What is Clubhouse?
Clubhouse is a fast-growing audio-based social media platform that allows users to join “rooms” to listen to or participate in conversations on various topics. Clubhouse is a great platform for those who enjoy taking part in rich discussions, even if users have differing opinions. Clubhouse opens up opportunities to network and learn from industry experts as well as discuss industry-specific topics. Clubhouse is growing rapidly and is expected to continue to grow into new markets this year. We created an account and tested out Clubhouse’s features so you don’t have to. Here is our full review of this new social media platform.
A Review of the App: Positives
When opening the app, users are prompted to choose topics that they are interested in. This is a great way for users to find communities and other users that they have a lot in common with. The app refers to communities as houses, and there are houses for almost any topic. There are five tabs located at the bottom of the home screen. The first tab allows users to catch up on what is currently going on around Clubhouse, the second is a house search page, the third is a general explore page similar to most other social platforms, the fourth keeps users updated with their upcoming events, and the final tab is a general profile page. The structure of the app is very similar to other social media platforms and includes common features such as direct messages and an activity page. Clubhouse’s similarity to other apps is beneficial to users because it is easier for them to navigate when they first create an account. There are also options to connect your Twitter, Instagram, and Google accounts. This is great for users who already participate in conversations on these other platforms. Users can add events to their Google calendars if they prefer to keep their Clubhouse events in line with their other tasks. Furthermore, there are recorded onboarding conversations for new users. These sessions show new users how to navigate the app as well as provide tips to make the most out of Clubhouse.
A Review of the App: Negatives
Now let’s look into what can be improved within the app. First, there seems to be an issue with the search engine on the houses explore page. When typing in a topic in the search engine, there are no results. This page also lets you go through a list of house suggestions, but when attempting to look up a specific topic in the search engine, no results come up, no matter what the topic is. Furthermore, it felt like there was too much happening on the screen at times. There was a lot of writing and instructions, which felt overwhelming at times. Clubhouse should keep screen options to a minimum so it is easier for users to find what they are looking for.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Clubhouse is a great app for people who enjoy deep debates and conversations on topics they are interested in, and it definitely has the potential to grow within the next year. With a similar structure to other social media platforms, new users can easily fit in, but there are a few changes that need to be made.
