Download on Digital: April 2021 – The Clubhouse arms race

Welcome to the Download on Digital, where we cover the latest digital marketing news from the last month.

Good ideas are worth stealing

From Facebook launching stories to Instagram launching Reels, we’ve seen time and time again that tech companies won’t hesitate to steal ideas from their competitors.

With that, Instagram recently doubled down by launching Remix on Reels, its take on TikTok’s Duet feature while Snapchat carried out the global expansion of its TikTok knockoff, Spotlight.

Despite these recent examples, it seems like TikTok may actually be able to step out of the crosshairs for a while. A new and exciting app has emerged and social media giants are tripping over themselves in a race to rip it off.

I’m talking of course, about Clubhouse. The invite-only live audio application that’s surprisingly already a year old.

It allows users to gather in virtual rooms and hold group discussions in real-time based on community, interests, and more. Unlike typical chatrooms, Clubhouse uses audio to simulate a real-world experience. As soon as you enter a room, you’ll actually hear people talking.

The live audio arms race

Closing in on 13 million total downloads and 10 million weekly active users, it’s no surprise that Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Spotify, Telegram, and Discord are all trying to get in on the action.

With Facebook just getting started on design, Twitter is positioned right now as the biggest Clubhouse competitor, with Twitter Spaces set to go public this month for both iPhone and Android users. Spotify isn’t far behind after acquiring Betty Labs, the creators of Locker Room, which is a live audio application like Clubhouse designed specifically for sports fans. With their help, Spotify will look to use live audio as a way of bringing artists, sports stars, other content creators, and their fans closer together.

But it’s not just competitors eyeing up Clubhouse. As it surged from 600 thousand users in December all the way to 2 million in January, brands like Square and Kool-Aid have been popping up more and more.

Building community with live audio

It makes sense why everyone is looking to build their own version of Clubhouse. With in-person events still on hold due to the pandemic, companies are searching for new ways to connect with customers in real-time.

In addressing brands utilizing Clubhouse as a promotional tool, Klavio’s senior VP of marketing, Kady Srinivasan said,

“It helps them to generate awareness of their organization, establish their executives as thought leaders, and drive buzz around what [they’re] doing…”

This is key to community building, which we at Stryve identified as one of the top marketing trends to look for in 2021. With platforms like Clubhouse inspiring the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, it looks like us marketers will have no shortage of opportunities when it comes to utilizing live audio in our efforts to build community.

Keep an eye on our blog for more on Clubhouse, community building, and more.