So Clubhouse has been all the rage and I’ve been on the app myself since December. And I’ve got to tell you, my experience with it has been absolutely amazing.
Let me first set up what Clubhouse is.
In a recently published article, The Guardian describes the app as “Part talkback radio, part conference call, part Houseparty, Clubhouse is a social networking app based on audio-chat. Users can listen in to conversations, interviews, and discussions between interesting people on various topics – it is just like tuning in to a podcast but live and with an added layer of exclusivity.”
As of now, it’s an invite-only app available on iOS devices, however, an Android rollout has been announced for the Spring of this year. There’s literally a room and club for every interest on a personal and business level. If you can’t find a room, you can create your own room and invite the people you’re connected to on the app. You can even apply to run your own CLUB, but that’s a whole other level.
*Note as of 3/5/21, Clubhouse recently pushed an update now that allows you to create your own club via a self-serve option.
This post is all about getting you started for your Clubhouse experience. If you would like more information please visit the official Clubhouse Guide.
I’m probably spending way too much time on the app, but at the same time, I definitely see the value and time investment into growing your network and building relationships by using this app.
It’s definitely a wonderful way to connect with so many people, most of whom I’ve never met before.
It gives me the ability to also find people who are very like-minded and share similar interests that I have.
For those of you who are new to the app, I put this quick list together of some easy-to-follow tips that will make your CH experience ROCK!
So, first of all, once you get on the app, you’re able to do a couple of things. Since the app is all about people and creating a community of relationships, it’s important that everyone knows who you are.
You can update your picture, which I highly recommend. Use a picture with a little bit of a closer view, because this is the only way that people can see who you are since there’s no video sharing or other ways to share pictures. You can also have a lot of fun with your pictures, which I can go into at another time. But for now, just choose a picture that really says, “This is who I am.”
The other thing you’ll be able to do very quickly is to create your bio. And I don’t think that this is something you should just skip over. Yeah, I know. When you sign up on the app, you’re going to want to jump right into exploring Clubhouse and all that, but I do say, pause and create a bio.
Your bio should totally scream you, your personality, who you are. A couple of things that you need to understand with your bio on Clubhouse is that it is pure SEO, which means everything inside of your bio is searchable, including emojis. Emoji’s on this platform do equal content.
Another thing to know when setting up your bios, that the first three lines are super important, as these are the first things that people will see when they click on your profile or search. So that means the instant that they click on your picture to see your profile, those first three lines are the first things that show up. To see more of your bio, they have to take the second step and click again to see more details.
Another tip about Clubhouse is to do more listening than speaking. Don’t feel the need to actually jump in and speak on something or say anything if you don’t have anything to say or ask.
One of the things I love about Clubhouse is the amount of knowledge that is just dropped in so many of these rooms. So I spend a lot of time listening and learning more than I do actually speaking.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t participate. I mean, if you have the opportunity to participate and you have something you want to say that’s meaningful or a question you want to ask, then absolutely go ahead and do it. You’re on this platform to meet and connect with people, first and foremost.
This app is about building community and meeting other people. It’s not about being completely quiet and invisible. If you don’t have anything to say, that’s fine, but listen and learn more than actually trying to feed your ego or constantly sound like the expert in a room.
When you’re setting up your profile, I would also recommend that you do take the moment to set up your Instagram account and your Twitter account if you don’t already have profiles. Those are the only two social media accounts, right now, that you can link to Clubhouse. So it’s very important that you have your Instagram and Twitter accounts linked to your profile.
Another point being is that your Instagram account basically becomes your profile, or I would say your portfolio, for your Clubhouse account. So if you’re sharing any kind of content on there, it may be worth starting to now think about the types of content you’re putting on your Instagram. Since you are going to gain Instagram followers, considerably, being on Clubhouse.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Clubhouse also has no messaging system at all. You will be using your Instagram account as a means of communication, more than likely with the people you’re connecting with on Clubhouse. So especially, if you’re in a room and you’re talking, you would say, “Hey, DM me on my Instagram.”
When you’re setting up your bio, I would definitely put links to your other accounts, like your LinkedIn account, for sure. And any other accounts, rooms, groups or anything that you want people to follow you on. So you can put those links in there, but unlike your Instagram and Twitter profiles, they just won’t be connected.
Also, when you’re in a room, highly recommend that you follow the speakers in a room. So that way you can connect with them and get notified when they open up other rooms. To get notified, click the little bell next to that follow button, and you’ll get three notification frequency options. You want to click “Always,” so that way you will get notified whenever they open up other rooms. And there’s a lot of great people in Clubhouse that you might want to follow. Especially, if you have a connection with them and you want to jump in their rooms that they’re doing, this is an awesome way to stay notified.
Some other etiquette tips for Clubhouse are:
- To be kind and courteous
- Don’t cut off other people
- If you do raise your hand and you want to go up on stage, be thoughtful and quick, don’t be a mic hog
I’ve been in many, many rooms where the people get up on stage and they just talk and talk and talk and talk. When you’re up on stage and you’re asked to talk, keep your introduction short and sweet. Your name and what you do. Keep it to about 10 sec and then get to the point. We don’t want to hear 60 seconds about who you are and what you do before you get to the question or drop your knowledge or insight on something. There’s a lot of other people waiting to speak and it’s just being considerate.
I understand you want your time to shine, but you will have plenty of time to shine, especially when you open up your rooms. Also, people will remember you as a mic hog or somebody who talks forever. That will follow you around from room to room and get you blocked. So be thoughtful and quick.
Speaking of your time to shine, the best way to do that is to create your own community and start your own rooms. I know it could be a little daunting, but one of the greatest tips that I got when I first joined Clubhouse was just to create a room and if nobody shows up, that’s fine. Just talk, and I did just that.
I just started talking and hey, one person showed up in the very first room I did. Then they came up to the stage and we had a great conversation. Before I knew it, they were pinging other people in the room and it was great. So oftentimes, the hardest thing is taking that first step. So don’t be afraid to start your own room or start a room with somebody you really know, somebody you know you have a conversation with and just start it that way.
So this way, you warm up, you talk about it, you’re having a great conversation with somebody. If other people come in, be inviting, be courteous, invite them up to the stage, contribute to the conversation.
So hopefully, these quick Clubhouse tips help and I look forward to seeing you at Clubhouse. I’ll be posting more blogs about CH soon.
Make sure you connect with me @chrisvaglio.