Introduction
Have you heard of the social media platform Clubhouse? It is primarily an audio-only collaboration tool where “events” (meetings) are held in “rooms” and there are “clubs” covering various interests which can be joined/followed.
Clubhouse and My Club!
Each room has an audience and a stage. People on the stage can converse with each other by audio. The stage is managed by one or more “moderators,” AKA Mods. A moderator can bring someone in the audience up to the stage.
Clubhouse can be accessed by cell phone app only (Android and iOS). You can learn more about Clubhouse via the web at clubhouse.com.
It has been said that Clubhouse filled a need due to COVID-19 and the pandemic’s inherent restrictions regarding in-person meetings. At first Clubhouse was available only to iOS users, and I heard a lot about it but could not sign up and I knew I was missing out on something important. As an example, I was working with filmmaker Tamieka Briscoe during a fundraiser for her “QT Series” spin-off pilot, which I wrote about here. Clubhouse and its members (especially Tamieka’s “Mod Squad”) played a major role in the fundraising effort.
In May 2021 Clubhouse became available to Android users, and I immediately downloaded the app and signed up! I credit Tamieka with getting me to join.
I tend to frequent rooms where filmmakers, actors, and other entertainment-related people hang out (such as Tamieka’s club Indie AF). I engage on multiple social media platforms, but Clubhouse has enabled me to do something that had eluded me until now – I actually host my own show, which is an event in Clubhouse lingo. I created a club called Support Our #creatives – of course 🙂 . Here is what my club is all about:
Looking for:
–People who have a passion to support creatives working on projects (e.g., film, TV, theater, music, books, forming a business), but do not otherwise have a project of their own.
–Creatives working on such projects and are looking for someone to collaborate with.
What type of support can be offered? How to act upon it? How a relationship can be formed that is beneficial to both the “supporter” and the “creative?”
I schedule the show time in advance and provide a topic for discussion, but that is just a starting point and the discussion could go anywhere as the people in the room offer their thoughts. My usual time is Mondays at 8pmET/5pmPT.
Tips
Here are some tips I have picked up during my Clubhouse journey:
If you want to host a recurring event for your club, be consistent in the day of week/time.
If you open a room, you will be a moderator by default. But it is best to have at least one other person on the stage be a moderator. It is hard to hard to host and manage the stage alone, especially if there are lot of people on stage or the discussion gets out of control.
Be verbose in filling out your profile/bio – unlike other social media platforms, Clubhouse has no (obvious) limit to the size of a profile/bio. Anyone on Clubhouse can peek at your profile/bio, even while participating in a room. And don’t forget to provide an avatar, which is how you will appear on the Clubhouse screens.
When the moderator asks you to introduce yourself, be prepared to ask a question or comment on the topic at hand at that time, because you may not get a chance to speak again, especially on a stage with a large number of participants.
If you want to connect with important influencers in your area of interest, Clubhouse is the place to be. You never know who will show up in a room – including very well-known people!
Based on the people and clubs you follow, you can control what types of notifications you receive.
Conclusion
Clubhouse is HOT right now and I hope that continues, even as COVID-19 conditions are changing and more in-person get-togethers are possible. Besides making so many new connections, Clubhouse has allowed me to expand my comfort zone, as I offer my own weekly show on the platform. Participation in my show varies from week to week. But I must not get discouraged and continue to broadcast on a regular basis, the goal being to build my own distinct following or tribe or squad, whatever you want to call it.
Creatives out there, if you want me to interview you, please contact me. This will give you exposure to an audience in my “circle,” that you may not have reached before.
To my readers, please provide feedback or questions in the Comments. I would really enjoy hearing from you. And let me know if there are any topics you would like me to cover.
Disclaimer: The author is not being financially compensated by anyone associated with any project mentioned, for this post.
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