• by Brenda Martinez , April 16, 2021

If the social media landscape was already awash with auditory content, then the last few months have opened the floodgates. In the midst came Clubhouse: an invite-only, audio-centric platform transforming the cultural landscape.

Remove allSound isn't exclusive to Clubhouse. it's integral to every social platform. Vine soundbites still proliferate as memes and TikTok trades in sounds; trends are led by song snippets and verbal calls-to-action, often setting up impactful transitions with the perfect background music. But visual components are still necessary in most social apps, from TikTok to Instagram to YouTube, and that visibility can be a trap.

Clubhouse, in contrast, strips away the visibility that encourages social performance. When you drop in on a Clubhouse conversation, you don't need to look presentable or check yourself out the way we do on Zoom calls. And, unlike the semi-permanence of most platforms, Clubhouse content is ephemeral.

That content also has that elusive, off-the-cuff edge other platforms strive for. And because Clubhouse relies on your phone's functions, conversations often feel like phone calls, complete with sonic textures. From the distinct city soundscapes of LA and NY to the regular glitches of any phone line, Clubhouse has a distinct je ne sais quoi that other platforms lack and that makes it appealing to brands. So, how can brands cut through the new noise of Clubhouse? 

Collaborate with your creative network. Clubhouse is constantly growing. It's currently clocked in at 10 million-plus downloads, 2 million weekly users, and an average dwell time of 11-22 hours per week. To stand out among the fray, tap your existing creative network. By leveraging the existing cultural ties of your brand, you can offer unique access to cultural figures and conversations.

Lean into the intimacy. Unlike other platforms, Clubhouse is unscripted and unpolished, inspiring a distinct intimacy by providing a space for conversations that break down traditional barriers. Consider how you can give the everyday user and follower a new kind of insider look at your brand by throwing some of the pretense out the window.

Play with the format. Clubhouse rooms are usually a variation of a themed conversation — but that's not the only way to engage. Users are remixing rooms to create distinct sonic experiences, from ambient playlists to DJ sets, to rooms with guided meditations, and even a room where people can let off some steam by moaning like whales. For example, last December, Black creatives put on a whole production of “The Lion King”for a weekend.

To engage on Clubhouse, consider creating new types of live branded experiences by crafting distinct soundscapes that tell novel brand stories that can be integrated into your brand’s environments.

As Clubhouse competitors continue to pop up and as we move out of quarantine, the platforms that sustained us during the pandemic will continue to shape our mindscape. But the future of social will focus on sound, and new experiential platforms will create new languages to differentiate from the visual codes of older platforms and the performance of newer ones.