There's been a lot of buzz about Clubhouse over the last year, leaving some people to wonder what all the fuss and commotion is about. While new apps come and go all the time, Clubhouse has managed to stand out as one of the most unique app releases in recent memory.
When it comes to social networking apps, most people think of services like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. People create text or photo/video posts, other users can like and comment on those things, and it's an endless list to scroll through whenever opening one of these apps. It's a design that has its purpose and works well for the apps mentioned above, but that's not to say it's the only way a social media platform can operate.
Clubhouse is a social networking app in its most basic sense, but the way people interact is considerably different. After opening the Clubhouse app, users are presented with a list of virtual rooms to join. Each room features a small group of speakers talking about any topic imaginable. In contrast, the rest of the users are audience members that sit back and listen to the conversation at hand. The entire experience is audio-only, with users able to switch between rooms whenever they'd like, request to speak in one of these rooms, or create their own room for others to join. Users can never turn on their camera to stream video or use text to say something. As noted in a blog post, the company says, "Clubhouse is voice-only, and we think voice is a very special medium. With no camera on, you don’t have to worry about eye contact, what you’re wearing, or where you are."
Why Clubhouse Has Become So Popular
There are a couple of key reasons for Clubhouse's success, the first having to do with the timing of its release. Clubhouse initially launched in April 2020. That's shortly after much of the world shut down due to rising COVID-19 cases, resulting in many people staying at home and rarely leaving their houses. Clubhouse emerged as a way for folks to stay connected in a more personable way than Twitter or Facebook, yet also feels much more private than seeing someone face-to-face.
There's also the fact Clubhouse was (and still is) a fairly exclusive app. Clubhouse was limited to the iPhone for over a year after its launch, with the Android app only rolling out in May 2021. Even more noteworthy is that, while it remains in beta, Clubhouse can only be used with an invite. Anyone can download the app and begin the sign-up process, but without an invite, there's no getting in. Existing Clubhouse users can easily invite new members that want to join, but even so, the notion of being part of an app that not everyone can use has helped Clubhouse feel more unique and exciting.
It's hard to say what the future holds for Clubhouse, but at least right now in 2021, it's one of the hottest social apps on the market. New features like original shows and creator tipping aim to keep driving Clubhouse forward over the coming months/years, which is important considering how many competing apps have tried copying its formula. Since its debut, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, LinkedIn, Spotify, and others have unveiled their own Clubhouse-like features. Whether or not Clubhouse itself sticks around for the long haul remains to be seen, but what is certain is that it's already had a massive impact on the way people think about social media. And that, friends, is no small feat.
Source: Clubhouse