What is Clubhouse?

There have been many additions to Social Media over the years, Periscope, Snapchat, and now Clubhouse. Clubhouse was created by two individuals in April 2020 by Paul Davison and Rohan Seth of Alpha Exploration Co. It is now valued at over $1 billion, trying not to sound like Dr. Evil.

The premise around Clubhouse was for people to use it as a live audio stage, for all types of topics and discussions across almost any area. But what attracted most people to Clubhouse was the fact it was by invitation only. Imagine that a VIP Social Media platform, gave the app exclusivity although it was also down to the fact it was only available to Apple users.

The exclusivity factor attracted a whole host of celebrities, thought leaders, and influencers including Elon Musk. Who in one sitting managed to fill one of the virtual rooms in less than 10 seconds. But how can this app attract law firms and isn't this just another social media app they need to learn and manage? Well yes and no. Here are my good and bad points surrounding Clubhouse.

3 Good Points

1. No cameras required, that's right you don't need to show your face.
2. It is instant and you can drop out of talks without that annoying 'Gary has left the meeting' tone. There is a 'leave quietly' feature.
3. There is a talk for almost anything, just a few clicks and you can create your own meeting or stage..you just need to get people to listen.

3 Bad Points

1. Security is a huge factor. When you first sign up to Clubhouse you essentially give away your entire phone book. Not many lawyers will do that.
2. Notifications are non-stop I must have had over 100 notifications in the first 24 hours
3. Data Protection from 3rd parties, there was a story on Bloomberg around breaches and talks being recorded without consent. Full details on this here

How will Clubhouse pan out over the coming months who knows, but it is suggested the take up of accounts has slowed due to the breaches and lack of clarity around your data. My best guess is it will be snapped up by one of the big four Social Media platforms either Twitter or Facebook.

I am sure Clubhouse won't be the last social platform to pop up and many more waiting in the wings. If you could create the perfect Social Media platform, what would you want and would you create exclusivity?