Today, other social media platforms are hopping onto the audio bandwagon – Spotify launched Greenroom, Twitter launched Spaces and Facebook launched Live Audio Rooms. If imitation is indeed the sincerest form flattery, then who is to say that Clubhouse is dead? And if audio really is the way forward, what do brands need to know before adding platforms like Clubhouse to their list of marketing channels?
We speak to Clubhouse veterans Reita Faramay and Sarah Lian to find out what brands need to know before jumping into the realm of drop-in audio chats.
Has Clubhouse Really Lost Its Appeal?
So it is true that the drop-in audio chat platform saw a decline after peaking at 9 million downloads worldwide in February 2021. But since it became available to Android users in late May 2021, downloads increased by almost 3 times from the previous month. This seemed like just the defibrillator effect the app needed. More importantly, the accessibility to Android users meant that 51% of new downloads in May came from APAC, a market dominated by Android.
Whether this growth can sustain in the long-term is anyone’s guess. But as audiences continue to #stayathome, multi-task and yearn for less screen-time, audio content gives them the break they need while fulfilling their daily fix for news, entertainment, or leisure.
Why Clubhouse
With traditional channels like radio and television, and even new ones like podcasts, communication is just one-way. What social media does is provide an avenue for direct feedback – and that’s really one of its strengths. Coupled with an audio format like that of Clubhouse’s, it can eliminate factors like users feeling self-conscious about sharing their thoughts.
“Sure, you may get louder, extroverted personalities on Clubhouse but you’ll also get introverted characters that are able to share great content on the platform,” shared entrepreneur Sarah Lian.
For brands, platforms like Clubhouse are another outlet to consider as part of your thought leadership strategy. Even B2B brands can utilise it to connect with prospective customers and get feedback or suggestions and in real-time.
Secondly, Clubhouse offers a world of content. There are rooms for everything under the sun – mental wellness, self-love, education through knowledge-sharing and even open mic nights where users can showcase their talent. The best part is that this is all stripped back and audiences aren’t bombarded with images or videos, just raw, unfiltered content.
We know that audiences today want to be heard and are more inclined to support brands that align with their values. Clubhouse can help facilitate those conversations and function as a medium that help brands form social connections with audiences. The best part is as a brand, you can leave all the bells and whistles behind and come as your true authentic self.
Finally, as with most social media platforms, Clubhouse lets brands build communities. Founder of the Top Tech Leaders Club, Reita Faramay shared how curiosity drew her to the platform and once she saw the potential Clubhouse had in bringing likeminded people together, she decided to create a space for brands and individuals to promote their products or services as well as share their thought leadership.
Hosting A Clubhouse Event For Your Brand
#1 Leverage your existing social channels
If your audience isn’t already on Clubhouse or are members of your Club, they’re probably not going to know about your event. This is where you’ll need to build up your audience by leveraging your brand’s more established social channels.
As with any other event, develop a social calendar and schedule posts ahead of time so people can RSVP using the event link. In addition to teaser posts, you could even source questions from your audience on Instagram Stories or using poll features on LinkedIn and Twitter ahead of your Clubhouse session. Creating engagement before your session can help boost turnout rate and improve recall. The variety of post type can also break the monotony of standard event promo posts.
During the session, hosts and moderators can invite followers into the room they are speaking in so remember to notify followers as an added promotional method.
#2 Decide on your format
Set clear boundaries for your room – the intention of the room can lead to different sets of people and guide the way they engage with you. Is the room for the audience to share their experiences or do you have a fixed list of panelists? Do you prefer to keep questions to the end of the session or are you open to allowing audience up on stage to ask their questions throughout the session?
Whatever the format, be sure to communicate this throughout your session since people tend to pop in and out of rooms.
Rooms that are successful are rooms that bring value to the audience. So, while you may want to keep conversations fluid and natural, be sure you also prepare your talking points so you don’t go off-topic.
#3 Create follow-up content
At least for now, Clubhouse sessions can’t be recorded in-app. There are also issues surrounding privacy and not every speaker or audience member will agree to being recorded. Which begs the question – what happens after your Clubhouse event?
This goes back to your motivation for using the platform. Was it purely to engage with prospective customers? Or perhaps it was an outlet to showcase your thought leadership? Even though there’s no option to playback the session, there’s nothing stopping you from creating content off the back of those discussions. Create a blog recap so that key talking points have a permanent place to live on your owned channels. Produce social posts with quotes from speakers who have given prior permission. This is a great way to engage audiences that may have missed out or keep those who have joined coming back for more.
Want to learn more about Clubhouse or other audio marketing tactics? Get in touch with our marketing experts today.
