You may have heard someone mention the social media app Clubhouse in the last couple of weeks. I am going to make the case that photographers need to get on the Clubhouse app.
If you are already on the app, give me a follow @caseyfphoto. If you are not on the app, here is what’s up…
What is Clubhouse?
Clubhouse is a live ‘drop-in’ audio platform. Think of it as part podcast, part radio call-in show, part cocktail party.
It all happens live. The app does not record the conversations. You have to be there or you missed it.
Worried about FOMO? It’s okay. There are regularly recurring rooms and if there is a speaker you enjoy listening to, give them a follow. That way you can check out the next time they schedule a talk!
An Amazing Resource
In my first two weeks on Clubhouse, I have already sat in on lectures and talks that probably would have cost me thousands of dollars in the real world.
Seriously, in the last couple of days, I have listened to Jeremy Cowart and Peter Hurley talk in separate rooms and it cost me absolutely nothing. Who knows what these talks would have cost if they had been held in ‘the real world’.
There are rooms with incredible professionals in their fields doing things like auditing listener’s websites and social media feeds in REAL TIME.
Join a Club
There are LOTS of clubs forming on Clubhouse. Clubs are more focused on a particular topic and rooms inside clubs are only available to club members. Getting into a club requires either being invited or asking to get in and having a moderator let you join.
I am currently part of several wedding and photography clubs as well as some more plain nerd clubs.
Drop In and Listen
There is literally something for everyone in Clubhouse. You can search for rooms on the topics you want to listen to, or you can see a list of rooms in the ‘hallway’ that might be a good fit for you based on your interests. You can also see what rooms your friends are in and pop in and join them.
Be a Part of the Conversation
One of the greatest parts of Clubhouse is that you can easily join in on the conversation. All you have to do is ‘raise your hand’ and a room moderator will bring you ‘on stage’ to either ask a question or join in the discussion.
Create Your Own Room
Is there a topic you really want to discuss? Feel free to create your own room. Rooms can be created within a particular club or they can be entirely open to everyone on Clubhouse.
No Need to Be Camera Ready
One of the best things about Clubhouse is that you don’t have to be ready to go on camera. Worried about your appearance? No need! You can jump right on and open up your room because no one can see you.
Structured Talk or Free Form Hangout?
Whatever you are looking for, there is probably a room for it. Want to sit and dig in and listen to a discussion by amazing pros on a particular topic? There are rooms for that.
Want to sit and talk with like minded folks and have an ongoing conversation? There are rooms for that to. You just have to look around for what you fancy at the moment.
Clubhouse is Great for Networking
This is an AMAZING chance to network with people in your industry. I have had actual conversations with people in the photography and wedding worlds that I probably could have only hoped to meet with some day – FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD!
I am forming relationships with those people, joining in on rooms they are hosting and they do the same for me.
Putting the Social Back in Social Networking
Perhaps this is a natural reaction to the pandemic, but as I sat in a room last night talking with a group of photographers from around the world, we all remarked on how this app marked the first time any of us had really been social in a long time.
We are having conversations. We are actually engaging with other people. It’s not simply posting and waiting to see if the audience sees what we put on Facebook or Instagram and maybe, just maybe, they comment.
Clubhouse gives you immediate feedback, in the form of another human voice. And maybe that is something we all really need right now.
Want to Join the Clubhouse App?
Currently, the Clubhouse app is invite only and iPhone only! Though iPhone users with no invite can still download the app and reserve their screen name, if that sort of thing is important to you.
Need an Invite?
I have an invite and I want to give it to someone really deserving who wants to use this new app to improve themselves and/or help other people. So, head over to my Instagram, follow me and shoot me a DM about why you want to be on Clubhouse.
I’ve got a few invites and they will go on a first come, first served basis to those who have great reasons for wanting to join!
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