Clubhouse Is Great (For Now) — Here’s Why It’s Probably Just A Fad

by Kelly Ehlers

Originally published on Forbes.com

The social media age is in full force with no signs of slowing down. In April of last year, one new player quietly entered the game but quickly gained popularity with its unique approach. Clubhouse has become one of the hottest social media apps available by offering an authentic and interpersonal connection to users.

What Is Clubhouse? 

Clubhouse allows users to gather in audio chatrooms, adding a new layer to social media by providing features that enable users to talk directly with others. The rooms are broken up into two sections: speakers and listeners in the audience. However, if a member of the audience wants to chime in, they can "raise their hand" and the moderator — the creator of the room — can invite them to join the speakers.

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Clubhouse is an excellent place to network, discuss similar interests and access professional development. This new platform allows users to connect with their peers and gives them the opportunity to listen, speak and share knowledge. It is different from a live video or stagnant post because it also offers a new space for brands to interact directly with consumers.

A Branding Benefit 

A brand's greatest strength on social media is leveraging what makes it unique. Clubhouse offers a powerful platform for brands with strong identities by creating space for long-form conversations with their audience. Additionally, those conversations occur in real-time, which provides a sense of authenticity to users. 

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Clubhouse is especially powerful for businesses that are looking for an interactive experience with their followers. The "rooms" feature creates a great space for engaging educational conversations with users and, with the ability to schedule rooms in advance, the brand’s social team can share the link across multiple social platforms to expand reach, getting the biggest possible audience. 

A Podcast? A Live Show? A Conversation?

Clubhouse opens up a whole new world for those looking to expand their external communications portfolio by tapping into the same space as podcasts. Given its audio-only format, Clubhouse puts the power of podcasting in the hands of anyone with a smartphone and a Clubhouse invite. 

The app’s largest advantage is modifying the podcasting genre to enable listeners to respond in real time and add to the conversation if they choose to do so. Users can either sit quietly, listening in the audience or raise their hand and give their opinion. With the importance of listening to different perspectives top of mind right now, this setup allows for a diverse range of voices to be heard in a constructive and moderated way.

To Clubhouse or Not to Clubhouse? 

With a plethora of social media platforms, not every business needs to — or should — have them all. This is of critical importance when developing your brand identity through a social media channel. There are pros and cons to every platform on the market, and having too many platforms can actually harm your brand. If you use a platform that does not pertain to your brand, it will only cause a headache when managing, planning and executing the appropriate content since there isn't a natural fit.

It is vital for brands to ask if Clubhouse is the right fit because of how conversational a platform it is. Long-form, conversational forums aren't going to be the right fit for a lot of brands. If you have doubts that it is the right fit for you, then I suggest you steer clear — it probably isn't worth the risk.

Are Clubhouse's Days Numbered?

Like any new platform, Clubhouse is currently the "shiny new toy" on the market. I think that part of its popularity is due to the exclusivity of the app. As of right now, Clubhouse is invite-only and only available on iOS devices, giving it a boost in status. However, as the app begins to expand, I believe its charm will disappear.

With platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram dominating the market with widespread adoption, it's hard to expect that same success out of any new platform that enters the game whose key point of difference is exclusivity.

Another factor that I predict will lead to Clubhouse's demise is the format of the app itself. Hosting rooms or even being a listening audience member is currently easy in the work-from-home era, with users in the comfort of their own homes and on Zoom calls. But when we reach the end of Covid and workplaces open back up, the ability for Clubhouse users to participate in roundtable discussions during the workday is not as likely.

The Way Forward

Clubhouse is shaking up the social media scene by providing the ability to connect directly with experts, celebrities and strangers in a more interactive way than ever before on social media. This type of connection opens up a whole new possibility for brands to engage with consumers. While it isn't perfect for every brand, some companies will see value in the exclusive nature of the platform and be able to leverage the long-form nature of the app. 

However, as Clubhouse looks to expand and grow, all while the world begins reopening, it's my opinion that its future is not bright. Within the year, I believe it is reasonable to expect that Clubhouse will go the way of other flash-in-the-pan social media platforms and fade from the forefront of the public discourse.