Here’s how you can join Clubhouse, the invite-only social media app people are talking about
Looks like we're giving Instagram, Twitter, and Spotify a break because we just discovered an app that allows us to learn, converse, and make new friends—but, we have to wait for an invitation to get in.
This social media platform we're talking about is Clubhouse. It's an exclusive members-only social media app that is purely audio. Yes, you cannot post a video of yourself dancing to a challenge or share what you just had for lunch—we have other apps for those. But in Clubhouse, you can find "rooms" that you can join to listen to or participate in a conversation.
And because people are craving for more ways to socialize, while praciticing social distancing and limiting outdoor activities, Clubhouse's timing couldn't be more perfect.
"We think voice is a very special medium," wrote Clubhouse CEOs Paul Davison and Rohan Seth in the app's blog. "Our goal was to build a social experience that felt more human—where instead of posting, you could gather with other people and talk," wrote Davison. The Clubhouse CEO also shared that they wanted something that will make a person feel better after leaving a talk "because you had deepened friendships, met new people and learned."
Interact with celebrities and industry professionals
You can drop-in (or create) on any conversation that interests you—be it a discussion on skincare, politics, film, or perform in a standup comedy, there was even a room for an audition for the US tour of Dreamgirls broadway. These rooms are essentialy a one-time event only, meaning, no recordings of the discussion will be saved on the platform. So, you better set your alarms if you're eyeing on a scheduled talk.
"The thing we love most is how voice can bring people together. No matter where you live in the world or what networks you have access to, in Clubhouse you can be in the room—often with people whose lived experience has been very different from your own," the CEOs said.
That said, Clubhouse is a platform where celebrities, professionals, and experts from across the globe are able to lecture and share stories. Famous celebrities and entrepreneurs who use Clubhouse include Oprah, Drake, Jared Leto, Ashton Kutcher, MC Hammer, Kevin Hart, Elon Musk, and many more.
To join, someone has to invite you
... for now. While the app isn't available to everyone yet (you need to ask someone who's already using the app to invite you, plus it's only available to iOS users), it is with a reason.
"We think it’s important to grow communities slowly," the CEOs wrote. "This helps ensure that things don’t break, keeps the composition of the community diverse, and allows us to tune the product as it grows."
Eventually, hopefully this year, Clubhouse will made available to everyone including Android users, adding more accessibility and localization features.