Clubhouse for Podcasters: How to Connect with New Listeners & Find Guests for Your Show
As a podcaster, should you be on Clubhouse, the newish social media app that’s audio only?
If so, how can you use it to deepen your connection with your audience, help new listeners discover you, and find great people to interview? I dive into that on Podcasting Step by Step. Plus share some surprising things I learned while playing around on this app over the last few weeks.
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How to use Clubhouse
Clubhouse is an audio app where people are virtually hanging out and having live conversations about all sorts of topics. Nothing is recorded. There’s no posting of photos or videos, and you can’t even message anyone through the app. It’s audio only.
Right now (Feb 2021) it’s iOS only, iPhone and iPad, users but that’s because they’re still building and testing the platform and they’ll roll it out to Android users in a few months.
Clubhouse is invite-only for now. There’s a waitlist, or someone you know can invite you in. People have a limited number of invites and to let you in, they’ll need your phone number and Clubhouse handle. So download the Clubhouse app, claim your name, or handle, and then ask people you know if they have any extra invites. Or, the hack around this is, if your contact details are already in their phone, when you sign up for the waitlist, they’ll likely get a notification that you want to join and will be given the option to let you in.
Follow people and clubs you’re interested in
Both individuals and clubs will host rooms (events) on any topic you can think of, and you can host your own rooms, as well. I definitely recommend you host a few of your own to see how you like it. I learned that I think it’s a lot more fun to have a co-moderator to share the stage with, and it takes the pressure off.
You don’t have to start off hosting a room. You can hang out in different audiences and still participate that way.
People in the audience can raise their hand to speak, and moderators, can invite them onto the stage. I’ve seen moderators call on people in the order that they come up on stage, and other moderators prefer ‘popcorn’ style, where people jump into the conversation whenever they have something to say.
When you’re moderating…
Bring the energy, just like you would for your podcast. In addition to you obviously speaking, you’ll be identified as the moderator because you’ll have a little green badge attached to your profile photo. You’ll have the power to bring people on/off stage and to mute/unmute them. You’re the boss on theme and how the conversation flows. Can be interview, open discussion…whatever you wish.
“Reset” the room — People will be drifting in and out. Every 20 minutes or so, reintroduce who you are and what the discussion is about.
Plan your rooms in advance. You can schedule them on a calendar in Clubhouse and then promote the event outside of Clubhouse on social media.
Welcome the new people to Clubhouse, who you’ll be able to identify because they’ll have a little party popper emoji attached to their image for the first week or so. Let them know that when you tap on and off the microphone, that’s the Clubhouse version of applause.
When you go into a room as a listener…
You will be on mute. If you raise your hand to speak (by tapping the hand icon) and the moderator brings you on stage, you will be automatically unmuted.
Mute yourself unless you’re talking on stage.
Exception to mute rule: as mentioned, tapping the microphone icon on and off while on the speaker stage = clapping.
Introduce yourself quickly and ask an insightful question or share something useful.
Connect with Clubhouse People on Instagram and Twitter
Make a note of the people you’re interested in learning more about and note the things they say.
Then connect with them on social and reference what they said. There’s no messaging in Clubhouse, but you can connect with folks via Twitter and Instagram.
You don’t have to connect with everyone. Who strategically do you want to partner with? Who would make a good podcast guest? Who could be a good referral partner for you? Is there an ideal customer who had a question you can answer?
Point people to social platforms to get your freebie
If you’re a moderator, you can invite people to connect with you wherever you want during the discussion, and of course mention your podcast. Don’t be sales-y obviously, but it makes sense to say who you are and what you’re all about at the beginning, when resetting the room, and closing.
Both moderators and audience members can encourage connection by writing bios that are really specific about who you are, who you help, and what you’re interested in talking about.
If you you have a freebie that you want to offer people in exchange for their email address, point them to your Instagram or Twitter account and include the link to the freebie there. That way they’ll get to know you better on your social platforms and can connect with you directly if they want.
Are you about to launch your podcast and are looking for a media host? Buzzsprout is my top recommendation. As a listener to Podcasting Step by Step, you can try it for free and get a $20 Amazon gift card if you sign up for a paid plan using my partner link.