Kimberly Reach

A Brand Review of the Social Media App Clubhouse

What is Clubhouse?

Clubhouse launched in 2020 as an iPhone only app available by invite only. Clubhouse experience a surge of popularity during the global pandemic, when individuals were isolated at home due to lockdowns and socially-distanced work environments. In May of 2021, Clubhouse released an Android version of its app but still remained by invite only. This meant that to create a profile on Clubhouse, users needed to receive an invitation by existing Clubhouse users. Individuals who did not receive an invitation could submit a request to create a profile. Periodically, Clubhouse would accept users on this request list, though users who submitted a request were not given a timeframe on when or if this request would be granted. In July of 2021, Clubhouse opened up the app to all users, allowing anyone to create a profile without requiring an invite, but the waitlist system remained in place.

Once a profile is created, users can listen, host, or speak in “Rooms” and join topic-based “Clubs” with other users. These Rooms are audio-forums centered around a specific topic that users can discuss. Users can view scheduled upcoming Rooms in the calendar feature and choose to be notified when those Rooms are live. Users can also follow other user profiles or Clubs to receive notifications for when those users or Clubs create Rooms.

Features such as “Backchannel,” a way for users to message each other on the app, have been slowly rolled out. Backchannel became available in the summer of 2021, over a year after Clubhouse’s launch. Push notification settings were updated in the summer of 2021. Before this update, users could select to receive all notifications, “fewer notifications,” or “pause” notifications. The update allows users to adjust notification settings for specific features, such as rooms, messages, and trends. Clubhouse also introduced monetization on the platform, called Clubhouse Payments, but as of August 2021 has not included accessibility features such as closed captions in the app.

Comparative competing brand

Clubhouse is a new social media app that offered unique functionality at the time of its launch: a drop-in audio format. It is a small brand with nine employees and, within a year of its launch, its competitors are social media platform category leaders: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. According to Statista, Facebook has 2,853 million active users (2021) and Twitter has 397 million active users (2021). LinkedIn follows with 310 million active users (OmniCore, 2021), while Clubhouse trails with 10 million active users (Rosenbaum, 2021).

Facebook, a worldwide technology leader, introduced audio functionality in April 2021, two months after Clubhouse’s most successful month. Along with Facebook’s social media features, users will be able to join Audio Rooms, listen to podcasts, and send audio clips to connections (Facebook, 2021) without leaving Facebook’s app. In November 2020, shortly after Clubhouse launched, Twitter introduced Spaces, its audio feature, to select users (Rodrigues, 2021). In May 2021, Twitter made Spaces available to all Twitter users. And in April 2021, LinkedIn released Audio Rooms onto its platform (Social Media Dissect, 2021).

The audio features are integrated into the existing social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Users are able to participate in audio rooms while enjoying all of the extensive features of the category leaders, such as engaging with content or other users. These established platforms offer accessibility for disabled users, multiple features and settings that allow users to customize their experience, and functionality integrated in the platform. For example, a Facebook user can watch a video, leave a comment on the video, “like” the video, and share the video with a friend without leaving the Facebook platform. From there, the user can chat with a friend about the video and discover similar videos still within the Facebook platform. If the user desires to engage with different types of content, the user can read posts, view images, or participate in Facebook’s newly released audio features.

A user on Clubhouse does not have access to the variety of features available on the social media category leaders. Prior to the release of Backchannel, users had to leave the Clubhouse platform to message other users. Clubhouse users can only participate in drop-in audio rooms on the Clubhouse platform. There are no feeds for users to scroll, content to consume, or methods of sharing content. The audio rooms are only available to users who participate at the time the Room is being hosted. There is no audio content available on the app that is not live. The lack of feed or content variation drives users use other social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, to promote Clubhouse audio rooms, once again bringing users off of the Clubhouse platform. With the availability and accessibility of audio features on social media category leader platforms, users may wonder what benefit Clubhouse offers.

Strengths

However, Clubhouse has benefited from a surge in popularity. In February of 2021, Clubhouse had 9.6 million downloads of its app (Canales, 2021). The drop-in audio-forum presentation of the platform resonated with users and welcomed them to “sit back and listen to the conversation at hand” (Maring, 2021). During the invite-only phase of Clubhouse, it was speculated that being part of an exclusive app “helped Clubhouse feel more unique and exciting” (Maring, 2021). This would imply that a strength of Clubhouse is making users feel important or special.

Weaknesses

Even so, Clubhouse lacks recognizable branding. Instead of featuring a recognizable branded icon on a user’s smartphone, Clubhouse features a black and white image of an artist, selected by their accomplishments or advocacy. This technique, while giving the appearance of promoting creators, provides no recognizable app branding on a user’s smartphone. Distinctive branding not only provides exposure of the brand to users, but also helps users locate the desired app on their phone. Without a consistent icon, users must remember the Clubhouse icon changes each month and identify the changes when they happen.

In June of 2021, the Clubhouse icon featured “Brazilian creator Dandara Pagu” (Cohen, 2021), shown in Figure 1, who is known as “an activist, a producer, a leader in body positivity and a fighter for human rights” (Cohen 2021). While it is appealing to have a brand recognize the work of contemporary artists and human rights advocates, the Clubhouse app itself does not identify who the face on the icon is nor does the app promote the artist’s work or advocacy efforts to users while their face is featured on the icon.

Figure 1

Dandara Pagu, creator

Instead, Clubhouse writes a blog post off the app that they post on their website introducing the new “app icon” (Clubhouse, Meezy, 2021). When Justin “Meezy” Williams, shown in Figure 2, became the July 2021 app icon for Clubhouse, his featured blog included information about his hobbies, links to his club, and his activities on Clubhouse (Clubhouse, Meezy, 2021). The blog post did not include information as to why his image was chosen as the app icon, if he will be compensating for lending his image to Clubhouse, or information about the partnership agreement between the chosen creator and Clubhouse. Because of this lack of communication, it can appear that Clubhouse is leveraging creators only for the benefit of its brand instead of compensating and supporting creators in a meaningful way.

Figure 2

Justin “Meezy” Williams, entrepreneur and manager

The app is also inaccessible to disabled users. Clubhouse did not include accessibility features in its development or beta testing. These features are allegedly being included in later rollouts of the app (Sanchez, 2021). This has meant that disabled individuals have been intentionally excluded from participating on the platform since Clubhouse’s launch in 2020. Clubhouse does not support or include text resizing, screen reading software, closed captions, transcriptions, or sign language interpretation (Sanchez, 2021). Any individual or brand that chooses to grow a following on Clubhouse would be knowingly and willingly excluding the disabled community from their conversations because Clubhouse lacks accessibility features. It is a grievous failing that Clubhouse excluded accessibility features in the development and beta testing phases and to launch without communicating when these features will be added.

Profile of the primary target market

Clubhouse appeals to smartphone users within the millennial demographic. The socioeconomic and regional backgrounds vary. Clubhouse appeals to the millennial audience that prefers to rebrand somewhat familiar activities, such as phone calls or radio shows. This social media app makes that type of functionality available to users that may not host their own radio shows or podcast, dislike the pressure and intimacy of phone calls, and who maybe want to listen to users in their demographic talk about topics of interest. This demographic may not have the ability to travel distances for meetings or conferences and may appreciate the convenience of connecting in a social, low-pressure environment from wherever they are listening in from, whether they are at home, at work, or commuting. This demographic also appreciates being able to engage and create communities with users of different backgrounds from around the world.

Brand Report Card

List of graded items in priority order

Exceptional user experience: 4 out of 10

An intuitive user interface: 5 out of 10

The platform is transparent in communications: 4 out of 10

Privacy and security settings are easy to adjust and user data policies are clearly stated: 4 out of 10

Users can easily report concerns and actions taken by the platform are communicated: 3 out of 10

Users can engage with the platform: 3 out of 10

Grade assigned to the brand

Overall score: 38%

Value of each graded item

Exceptional user experience: 4 out of 10

The user experience is the most important aspect of a social media app. This is what motivates users to open the app, engage with the content, and create positive feedback loops of inviting new users and engaging with existing users. The interesting audio room feature is the positive factor when using Clubhouse, but this is often diminished by the quality of the audio conversations. The audio room may lack a moderator or satisfactory speakers which can negatively impact the user experience. Unfortunately, Clubhouse offers users an unbranded, skeleton interface with unpolished features, shown in Figure 3.

The Clubhouse logo does not appear on any of the menus within the app, such as the feed where rooms are displayed, within the user settings, or within the audio rooms. The background of the app is a bland beige, which does not seem to connect to the bright yellow emoji hand on their logo. The user profile pages are sparse, with external links displaying the logos to competitor social media platforms, displayed in Figure 4. Users name audio rooms using a frenzy of emojis, contributing to the unpolished and unfinished look of the app as well as to the inaccessibility for disabled users.

While the app itself is not hard to navigate, the aesthetics and branding of the app do not compete with category leaders. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn feature highly branded, intentional user experiences on their platforms, which is not the user experience on Clubhouse. Because of this, the Clubhouse app provides a user experience that feels as though the app is still in testing. Combined with a lack of accessibility, the app receives a four out of 10 points for user experience.

Figure 3

Three screenshots of the Clubhouse app

An intuitive user interface: 5 out of 10

The second most important aspect of a social media platform is an intuitive interface. This interface should make sense to users, allowing them to easily find content and settings without training or support. This prevents users from being frustrated while engaging on the platform and encourages them to remain active on the platform. The algorithm of the platform should locate and promote content the user will find engaging without interfering with the user’s experience. Clubhouse again fails at presenting a seamless experience to the user. While it is relatively easy to create a profile and begin participating in audio rooms, users who are put on the waitlist do not receive communications regarding the status. This can make users wonder if they completed the process correctly or if the system registered their request.

The profile pages of users are strange to view, shown in Figure 4. The design makes the profile pages look incomplete and many profiles require multiple clicks to view the complete page, such as when viewing a profile with a long bio while participating in an audio room. This feels to the user like the profile pages are not populating correctly in the app. The profile pages also do not show snippets or additional information about the linked content, such as the name of the person who invited the user to Clubhouse or the Clubs the user is a member of. This discourages users from clicking on links and staying on Clubhouse. Because of this lack of information or context, this makes the logos to competitor social media apps appear more appealing and familiar to users.

Since the process to create a profile and begin participating on Clubhouse is intuitive, it receives five out of 10 points. It is important that new users can easily begin engaging on the platform. However, the interface desires improvements in order to retain users.

Figure 4

A screenshot of Kimberly Reach’s user profile

The platform is transparent in communications: 4 out of 10

This aspect, as well as the rest of the aspects on the brand report card, rank lower in priority to user experience and user interface. When weighed together, these remaining aspects contribute to perception of a brand and, because of that, are a factor on the brand report card.

Clubhouse does not have transparent communications with users. All touchpoints for users are shrouded in mystery, from when accessibility features for disabled users will be prioritized in the app or when users can expect to move off the waitlist and be able to create a profile. Clubhouse does not communicate clear and consistent branding on a user’s smartphone. The push notifications are presented with the yellow palm emoji, but this emoji does not appear anywhere else in the app. Clubhouse updates the app icon monthly with a black and white photo of a creator, but does not tell users when this change will happen, why a creator was selected, if the creator was compensated, or contact information for the creator. The Clubhouse blog on its website does not answer these questions either, instead presenting an empty interview lacking actionable content about the creator or Clubhouse as a brand.

Clubhouse receives points for having a blog with external links, but receives a low score of four out of 10 points for overall poor communication.

Privacy and security settings are easy to adjust and user data policies are clearly stated: 4 out of 10

Clubhouse receives a low score for privacy and security settings as well, coming in a four out of 10 points. Privacy and security settings are accessed when a user selects to view their profile, then selects the gear icon in the upper-right hand corner, shown in Figure 4. From there, a user is brough to their settings menu, shown in Figure 5. The settings menu allows for some adjustments to notification settings, but privacy and security questions are answered off the Clubhouse app and in the smartphone mobile browser. This makes it difficult to read and navigate Clubhouse’s privacy and security settings and to find how Clubhouse uses and stores user data.

Figure 5

A screenshot of Kimberly Reach’s user settings

Users can easily report concerns and actions taken by the platform are communicated: 3 out of 10

Clubhouse receives a low score of three out of 10 points the ability of users to report concerns and how Clubhouse follows up on with users on concerns they reported. A user can report an incident with Clubhouse by clicking on another user’s profile, finding the three dots in the upper-right hand corner of the profile, and selecting “Report an incident.” This process is not communicated with the user. Users are left to discover this on their own. Once a report is filed, Clubhouse does not communicate with the user again and the actions taken regarding the report are unknown. This lack of transparency and difficulty in reporting incidents can make users feel that the social media platform is not regulated and their safety is not a priority, reducing trust in the platform.

Users can engage with the platform: 3 out of 10

Compared to category leaders, Clubhouse does not present opportunities for users to engage with a variety of content in various ways while on the platform. Clubhouse does not feature a feed with user generated content, ways to create content on the platform, or the ability to share previously created content. Clubhouse offers audio rooms that users can participate in as the audio rooms are taking place. Users can now use Backchannel to message other users, but this is a private chat option and not a public feed. Audio rooms cannot be recorded or shared off Clubhouse after the event. This functionality limits the opportunities for users to engage with the platform, reducing the amount of time spent on the platform and the motivation to be active on the platform.

Final cumulative grade

Clubhouse receives a low grade of 38%. This score will impact how satisfactory the target audience finds the platform and whether or not they will continue to engage with the platform. Users who are drawn to the features may continue to use Clubhouse, but, as category leaders introduce similar, integrated features with superior functionality that keeps users on their platforms, Clubhouse will continue to lose new and existing users. Additionally, without accessibility features, Clubhouse is choosing to exclude disabled users and those users’ connections within the target demographic.

Recommendations

Clubhouse has positioned itself against the social media giants Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. It is hard to think of a scenario where Clubhouse’s small team outcompetes these category leaders, but it is possible to position Clubhouse as an alternative social media platform, such as Pinterest, Reddit, and Tumblr. These alternative platforms maintain a loyal following by narrowing their target demographics to specific individuals and delivering customized and relevant content. The user experience and user interface of Reddit and Tumblr are competitive with Clubhouse, with Pinterest providing superior user experience and user interface. As has been stated throughout this report, Clubhouse must incorporate accessibility features for all users.

I recommend that Clubhouse stop competing with category leaders and instead focus on alternative social media platforms. This may reduce the excitement the platform has generated over the past year, but Clubouse does not offer features competitive against category leaders. To achieve this, Clubhouse would need to re-evaluate its target audience and re-position itself to appeal to this audience. Identifying the narrow and specific target demographic of ideal users will allow Clubhouse to tailor brand-messaging and position the app in a way that appeals to this demographic.

This will also assist Clubhouse in identifying features that are important to its target demographic. Currently, Clubhouse is attempting to compete with social media category leaders that offer extensive features and functionality with recognizable brands. Consumers know what to expect when engaging with content on these apps. After spending time on Clubhouse, I recommend that Clubhouse incorporate easily identifiable branding on all user touchpoints on the app. This will confirm for users that they are receiving a Clubhouse experience while engaging with the app. More extensively, Clubhouse should consider which features it must develop to keep their target audience engaged on the app. This could mean the ability to record audio rooms and provide a feed of pre-recorded rooms or incorporate a feed where users can promote upcoming audio rooms. Users must be able to create positive feedback loops without leaving the Clubhouse platform.

I recommend that Clubhouse improves its communication efforts. Users need to be able to access all communications within the Clubhouse app and not in a browser window. Privacy and security settings as well as reporting functionality need to be easily identified on the app, with clear messaging guiding consumer expectation when using accessing these menus. If the waitlist must be continued, I recommend Clubhouse send an email or text message periodically informing users of their status on the waitlist.

Additionally, I recommend Clubhouse updates the featured app icon creator program. The current program buries the app icon creator in a blog post lacking relevant information. To continue featuring a new app icon creator each month, I recommend Clubhouse design an app icon that includes recognizable Clubhouse branding, even if this is only a colored border or imposing the yellow emoji hand on the app icon. Next, when the app icon is updated, I recommend Clubhouse host several rooms throughout the month featuring the creator and the creator’s initiatives, such as interviews with the creator where participants have the opportunity to ask questions.

Finally, I recommend Clubhouse send push notifications and emails with information about the app icon creator program. This would include a name for the program, transparency on how creators are selected, and information on how creators are compensated or supported by Clubhouse when they are chosen. This transparency would let users get to know the values Clubhouse has a brand while building trust with users. Clubhouse would no longer give the impression that they are leveraging the likeness of creators to better the Clubhouse brand, with no actual benefit to creators.

Conclusion

Clubhouse has an exciting opportunity to capitalize on its rapid growth over 2021 by optimizing the platform to appeal to its specific target audience. While Clubhouse would struggle to continue competing with social media category leaders, it could successfully position itself as an alternative social media platform and deliver functionality, features, and messaging that would appeal to its specific user base. For Clubhouse to truly be competitive, it must keep users engaged on the platform and functionality that is accessible to all users. My recommendations include developing the app icon program, developing new features like a feed of pre-recorded audio content, and increased branding. Following these recommendations will differentiate Clubhouse from other social media platforms and retain engaged users.

References

Clubhouse. (2021, July 21). Meezy Is This Month’s Clubhouse App Icon. https://blog.clubhouse.com/meezy-clubhouse-app-icon-july/

Cohen, D. (2021, June 20). Clubhouse’s Icon Gets a New Look. AdWeek. https://www.adweek.com/media/clubhouses-icon-gets-a-new-look/

Facebook. (2021, April 19). Be Heard: Bringing Social Audio Experiences to Facebook. https://about.fb.com/news/2021/04/bringing-social-audio-experiences-to-facebook/

Maring, J. (2021, May 30). What Is Clubhouse & Why Is It So Popular? ScreenRant. https://screenrant.com/clubhouse-app-features-release-popular-why-explained/

OmniCore. (2021, July 8). Linkedin by the Numbers (2021): Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts. https://www.omnicoreagency.com/linkedin-statistics/

Rodriguez, S. (2021, May 3). Twitter launches Spaces live-audio rooms to all users with more than 600 followers. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/03/twitter-launches-spaces-live-audio-rooms-to-all-users.html

Rosenbaum, E. (2021, May 25). Clubhouse has “millions more on waitlist” after Android launch: CEO. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/25/clubhouse-has-million-more-on-wait-list-after-android-launch-ceo.html

Sanchez, K. (2021, June 8). Clubhouse and its clones have an accessibility problem. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/22519705/clubhouse-social-audio-accessibility

Social Media Dissect. (2021, April 6). LinkedIn Announces Its Audio Rooms. https://socialmediadissect.com/about-social-media/linkedin-announces-its-audio-rooms

Statista. (2021, August 2). Most used social media 2021. https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/

Sy, C. (2021, February 10). Why Clubhouse Marketing Should Be on Your Radar | LEWIS. Team LEWIS US. https://www.teamlewis.com/magazine/why-clubhouse-marketing-should-be-on-your-radar/