As Clubhouse gains momentum, content marketers are capitalizing on the personal feel of the platform to engage with their target audience. Clubhouse is a “live podcasting” social app that connects individuals around the world through audio chatrooms. And while most interactions on the app are not monetized, Clubhouse recently announced Clubhouse Payments, which allows users to send money to creators who they believe share valuable content.
Clubhouse is still fairly new, so there aren't necessarily any hard-and-fast strategies guaranteed to generate awareness and results for you and your business, but there are some tactics you can test out to see how they fit within your broader content strategy.
Here are six tips on how to incorporate Clubhouse into your content strategy:
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1. Host rooms that attract your target audience and encourage participation.
Unlike other social media platforms, a large following is not as essential on Clubhouse. Instead, users can narrow down their “hallways” on the basis of their personal interests. Anyone in a particular hallway will see chatrooms based on that specific interest, such as “small business.” If your company serves small business owners, you would want to host a room that is well-labeled and clearly applicable to that specific audience.
Clubhouse rooms should be educational and helpful. Come prepared to educate and encourage your listeners and offer useful content to them. For example, if you're trying to add value to small business owners through your Clubhouse strategy, you could host a room called “Small Business Marketing in a Post-Pandemic World.” A title like that could encourage small business owners to join your room in order to learn helpful tips. We recommend scheduling your room in advance and promoting your session on other social media platforms to generate interest.
And remember: Don’t spend the entire time speaking. Leave space for listeners to raise their hands and ask questions. This is when you can interact personally and offer to connect with attendees outside of Clubhouse.
2. Host panels with other content marketers to establish your voice in your industry.
I've found that Clubhouse rooms with one host typically don't gather a large audience. Panel rooms tend to attract more listeners because users feel like these types of rooms provide more value in exchange for their time. Plus, rather than one person promoting the room, the entire panel will be doing so, allowing you to promote the room to a larger audience ahead of time.
After you host a few small rooms and get comfortable with the app, start to connect with other industry professionals and ask them to join a panel. (After all, Clubhouse encourages collaboration, not competition.) Limit your panel to seven or fewer moderators so you can give everyone ample time to speak during a one-hour room.
Ahead of time, brainstorm with your panel about important industry topics your group should cover that will benefit the audience. For example, you could host a panel of social media professionals to discuss the potential impact of Apple’s privacy laws on small business advertising.
3. Join other rooms your target audience listens to, and raise your hand to offer insightful feedback.
Clubhouse users value the app for the authentic conversations that are shared. Listeners won’t appreciate it if you raise your hand just to give a sales pitch and not participate in the conversation. Join clubs that are relevant to your target audience, and pop into various chatrooms that speak to your customer base.
When you join a room, first and foremost, listen. Listen to users' questions and the issues they're facing. Great content marketing focuses on how you can solve a customer’s problem. Clubhouse grants you the opportunity to solve a customer’s problem in real time. If you hear someone in your target audience voice a concern or issue that you can solve, raise your hand and offer helpful tips and feedback. This builds trust with the listeners of that room, and then they might be more willing to reach out to you outside of Clubhouse for more information. (Plus, they might give you a follow on Clubhouse and attend your future rooms to learn more.)
4. Always introduce yourself and your company before speaking.
When you raise your hand in a chatroom and get on stage, introduce yourself with your name, role, company, and specialty. Here's an example of a great introduction: “Hi, I’m Rachel, and I’m a content writer at The Company. I specialize in partnering with small businesses in their digital marketing efforts.” This automatically labels you as a professional and a potential resource to listeners. A great introduction prompts listeners to pull up your bio while you talk and scroll through your skills and experience.
While the goal of talking in a chatroom is not a sales pitch, it is acceptable to mention your company when you begin speaking. After you finish your question or your helpful advice, it is Clubhouse best practice to end with: “This is Rachel, and I am done speaking.” This signals to the moderators that you are ready to move back down into the general audience.
5. Write an informative bio that prompts users to engage.
Acquaint yourself with the bios of other content marketers, and you’ll notice a few important similarities.
Clubhouse bios:
• Are usually long.
• Include emojis.
• List who you are and why people should talk to you.
• Link to Instagram and Twitter accounts.
• Include websites and outside resources.
Don’t be intimidated by content marketers who have a huge following on Clubhouse. Remember that users can find your rooms and clubs without following you. Many other content marketers have been working on their Clubhouse strategy for months and have built up a large audience. Other well-known marketing industry leaders have joined recently and are in the same boat as you with fewer than 100 followers.
As you get started, just make sure your bio is informative and eye-catching and, of course, includes a call to action that encourages further engagement. And always link to your Instagram and Twitter accounts to allow users to connect with you outside of the app.
6. Always issue a call to action when hosting a room.
When you host a Clubhouse room, take the opportunity to issue a call to action and direct listeners to your website or social media pages for a special offer. Again, this is not a sales pitch; it is an opportunity to give away a free e-book or discount for the listeners who took the time to participate in your room. This creates more touchpoints and allows you to use gated content to gather contact information for continued engagement (a key part of an effective content marketing strategy).
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Another important tip: Don’t give all your secrets away on Clubhouse. If a user raises their hand and asks a question related to your company or services, take the opportunity to say: “Thank you for your question. I won’t take the time in this room to chat about my services, but please go to my bio and DM me on Instagram. I’d be happy to talk more there.” This reiterates that you are not on Clubhouse to make sales pitches but to add value. And, of course, it gives you a great opportunity to connect personally with a user outside of the platform. You can use Clubhouse to grow your Instagram and Twitter following and monetize there.
Can Clubhouse bring value to your content marketing strategy? Absolutely. Clubhouse is a great platform to reach your target audience and help people solve their problems in a personalized way. And then you might even have the opportunity to connect with these new contacts outside of the app and turn them into leads for your business. Now is the time to join and grow with the app.
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