It’s safe to say that 2020 was the year of the TikTok. If you’re still trying to wrap your head around the video-sharing app (and wondering what the heck an “Addison Rae” is), I’ve got bad news for you – there’s already a new social network taking the world by storm. Introducing Clubhouse, an invite-only, audio based social media app.

So, what is it?

From celebrities such as Drake and Oprah, to politicians and experts on pretty much any topic you can think of, users can listen in to conversations, interviews and discussions. It’s like tuning into a podcast, except live, and with an added layer of exclusivity. Unlike a podcast, conversations on Clubhouse aren’t recorded, meaning if you miss an important conversation, you’re out of luck.

There are a few key words you’ll need to know to help you understand the platform. When you open the app, you’ll enter the hallway. This is your landing page, similar to your Facebook or Instagram feed. From the hallway you can scroll through and peek into different rooms. Rooms are the app’s main feature; this is where all the conversations happen. In each room you’ll find speakers, listeners, and moderators.

Moderators are those who open a room. Think of them like the host of a podcast – they can turn on or off the ability for audience members to raise their hands, invite members of the audience to speak, accept or reject requests from the audience to speak, and mute other speakers. As a speaker, you can mute and unmute your microphone and “raise your hand” to get on the stage to ask questions or join the conversation. As a listener, you won’t have access to the microphone, but you can join rooms and listen to the conversations.

The club feature allows users to create and join other private groups within the app that are tailored to your specific interests. You can only create a club once you have hosted a room at least three times.

Why should I care?

In December 2020, Clubhouse had around 600,000 weekly users – now that number is around 10 million. Recently, the app’s valuation reached $4 billion.

Clubhouse is a great way to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry. Back in January, Elon Musk hosted a conversation that quickly hit the cap of 5,000 listeners – as did one overflow room hosting a broadcast of his appearance, and another overflow room after that. Topics ranged from whether Musk believes in aliens, to AI, cryptocurrency, and the COVID-19 vaccine. To the surprise of everyone listening, towards the end he brought in Vlad Tenev, CEO of stock trading and investing app Robinhood, to discuss the Game Stop saga that upended Wall Street.

How can I use it for PR?

Firstly, you’ll need to have something to say. Musk’s appeal is that he doesn’t shy away from tricky questions or controversial topics, and people are interested in his opinion on pretty much everything.

Clubhouse rooms are set up and organised by shared interest, so people in each room already have a mutual investment in the conversation, and it’s a unique opportunity to reach a really niche and engaged audience. Brands can leverage this by positioning a spokesperson as a thought leader in their industry, setting up rooms (and perhaps eventually a club) to start sharing knowledge, or even hosting roundtable discussions.

Another opportunity is to engage with cultural themes or issues – Mini Cooper recently hosted its first Clubhouse event where it discussed its sustainability initiatives and the future of mobility. Other brands are using Clubhouse to disseminate news, almost like a virtual press conference – the founders of Bite Toothpaste hosted a room to share their founding story and apparently gained 30 new customers.

Clubhouse’s newly launched “Creator First” influencer program is also something PRs and brands should be keeping a close eye on.

As with any emerging platform, there’s a lack of analytics available and ROI will be difficult to measure. It’s important to remember that it’s not going to be a direct marketing activity that results in sales and lead generation for every business. Clubhouse is all about relationship building, which is an intangible but crucial part of PR.

Hundreds of journalists were in the audience of Musk’s aforementioned Clubhouse event, and a quick Google will show you why this was an extremely worthwhile PR exercise for the Tesla founder.

Even if you’re not ready to use Clubhouse yet, you should still sign up and start listening in. If you know someone who can invite you, great. If not, you can sign up to the waiting list – the app is planning to open up to the public in the coming months.