What do live audio chat rooms, voice messaging, podcasts, and on-the-go audio creation tools have in common? They all belong to the recent wave of new social audio experiences that have revolutionized how we use social media.
Social audio is the newest way that people are connecting with one another through the power of sound. At a time when back-to-back Zoom calls and doomscrolling habits have caused users of social media to develop screen fatigue, social audio—also known as voice-based social media—has arisen as a hands-free and more intimate alternative for chatting with friends and listening to stories and experiences from all around the world.
In this article
- What Is Clubhouse?
- How is Clubhouse tied to the audio revolution?
- Does Clubhouse have metrics that marketers can use to gain insight into their audience?
- What makes Clubhouse a unique opportunity for marketing?
- What strategies would you recommend marketers use in order to build brand awareness on Clubhouse?
- Clubhouse Is the Next Big Channel for Brand Marketers
While a number of social media services have started to branch into the audio space, the platform that has positioned itself at the forefront of the social audio revolution is Clubhouse. Let’s explore how the embryonic app changed the game for social audio, and how marketers can tap into it to share their message with the world.
JUMP TO SECTION:
What Is Clubhouse?
How is Clubhouse tied to the audio revolution?
Does Clubhouse have metrics that marketers can use to gain insight into their audience?
What strategies would you recommend marketers use in order to build brand awareness on Clubhouse?
Clubhouse Is the Next Big Channel for Brand Marketers
What Is Clubhouse?
Clubhouse is an audio-only social network that facilitates group conversations around topics of interest. Clubhouse differs from other social networks in that voice is the exclusive means of communication with other members of the Clubhouse community.
On Clubhouse, you cannot write text messages, post photos (other than your profile picture), or share videos. Rather, you engage in active listening in rooms that are run by clubs and facilitated by moderators. To speak, you raise your hand. Once on stage, you wait to be called upon, at which point you can unmute your microphone to introduce yourself and ask a question or make a comment. All communication is carried out through the use of your voice.
How is Clubhouse tied to the audio revolution?
Brands that haven’t yet appointed brand spokespeople urgently ought to do so. Brand spokespeople can speak on behalf of a company, either as an official spokesperson providing voice over reads and on-camera appearances, or as an employee serving in an equivalent capacity through a voice tweet or speaking authentically on social audio apps like Clubhouse.
A brand spokesperson can help establish a company’s sonic brand by providing a consistent sound and echoing a brand’s personality and values.
Brands have long established how they live out their values, and have additionally gone to lengths to reflect these values through their visual identity. They are now reevaluating how to express their values through audio. This often comes down to having qualified, trustworthy spokespeople who can live out their brand values as well as speak confidently about the latest from their company.
Does Clubhouse have metrics that marketers can use to gain insight into their audience?
Like most social platforms, Clubhouse enables users to follow others on the platform. So, if you run a club, you can see how many users are following you. Users have the option to either follow or become a member of a club. Becoming a member of a club facilitates a higher level of engagement, because members are notified of upcoming events, called ‘meeting rooms,’ within a club.
When a meeting room is occurring, moderators are able to see how many people are in attendance. As a means of driving further engagement, a moderator who is running a room can poll the audience and ask for a show of hands, at which point they can view how many people have raised their hand: another indication of engagement during an event.
Attendance, as well as hand-raises, are indications of activity within a room. The more engagement within a room can give you higher visibility in the hallway, a public area of Clubhouse where users can see what’s going on across all clubs.
Because Clubhouse is still relatively new, having at least 40 people in your room will cause your club to be featured in the Hallway.
What makes Clubhouse a unique opportunity for marketing?
Some marketers are best at describing and promoting their brand visually. Others excel verbally. In the absence of live events and conferences, public speakers or thought leaders at many companies have been sidelined.
Now, with the emergence of Clubhouse, there’s a renewed interest in their expertise as well as a venue where they can communicate any time, anywhere, while still accessing a global audience.
Public speakers have once again been provided with the opportunity to speak on the main stage.
What strategies would you recommend marketers use in order to build brand awareness on Clubhouse?
It’s likely that marketers have already migrated to Clubhouse, as they are typically early adopters of new technologies and platforms where there’s a growing audience (especially in circumstances where a user base is growing to an exponential degree, like Clubhouse currently is).
For those already on Clubhouse, get engaged. First, start by listening. Drop in on some rooms that align with your interests, listen to the conversation that’s occurring, and be bold enough to raise your hand, speak, and add value to the room.
Once you’ve accumulated a track record of engagement, you will be granted the ability to create a club of your own. It’s likely wisest to name your first club after the brand you represent to secure your brand name.
Once you’ve secured your club name (the club for your brand), you can create a schedule of events discussing a broad range of topics, so long as they fall under the umbrella of your club. You can even establish club rules, such as be kind to one another, show respect for the person speaking at present, no interruptions, and no explicit or off-color language.
As the owner of the club, you also serve double duty as moderator when meeting rooms occur. You have the power to remove users from the room, or even take it a step further and remove them from the club altogether. In our experience, users have been exceedingly respectful in their conversations and communication with one another.
Clubhouse Is the Next Big Channel for Brand Marketers
It’s undeniable that social audio is on the up, representing a golden opportunity for marketers to forge their own path and build a presence where their listeners are spending their leisure time.
One of the greatest benefits of reaching your audience on Clubhouse relates to the fact that users of Clubhouse are often more focused than audiences who are served generic TV or radio ads, which can lead to increased brand awareness.
Clubhouse enables brands and corresponding thought leaders to facilitate deeper conversations and engage with their audience in an authentic and personal manner fostered by the connective spirit of the human voice.
Find your brand spokesperson and hone your sonic presence by signing up for Voices and hiring a creative professional who can get the job done.
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