Still for a select audience, in the case only who has iPhone, but coveted by many, Clubhouse it's the new feeling of social networks and one of the most moving subjects on the internet this early in the year.
In contrast to Facebook, Instagram and other platforms that prioritize videos, Clubhouse is an audio-based app and for now only for guests.
As it only has audios, interaction within the social network resembles listening to a live podcast, or a phone call. The Clubhouse quickly became the darling among the famous American rapper Drake, Elon Musk (Tesla), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), among others.
Although it is being announced as a novelty, the app was launched in 2020 by engineer Paul Davison in partnership with former Google employee Rohan Seth. The initial proposal was to be a different alternative to what already exists on the market.
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Instead of a feed with texts and photos, the social network uses the voice. Inside the app, there are several chat groups, which are divided by themes, where users can enter to talk or listen to a certain person. The conversations are not stored or recorded by the platform.
Here's the essence: Imagine you have an app on your phone that lets you listen to other people's live conversations. But not in a scary way: these people want to be heard.
They may even be famous, or at least interesting or well informed (no guarantee, however). And you might have a chance to get into the chat. Think of it as a social chat network with audio.
Overcoming Tik Tok in search
About 2 million users are already at Clubhouse, having lost Tik Tok in Brazil, in relation to Google searches according to the Conversion platform. Search for the app has jumped 100 times in the last six months in Brazil and 11 times around the world.
To get an idea, in December last year the platform was valued at almost $100 million. On January 21, 2021, the valuation reached $1 billion.
Technology experts claim that Clubhouse is the biggest phenomenon of recent times and attracted users by their strategy of starting with the most influential profiles of the Internet and generating scarcity, since it is only possible to enter through invitations and the app is only available for iPhones.
How do I get in?
You will need the invitation of a user who is already part of the social network to get access. Each new user receives two invitations and earns more when using the app.
And because it's so exclusive, people are already selling invitations. Several ads were available on the online Free Market sales site, with prices around R$ 150. No testimony of successful purchases was visible in the sellers' profile.
A site specialized in selling followers to social networks, such as Instagram, to increase the artificially base of a profile, the same invitations from Clubhouse were also sold, but for a higher value, around R $ 250.
Even on Twitter, the sales movement was also noticeable. One user openly claimed that he had invitations to sell, and several people approached his profile in the comments seeking more information.
Why aren't you on Android yet?
An Android app is being developed. But the creators of the Clubhouse want to grow slowly as part of the strategy, and as it is known, there are more Android users than iPhone users worldwide.
Getting started on Android could overload and bring problems to Clubhouse servers after an advertising bait (as happened to have Elon Musk in a room).
* Clubhouse audio was recorded and posted on youtube. Check out Elon Musk's participation:
So all I need is the app? No website?
The company's only website is joincubhouse. with and this is simply an indication for the Apple App Store.
How does the user record work?
You must provide the Clubhouse with your phone number and your real name (in theory). You can register the username you want for the service before you even receive an invitation.
The person who is inviting you simply needs your phone number. You will receive a link by text message, informing you to visit joincubhouse. with/app and login with this number.
Link your Twitter account to Clubhouse if you don't want to create a profile from scratch; it will even pull your existing profile photo.
The Clubhouse also encourages you to link your contacts in order to make it easier to find people to follow. But don't worry if you don't have a list of contacts full of influencers.
After logging in, you can check an email address with the service to have it as a method to reconnect if there is a problem.
What's at the Clubhouse?
When you finally get access, the app offers a full page of conversation topics to be followed, from sports to technology, world affairs, faith and “smart” and so on.
In each of them, you will find people interested in the same thing and you will be able to follow them. The more topics and people you follow, the more likely you will be to get suggestions from a room that meets your wishes.
Aren't the conversations permanent?
The conversation rooms come and go as people begin or close. And nothing's registered to the Clubhouse. But that doesn't mean that other members won't find ways to record chats. The Internet is still forever.
How many people can be in a conversation?
The current limit is 5,000 people per Clubhouse room – which Musk broke, of course. Users of that room began broadcasting the live conversation on YouTube, which is a smart alternative to broadening the range.
What do you really mean by talk? Isn't that like a podcast?
Depends on your podcast preferences, but remember: all the people involved are talking on your iPhones. They don't see each other, so it's like hearing a phone call.
There is no professional edition, no sound effects, no transitions and no advertising (at least not officially). That said, the “style” of the conversation is flexible: one room can be casual among friends, while the other is a more formal interview in the style of a talk show, a large discussion group or even a music sharing session.
If someone interesting enters a room – like a billionaire – the creator/moderator of the room can put him on the “pall” as a speaker. Many users already recognize social networking as a great audio-based event in various rooms, which never ends.
So I can only hear?
Not necessarily. Anyone listening can virtually “lift up their hand”. It's up to the creator/moderator of the room if they want to let you talk.
The rooms are divided by subjects and any user can send a message or just listen to the discussion of other people. In some cases moderation may require that the word be asked before posting a comment or an opinion.
Audios can also be shared directly in the users' profile, but cannot be downloaded or forwarded to other people.
Looks like Zoom without a video.
Somehow... or you can always do a Zoom or Google Meet without the video on. But the Clubhouse isn't really that, since conversations are open to any member who can find it, and not to some selected.
The virtual stage is limited, which is expected to be with people who have something really important or interesting to say. Besides, not having to look at the screen while you talk is a good change from today's daily video calls.
According to business insider So far, most Clubhouse rooms have a TED Talk vibe, with a guest talking and everyone else listening. Other users may enter the conversation when considered appropriate by a moderator, but depending on the chat, this may be rare.
There are always dozens of conversations happening at the same time, allowing users to switch between subjects and speakers based on their interests.
What are the disadvantages?
The Clubhouse has had some problems with hate and abuse speech, so it was necessary to establish community moderation guidelines in October. All because they made a common mistake: trust that users would not be idiots. There's always idiots.
Some journalists participating in the rooms, especially women, talked about being targets of intimidation and harassment of other people on the platform. Others witnessed rooms addressing anti-Semitism, racism and denial of the COVID-19.
Clubhouse has already hired moderators, and CEO Davidson said “Any social network needs to make moderation a priority.” However, he also emphasized that he wants the platform to centralize freedom of expression and dialogue.
Conclusion
Although the Clubhouse has already built a strong reputation, it is watching the future.
In addition to preparing for the challenge of launching the app for Android, which will require infrastructure investment, there are plans to allow users to monetize (gain money through the app) with subscriptions, event realization and receiving tips.
And as more people are invited, the buzz will definitely grow.
And you, are you already using the new social network? If not yet, what's your expectation?
See some screens:
