Move over Facebook, there’s a new social media platform in town — one that might just transform social media forever. The Clubhouse app, an exclusive, invite-only social platform is changing the game. It offers “rooms” and “clubs” where users can listen in on the topics that interest them most. This audio-only social platform is wildly popular, with an estimated 10 million users who are active every week.
This presents a new, complicated opportunity for podcast marketing. On one hand, there are many podcast hosts concerned that Clubhouse might have a negative impact, taking away their target audience. Instead, you need to look at it as a new frontier and another tool to connect with podcast listeners. After all, one of the marvels of Clubhouse is that you’ve got a highly engaged audience who clearly are down for audio.
There’s a chance that the Clubhouse app starts using technology to transform each club or room into its own podcasts and distribute it automatically. Even if that happens, Clubhouse experiences can’t quite replicate the magic of podcast content, which is more scripted and organized. So if you’re one of those podcasters thinking that Clubhouse might take over entirely, rest assured that it’s not taking over. But it is changing the game.
The exclusivity of this social platform makes it wildly popular, which makes it a unique tool for podcast marketing. How can you leverage its power to reach new podcast listeners? We’ve got five tips to help you get started.
Create a Bio, Use it to Sell Your Podcast
First things first, you need an effective bio that tells fellow Clubhouse users what you bring to the table. If you want to cultivate a following, it starts with your bio. Likewise, it’s the perfect chance to sell people on your podcast by giving them details and information that piques their interest. Arguably, the single most important elements of the bio are:
- What you do: Keep it simple, keep it snappy.
- Why you do it: Most users follow accounts that resonate with them or offer knowledge. Why should they tune in or follow you?
- Where they can find you: Other than Clubhouse, how can users find you? How can they listen and subscribe or join your email list? What’s your podcast website? Don’t forget to cross-promote your other social media sites too.
- Call to action: Like any great marketing effort, you need a call to action to direct Clubhouse users where they should go. Marketers think of this as a lead generator. You should think of it as a hook to draw new listeners in.
Enter Relevant Rooms, Connect with Podcast Listeners
One of the greatest benefits for podcast marketing on Clubhouse is the ease with which it allows you to connect with your target audience. Even better, it opens the door for the people in your target audience who don’t know you or your podcast to find you. It’s an ideal forum for introducing new listeners — podcast listeners with interests that align with yours — to your podcast.
Interacting with others revolves around joining rooms. Choose rooms based on topics that are relevant to your podcast content. You can listen in on the conversations. Better yet, if you join as a speaker you can add your voice to the mix. This is a great opportunity to speak directly to your target audience, giving them the gist of what they need to know about your pod. You can also give them relevant details, including your podcast website and information about upcoming podcast episodes.
Host Your Own Rooms, Engage with Your Audience
Clubhouse is in the moment. Conversations are happening now. This gives you a golden opportunity to engage with your target audience. Hosting a room also allows you to provide information on some of the topics you typically cover on the pod. And you can open up the conversation for questions and answers to get listeners involved.
Part of the success of the platform revolves around the inherent FOMO built right into its entire premise. You can use that as a springboard to engage with your existing audience, create new connections and generate word of mouth buzz. Clubhouse is all about highly-engaged, intimate conversations, whether that’s with big names like Elon Musk or lesser known individuals with intriguing topics. Use that to your advantage by including calls to action and enabling Clubhouse users to listen and subscribe to your podcast.
Listen In, Mine for Future Topics that Tantalize
You can learn a lot by listening. Hang out a while in rooms with topics relevant to your podcast. Take note of questions or information that resonates with other users. Use it as a resource to plan a great podcast in the future.
Brands and marketers can use Clubhouse to stay abreast of the latest trends and news in their industries. Likewise, you can use it to stay on top of what your listeners are most interested in, giving you an advantage for creating podcast content. Pop in and out of rooms that align with your target audience. Take notes and use what you learn about your podcast listeners to plan future episodes that they’ll enjoy.
Mingle, Find and Interact with Guests and Collaborators
After you browse around for a while, you’ll soon see that there are rooms for just about every topic. This is a goldmine for podcast hosts looking for guests and collaborators to bring on their pods. Just like it offers topic inspiration, it’s also a great resource to find the human element that brings your podcast content to life. When you bring guests into your Clubhouse room, potential listeners who might not know about your pod could be inspired to go have a listen. Ideas include:
- Continue the conversation: Host a live post-pod session with your podcast guests and collaborators to go deeper with the conversation. After, you can give listeners a chance for Q&A.
- Collaborate with other industry leaders: This allows you and your collaborators to cross-promote your content and access each other’s audiences.
- Do a pod from the Clubhouse: You have to make sure everyone in your room knows that you’re recording — check Clubhouse guidelines for more details. But you could shake up your regular podcast and do one from your Clubhouse room for a unique episode that will get people listening.
Clubhouse isn’t creating a fundamental change in the way podcasts operate. It’s certainly not going to destroy podcasting, as some headlines may worry over. That’s a lot like comparing TikTok with Hulu. They both offer video content, but the purpose of it is different. What the app does, however, is present new and unique podcast marketing tools that you can leverage to widen your audience base.
