Isn’t Clubhouse all the rage these days?
Clubhouse is this cool SNS platform where you can jump into themed rooms and have chats with all sorts of folks. It was launched by Paul Davison and Rohan Seth’s startup, Alpha Exploration, last April. It’s not exactly a hotshot debut since it’s been almost a year, but with over 3 million users now, it’s safe to say it’s doing pretty well. So, why is everyone buzzing about this service? 🤔
I believe the biggest perk of Clubhouse is how it uses our most intuitive tool: the voice. Sure, it seems old-school, but because we don’t have to learn it, it makes diving in super easy. No one has to be taught how to talk, right? Plus, during this unexpected pandemic era, people’s thirst for communication has definitely fueled the app’s rapid growth. 📈
Way back, companies tried various methods for interacting with machines. The mouse and keyboard were part of these attempts, and even Microsoft’s motion-sensing project, Natal. But in the end, voice recognition emerged as the victor. Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, Google Assistant, and Amazon’s Alexa are all testaments to this. Of course, Cortana isn’t exactly shining… 😅
There are many reasons why voice recognition became the trend, but the fact that users are born familiar with it and don’t need to learn is a huge advantage. It’s not much different from why YouTube has captivated every generation—we’re all part of the TV or video era. To create a service that moves humanity, you don’t need something unprecedented. At least, the interface should feel familiar. 🌍
Clubhouse is winning with its simple concept of using voice for chat rooms and its enticing free access. Plus, hearing pitches from big names live is mind-blowing. Listening offers a level of detailed info you can’t get from text, and being a two-way service allows for questions. However, since conversations vanish as they flow, there’s no information permanence, and forming relationships using text and links isn’t possible. There’s also no solid revenue model yet. Being voice-based makes it hard to slap on ads. 🤷♂️
They might have something up their sleeve or just started looking. But adding new value seems necessary. Whether Clubhouse will surpass Twitter or Facebook and become the next big thing, or just fade like many one-hit wonders, I can’t say. Jeffrey Katzenberg probably didn’t expect Quibi, his short-form video service, to crash in just six months! 🤔
But here’s the thing: it’s not about having a successful idea, it’s about being the person who makes that idea successful. Watching Clubhouse’s journey in the coming months is going to be exciting. Honestly, it’s about time for something different to emerge. 🚀
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