous item. Because it’s an audio chat, there’s no means of sharing photos to each other, so sometimes Moderators and other speakers may change their profile picture to relate to the conversation at-hand. It doesn’t have to be serious, but be a glimpse of what you’re doing right now or talking about at the moment.
7. Set up your Instagram or Twitter
Because there is no DM, or direct message, feature on Clubhouse, if you want to contact someone directly, you’ll have to visit their profiles on other platforms. Use IG and Twitter as a tool to connect with others outside of the room. People may encourage you to DM them with a certain phrase or note as an indicator that you came over from Clubhouse. It’s surprising how much traffic you can get out of Clubhouse.
8. IT’S OKAY TO FEEL FEAR
It’s a new platform, so whether you’re a seasoned veteran in your field or a newbie just looking to listen to something new, it’s okay to feel nervous about using the app. There are plenty of professionals on the app who have years of experience in their niche and there are even more people who are either starting out or simply just bouncing around finding conversations that interest them. Regardless, it’s okay that you may feel fear as you drop in and out of chats, start rooms, speak up, network, etc. You’re still getting used to a new app — the buttons, the features, the general ways of networking on a new platform. You’re also new to all the types of discussion being held. Just because you’re familiar with Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc., doesn’t mean you’ll immediately understand the dynamic of Clubhouse AND THAT’S OKAY! It’s okay to feel lost sometimes and make mistakes.
9. Master being a Moderator
If you started a room or have been appointed as moderator, you might feel uneasy at first. As a moderator, you are in charge of curating the people involved and having a say in the direction of the conversation. You can add or remove other speakers. You have the opportunity to lead and control the room by managing who can come up at stage. You can also Reset the Room and let everyone know what the conversation is at hand. While conversations can be organic or structured, being a moderator isn’t necessarily an easy task. Commanding the room as a moderator isn’t a skill that comes naturally to people. It’s a learned skill.
Feel free to remove people from the stage once they are done speaking. Once an audience member is on the stage, you aren’t automatically brought back down to the audience, unless the person chooses to leave, so as a Mod you can also move them back down.
Don’t forget to Reset the Room and bring everyone up to speed. Bring the conversation back, introduce the topic at-hand, reintroduce any key panelists or experts in the room, etc.
Be mindful of the stage. If you notice everyone on the stage looks the same or has the same background, consider what voices and perspectives are missing. It’s important to have a multitude of perspectives.
Don’t be afraid to do a quick browse through of their profile when you let people on stage. As a mod, you can do your own vetting process and try to foresee how they could contribute to the conversation.
Care about the conversation you are hosting. If you find the conversation is being derailed, don’t mind bringing everyone back.
Develop your own style as your moderate or host a room. Some conversations are more relaxed than others. Some are structured. Some are scheduled and some are off the cuff.
10. Be as Passive as you want
The nice thing about Clubhouse is you can decide how passive or participatory you want to be. When we listen to other audio-based media, like recorded podcasts, we are often not actively participating in the discussion. Maybe we left questions, anecdotes, or comments for the podcast host to review, but they aren’t actively engaging with us, the listener, in real time. With Clubhouse, we have a much better chance of being able to speak up right then and there. These are discussions and not lectures, so participating is encouraged! If you don’t want to talk at all, you don’t have to either! I can be as passive as I want and continue doing other things. Speaking of…
11. Multitasking is Fine
When you decide to be passive in the room and remain in the audience, you truly have free range in what else you could be doing. On your phone, you can browse other rooms, clubs, profiles. You can switch apps and browse your normal social media feeds. If you’re just listening, you can continue with your normal daily tasks, including work, chores, homework assignments, etc. This isn’t necessarily groundbreaking in the sense that that’s what we do when we listen to podcasts, music, etc, but we have the choice to sit back and relax or actively engage with the conversation and be more attentive to a live dialogue.
12. Network & Build Relationships
In the professional and interest sense, Clubhouse is a networking platform. You’ll hear from people you otherwise wouldn’t have been exposed to before and it’s a perfect time to look at their profile, see what Clubs and conversations they tend to be in, and engage with them. Use Clubhouse as a means to learn about new people and topics, but then utilize the rest of the social sphere (their social media platforms and just Google!) to engage with users and the new ideas you have been exposed to. You can definitely meet new people on the app and it’s definitely possible to build genuine relationships with people that have similar interests, people that have similar goals, and even fostering clientele.
13. Expand your Business
For all the entrepreneurs out there, Clubhouse has been affecting peoples’ businesses. How? Well, like I said earlier, through your informal network and the actual relationships you build outside of the conversations, you can gain traction to your business. There are plenty of people who are using the app to leverage their business, whether it through networking and connections, but also through learning something new skills from other entrepreneurs. There are plenty of rooms that discuss entrepreneurship, how to use social media to your advantage, pitch practice, financial management, marketing tips and secrets, and more. You have a breadth of knowledge and expertise that you can learn from and implement to help your business grow!
14. Attract with the Power of your Voice
And no, I don’t mean having a sweet, smooth voice, or a stern, commanding one, I mean that the power of this app is your voice and the perspectives you are able to share. Unlike Instagram, it’s much less of the visual vanity. This is just a reminder that being able to voice your opinion, pose a question, be vulnerable on stage, and more is very important to how you voice your needs and wants out of a conversation. When people vibe with what you have to say, you can easily attract more like-minded people.
15. Be thoughtful of the People you Follow
You’re testing the waters when you first join the app because following more people allows you to see more rooms, but you can eventually refine your Following list. Ultimately, you should follow people that actually interest you. If you’re listening to a chat and think some Speakers have incredibly things to say, check out their profile and see if you want to follow them. If you had a nice discussion with someone and wouldn’t mind chatting them up again, give them a follow. Don’t resort to follow-for-follow antics. It can get spammy pretty quick. You don’t want to have a feed full of people and conversations you don’t care for!
If you didn’t already, check out our other article regarding Clubhouse Lingo and how to navigate the app.
