How To Use Clubhouse (or Not) to Build Your Brand
Can the latest social media distraction benefit your business?
Everyone is talking about using Clubhouse for business growth, but is it a good strategy for you?
Maybe, and maybe not. In this article, I’ll share my take on Clubhouse. Let’s dive in:
Clubhouse is a new social media platform where people connect in audio-based meeting rooms (simply called “rooms”). Each room has a specific topic, one or more moderators leading the discussion, and audience members who can share questions and thoughts by pressing the “raised hand” button to be invited to speak. In sum, Clubhouse is what it might be like if everyone on Zoom turned off their cameras. Other than your profile photo the app is audio-only, and it’s a refreshing break from visual apps like Instagram and TikTok.
Professionals are quickly adopting Clubhouse for several reasons: to build credibility through moderating rooms and building their following, to connect with others in their industry, to find potential clients or customers, to expand their knowledge and to hear others’ inspiring stories and ideas.
Clubhouse offers seemingly endless rooms on professional topics like marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, branding and investing, and personal development themes related to spirituality, therapy and coaching are also common. Of course, there are “just for fun” rooms too, from sports to dating to politics (if you think politics is fun).
To determine how Clubhouse can serve you, begin with two questions:
What is my goal?
What audience do I need to reach to meet that goal?
Your answers will shape how you use Clubhouse. Here are a few appropriations that may be right for you:
Seek new information. Have a pressing question and want an expert’s opinion? Join a room on that topic, raise your hand, and ask! I recently joined a money-themed room where I was able to ask a financial coach for her opinion on something I’d been pondering, and it was a lot cheaper (read: free) than scheduling a consultation. But, keep in mind that in many cases you can find answers just as (or more) quickly through Google.
Be their guest (moderator). Many Clubhouse moderators are seeking co-moderators, similar to how podcast hosts bring in guests to make their episodes more interesting. Consider pitching yourself to these folks; jot down a few notes on your expertise and ideas and slide into their DMs. Co-moderating is a solid way to position yourself as an expert and reach new audiences. Just remember to (1) seek moderating opportunities in rooms that reach your target audience (2) continue regularly co-moderating to see max benefit.
Start your own room. Feeling ambitious? Launch your own room, ideally one that regularly occurs (ex: a set day and time each week) so that you’re consistently building your audience. Starting your own room puts the control and creativity in your hands, takes leadership positioning to the next level, and with the right factors in place can build a powerful community of people interested in what you have to say (and what you have to sell). You can also invite co-moderators and should cross promote via other social media platforms and to your email lists to reach a wide audiences and maximize your results.
Be known in your community. This can be a great idea for local businesses and people in niche industries. If you’re a local business, consider rooms hosted by people in your geographic community; if you’re in a niche industry, enter rooms specific to what you do. Give others the best chance at getting to know you (and stay top of mind) by consistently attending recurring rooms, and choose smaller rooms of about 10-30 people so you won’t get lost in the crowd. Finally, stand out by regularly speaking in rooms, and don’t hesitate to follow relevant users.
Optimize your profile. Start with a great profile photo and focus on the first three lines of your profile; this is what shows when someone first clicks on you (they can then choose if they want to view your full profile, so these first three lines should pique interest). Within your full profile share what you do, credibility-builders, a call-to-action or special offer and contact information including links to your Instagram and/or Twitter. All the better to do this succinctly and in a humanized or humorous way.
Take it outside Clubhouse. If another Clubhouse user has made an impact on you, or you make an in-room connection with a potential client-customer, you may find it helpful to find them on other social media platforms that more easily allow you to learn about each other and communicate directly. And while Clubhouse profiles only allot for links to Twitter and Instagram accounts, you can absolutely find and connect with people on LinkedIn, Facebook business pages and via email.
But in closing, here’s one final thought that overrides everything:
If you’re already effectively reaching your goals, Clubhouse may not be worth the time and effort needed to add or switch to another growth strategy. There are many ways we can reach target audiences that don’t require sitting in on conversations that can eat up several hours each week. Do consider Clubhouse if your business goals are truly a fit for the app’s model, but for most businesses I still suggest putting the majority of your efforts into tried and true strategies like public relations, social media marketing, email marketing, various forms of advertising and direct outreach.
Have thoughts? Share them via our contact page (and look me up on Clubhouse at @colettemauz)!