Clubhouse; it is the new mobile app Elon Musk recently joined that you might have heard about. Why would a tech mogul join in on another startup company in beta have any relevance for you? Clubhouse is not just some new company that will flame out—Clubhouse is going to be around for a long time, and here are three ways to leverage the new app for artists, songwriters, producers, engineers and other music industry professionals.
How do I join Clubhouse?
The first question we need to answer is how do you get onto Clubhouse. To get started, you download the Clubhouse app, open it up on your mobile device and provide your cell phone number in order to create an account. After doing this, you would see that you do not have access to any of the app’s features. Clubhouse will inform you that you are on the waitlist and need an invite in order to join their platform. The excitement that you initially had surrounding the hype of this new social media outlet now poses a second major question.
How do I get a Clubhouse app invitation?
Since the app is still in beta, Clubhouse has been closely monitoring how it expands its user base. The reason for this is twofold.
First, Clubhouse’s creators want to maintain a controlled environment as they continue to develop the app to limit crashes on their servers. By slowly adding new users onto their platform, Clubhouse’s developers can test their servers and build the bandwidth to house millions of user accounts ahead of their launch for public use, expected in March or April of this year.
Second, Clubhouse is being very intentional in growing organically. The creators of Clubhouse are technology industry veterans who want to redefine what a social media app is. By encouraging organic growth through invitations, there is an unquestioned social aspect to joining the platform.
There are two ways in which you can receive an invitation to Clubhouse. The first is by having somebody you know who is already a member forward you a custom invitation URL.
The second way, if you download the app without an invitation, is by being placed on the waitlist. The term “waitlist,” is used loosely, however, as somebody who has your contact information on their phone can see you are looking to join and bring you up onto the platform.
One additional note about invitations, the person who invites you to Clubhouse or brings you up from the waitlist will be given credit on your profile. Known as a “nomination,” this is another method the Clubhouse creators are leveraging to maintain the organic, social element of the app.
When will the Clubhouse app go live for Android users?
Unfortunately, Clubhouse is only live on Apple iOS as of this writing. The app’s creators have not indicated a specific date as to when we will see Clubhouse live on Android, although, most assuredly we can expect it to happen during 2021.
How to network on Clubhouse
What has made Clubhouse successful thus far is that it has received buy-in from industry leaders not only in the music and entertainment industry, but also in countless other areas of interest, including finance, investing, sports, fashion, entrepreneurship and more.
For instance, athletes Bryce Harper (MLB) and Zach Boychuk (former NHL player), comedian Jeff Garlin and the Sharks from ABC’s critically acclaimed television show, Shark Tank, are all users of Clubhouse. You will be surprised about how much access you get to leaders in your field, whether they be in music production and engineering, marketing or songwriting, or perhaps to one of your favorite artists who is also on the app.
In the music industry, there are already countless artists, artist managers, songwriters, producers, engineers, marketers and booking agents, many of whom are Grammy-winning professionals, actively building their network on Clubhouse. Never before has there been such easy access to key influencers in your field.
When you join a Clubhouse room, think of it as an interactive discussion panel, and you are always welcome to stay in the audience and absorb the knowledge being shared in any room of your interest. Should you have a question or want to provide your own insight on a given conversation being had, you can “raise your hand,” and a moderator of the room will “bring you to the stage” for you to participate in a rich, purposeful dialogue.
Can I pitch my music on Clubhouse?
The short answer, yes! There are music supervisors and music publishers who are looking to add music to their libraries that specifically moderate Clubhouse rooms for anybody to pitch their music for potential sync placements in movies, television shows, commercials and more. This is a valuable opportunity for music creators, especially for those who have not investigated the possibilities that sync offers previously.
Be aware, since music can only be played and received by a cell phone, your audio quality will not come across crystal clear. As this is a technological barrier, almost every music supervisor, music publisher or other industry professional you play your music for understands that the audio quality will not be of the highest quality. They are able to provide you with valuable feedback regardless.
How can professionals in the music industry monetize their audience with Clubhouse?
At this time, there has not been any monetization on Clubhouse’s platform. However, during town halls with the developers of the app, they guarantee that they will be granting the ability for content creators to monetize their audience in the near future.
Presently, there is only speculation as to “how” monetization will occur on the platform. The most common theories centralize around the same idea, needing to purchase a ticket to gain access to certain Clubhouse rooms, which will be up to the discretion of the moderators of the room.
Building your network on Clubhouse in the app’s early stages, prior to when a monetization feature is established, is highly recommended. By cultivating your network on Clubhouse now, current users of the app can learn more about what you specialize in, follow you and convert into your audience.
