We’ve been using (for many folks overusing applies) social media apps for many years, and while one could claim that platforms such as Twitter and Facebook allow us to be storytellers to some extent, the result is a stream of post/comment back & forth, a sort of tag you’re it style of communication. Zoom upped the ante by enabling group chats, with video to boot, but the platform works best within predefined, scheduled rooms. Clubhouse breaks with all of those traditions, and in doing so highlights storytelling.
With the pandemic keeping people close to home, what the world needed was a way to replicate the dynamics of a live conference - a place where people can hear speakers in rooms - panels, keynotes, conversations - and then ask questions by handing them the microphone. If you’ve missed that format but are stuck inside, welcome to Clubhouse.
It’s about rooms, topics, moderators and audience
So how does this revolutionary app work? While the answer to that question exceeds the space I have available in this article (just search for Clubhouse, you will find blog posts and videos galore) so I’ll offer you a condensed version. Just a toe in the water.
Clubhouse is audio only (no video and no messaging), so just people speaking. That’s where rooms come in. Anyone can create a room on just about any topic, and folks on the app can pop in and listen to the conversation. The rooms are divided between the people on the stage - where all the speaking happens - and those out in the audience.
Rooms are run by a moderator (or a group of moderators) who can invite people in the audience up to the stage to offer their story / insights / opinions or ask questions of a speaker already on stage. Audience members can also raise their hand if they want the opportunity to speak on stage, but a moderator must approve moving them to a stage.
In one sense, as with all other social platforms, everyone starts out on equal footing. But similar to how all the other social apps work, it doesn’t take long for influencers and celebrities to appear. That means some rooms expand into the hundreds, or the thousands in some cases. It can be quite an affair when 5,000 people show up.
As with other social apps, there is a process of following and being followed, which allows you to create a personal community of your choosing. Keep your world small, conversely aim for thousands of followers, it’s up to you.
Rooms can be small and intimate for casual chats
Some people love the big rooms - we’re cool since we’re in a popular room, or so some would have us believe. On the other end of the spectrum, small rooms provide a way to have intimate conversations, like hanging out with friends in a coffee shop. Clubhouse even allows people to run limited and/or private rooms.
During my first few days on Clubhouse I reconnected with someone I had met a few years ago. They pulled me up onto a stage in a room with hundreds of people in the audience. It’s all virtual, of course, but there’s still an edge of nervousness when you realize lots of people are listening to your every word. While on that stage I became acquainted with another speaker, and days later we ended up in a room to ourselves.
It speaks to the random and whimsical nature of Clubhouse, as my newfound friend opened a room because her cat was complaining that she spent too much time with strangers on Clubhouse. Thus was born a random room on Conversations with a cat.
Rooms can be a space for sharing serious, impactful stories
Where I see the real impact of Clubhouse coming into play is when a small group of friends band together and create a room that focuses on a a specific topic. A subject which most likely would not make it into the daily news cycle. A bit like a blog, or a podcast, but with a group discussion and audience participation.
Such was the case when an artist described an exhibition that she had created to allow visitors to experience life as a blind girl, if only for a brief time. America and Portugal, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, as well as Singapore were all represented on the stage. The conversation took listeners on a unique journey into a world of compassion / empathy.
I’ll share a bit more on the storytelling paradigm within Clubhouse in my next article, exploring the creation and operation of Clubs on Clubhouse. Ha, pretty slick branding. (Since it’s an app with global reach, stories are unfolding 24/7, and on every continent.)
I hope that you enjoyed this post. If so, please share your wisdom and insights below. And don’t forget to subscribe. You can also find me on LinkedIn and Twitter, or even drop me a line with any thoughts or questions you may have about your storytelling.