A New Era for Social Audio
In a bid to shake up its platform and provide users with more intimate interactions, Clubhouse has introduced private communities called ‘Houses.’ This new offering allows any person or group to create their own curated ‘House’ within the app. Users can sign up to create Houses starting today, but Clubhouse will approve new Houses slowly in order to learn from feedback and tweak the product accordingly.
What are Houses?
Think of Houses as private hallways just for your favorite people. You can drop in anytime, hop from room to room, catch up with friends, and meet their friends. Houses usually have regular meetup times, and everyone gets to nominate a few friends, so the House grows through people you trust. Or, you can keep it closed if you like — it’s fun either way.
How Does it Work?
A spokesperson for Clubhouse told TechCrunch in an email that the company sees the new Houses offering as more intimate than Clubs, as they’re built through invitations and anyone in a House can start or schedule a room within the House. The company sees Houses as a dinner party with your friends, and Clubs as the events and shows you go to in your town.
The Vision Behind Houses
Clubhouse CEO Paul Davison announced the change in a series of tweets, noting that each House will have its own ‘personality, culture and content moderation rules.’ Davison said that by splitting Clubhouse into ‘many clubhouses,’ the platform will be able to address a few issues. For instance, he noted that Clubhouse caters to more than one community and that not everyone wants to talk about the same things, which means it can be hard to find the right rooms.
Addressing the Needs of Growing Communities
Communities need to be able to undergo mitosis as they grow — so they can split into new ones and the intimacy can scale,’ Davison said in a tweet. ‘That’s how /r/music spawns /r/hiphopheads. It’s why classrooms max out at a certain size, and why people form smaller circles when a house party grows. The world is going increasingly remote, and getting together with people you like needs to be easier.
Sign-up Process
The sign-up page to create a House asks you to enter your name and Clubhouse username. From there, you’re asked what you would call your House, how you would describe it to others and who you would want to invite to be ‘Founding Members’ of your House.
Competing with Discord
Today’s announcement is clearly an effort toward achieving that same goal of retaining users and possibly attracting new ones. By splitting up Clubhouse into private communities, the company is likely looking to compete with the likes of Discord. The introduction of Houses could lure people back to the platform with more intimate interactions.
Impact on the Social Audio Landscape
The launch of Houses has the potential to revolutionize the social audio landscape. With more users than ever before flocking to social media platforms, the need for intimate and personalized experiences is greater than ever. Clubhouse’s decision to introduce private communities will likely lead to a surge in user engagement and retention.
What’s Next?
As with any new feature or update, it’s essential to remember that Clubs is still evolving and improving its offerings. We can expect more updates on Houses in the coming weeks and months as Clubhouse continues to refine its product.
How Will This Impact Your Social Audio Experience?
- Do you think private communities will be a hit with users?
- How do you plan to utilize this new feature within your own social audio experience?
- What are some potential concerns or challenges that may arise from this new offering?
Leave Your Comments Below
Join the conversation and share your thoughts on Clubhouse’s latest update. Share your experiences, ask questions, and engage with others in the comments section below.
Recommended Reading:
- [Clubhouse Announces New Feature: ‘Houses’] (https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/20/clubhouse-announces-new-feature-houses/)
- [The Future of Social Audio: What to Expect Next] (https://socialaudio.io/the-future-of-social-audio-what-to-expect-next/)
- [Clubhouse vs. Discord: Which Platform Reigns Supreme?] (https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/15/clubhouse-vs-discord-which-platform-reigns-supreme/)
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on the latest social audio news, trends, and insights by subscribing to our newsletter.
