If you have been surfing around the Internet lately you may have heard about the Clubhouse social app, and if not, now you have. Since December 2020, the buzz about this new app has been skyrocketing, and for good reason. Is it because the app’s amazing? Is it due to a revolutionary new idea? Or is it because of something else?
Well, the app may be good but that’s not the reason its popularity is growing.
I made a pretty good egg and cheese sandwich this morning but no one is talking about it.
So if it’s not about how good the app is then what is it?
I can assure you the reason is very simple.
And that reason is a clever marketing and growth strategy.
In fact their marketing is so good that the company was valued at 100 million dollars before they even had a website.
How, you ask?
Great question, and in this article I’ll explain a few strategies this small startup used to stand out amongst the 1,109 apps published every day.
But first…
What is the clubhouse app?
Clubhouse is an audio-only new social network based on voice. Essentially it’s the evolution and innovation of the chat room.
You can hop in and out of rooms exploring different conversations and discussions.
And if you want to chime in all you have to do is raise your hand, and the host can allow you to speak.
You can even host your own chat rooms and invite people to talk with you.
It’s pretty cool, but on it’s own it’s not a mind blowing concept.
Without people using the app, it would be like a DJ at an empty party, pretty useless.
And useless things have no value.
So how did they get so many people to join the app?
In short, marketing…
But what type of marketing and strategies did clubhouse use to grow its user base large enough to be considered one of the next big things in social media?
That is exactly what you are about to find out.
What clubhouse can teach you about marketing?
The app clubhouse has grown from 1,500 to 600,000 registered users in a year.
Which is a year over year growth rate of 39,900%
To put that in perspective if you had $100 in the bank and an interest rate of 39,900% on your investment you would make $39,900 in a year.
That’s more than Bitcoin has grown in the last 3 years.
So how did they do it?
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing can work!
Clubhouse launched a creator program led by Stephanie Simon, a marketer and former consultant for Gucci.
Most of the users chosen for Clubhouse’s pilot program host popular shows that draw thousands of people or have dedicated followings.
This created an influx of awareness and excitement for users to have the opportunity to connect and network with these people.
And with celebrities also introduced to the platform it rapidly spread by word of mouth that created a community many people want to become a part of.
In a nutshell…
Demand.
Exclusivity
Exclusivity can cultivate community.
Even though the company says the platform was never meant to be an invite-only platform, it’s still part of their strategic growth plan.
But Clubhouse only allows a small amount of users to join the platform each day which makes the app exclusive.
It’s the V.I.P effect.
Everyone wants to be in the V.I.P club with the celebrities and influencers but only a select few can.
It’s exclusive…
And since only a few people are allowed in the community, it makes it valuable because the demand exceeds the supply of accounts.
Which creates scarcity and people always value what is scarce.
At least that’s what Econ says.
Remember that guy?
And the episode about scarcity of space when the girls wanted to make a clubhouse?
You think there is a coincidence they called their app Clubhouse?
Hmmm…
I’ll let you think on that.
Growth Hacker Marketing
Growth hacker marketing is powerful!
Growth hacker marketing is using your existing audience and fanbase to grow your audience using technology to build a self-perpetuating marketing machine.
“The end goal of every growth hacker is to build a self-perpetuating marketing machine that reaches millions by itself.” – AARON GINN
Clubhouse is the newest startup to join the ranks of successful growth hacking companies like Dropbox, Zynga, AirBNB, Groupon, Gmail, and Instagram.
Clubhouse gives its user base the opportunity to invite a few of their friends to this exclusive invite-only platform that’s built into it’s program.
Since the demand is high and there is a scarcity of accounts this puts the users in a position of power and makes them gatekeepers of an exclusive community of opportunity.
By being the gatekeepers of an exclusive community of opportunity, it creates status for these users.
And as social creatures, humans seek status.
Which incentivizes them to invite as many people as they can so they can increase their own influence.
It’s pretty ingenious. Maybe even more genius than the actual concept of the app itself.
And to take it a step further, after they run out of invites the only way they can get more is to become active participants in the app.
Which helps with app-adoption and retention.
Bravo!
Well played Clubhouse, well played.
It’s not hard to see with strategies like these why venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz were so quick to hop onboard.
I would too!
It’s not often you run into two developers that understand human psychology so well.
And well, it’s paying off.
Till next time…
Cheers M8!
~J
P.S. – If you need help creating your own marketing strategies for your product, service, or app The Copy Cartel can help. Just reach out today.
P.P.S – Let us know your thoughts about the app, and drop us your clubhouse handle in the comments.
