What Is Clubhouse?

The Invite-Only Audio Chat App Is Taking The Elite World By Storm

If you have spent any time online at all in recent months, then you’ve probably at least heard of Clubhouse, an exclusive new social media app for those who enjoy nothing more than an intelligent conversation with likeminded people – and yet, chances are, you haven’t been able to check it out for yourself.

Since launching in April 2020, Clubhouse has been accessible only to those who are lucky enough to have received an invitation – and there doesn’t seem to be any plans to open the app up to everyone else just yet. So, what is Clubhouse and how can you get a place on social media’s most sought-after guest list?

What Is Clubhouse?

Unlike the social media sites we’re used to using, there are no text chats on Clubhouse.

Instead, it’s all about members connecting via audio and holding spoken conversations, with other users able to listen in, ‘raise a hand’ to contribute or start conversations of their own. The creators of Clubhouse believe that the audio-only format provides its members with a safe space to get thoroughly involved in the various talks and share their thoughts, without the worry of messages being shared via screenshots or the pressure of being on camera – something we’re all used to experiencing after a year of socialising over Zoom! The Clubhouse creators hope that this will allow the app to provide a much more engaging and honest experience for all members and, therefore, much more insightful conversations.

So far, the app has played host to everything from artist interviews, political debates, TED-style talks from entrepreneurs and even a Hamilton-themed talent contest judged by the hit musical’s cast, making it clear that there’s certainly a conversation for everyone taking place at any given time, whatever your interests might be.

Each conversation is held in its own dedicated Clubhouse ‘room’ – and with the app’s reputation as a current favourite among the A-list, you never know who you might find in there.

Jared Leto, Drake, Lupe Fiasco, Ashton Kutcher and Oprah Winfrey are all among Clubhouse’s exclusive list of users, so it’s easy to see why the app is gaining so much traction online right now. With that in mind, how can you join the club for yourself with an invitation of your very own?

How Can I Get A Clubhouse Invite?

With the exclusivity of Clubhouse being part of what makes it so alluring, it’s no surprise that securing a spot in the app yourself isn’t quite as easy as it is with other social networks.

At the moment, the only way to get onto Clubhouse is to be invited by Clubhouse themselves or by an existing Clubhouse user. Everyone who joins the app is granted one initial invite to extend to whoever they choose, before being allocated a further three invites later down the line – so, for every Clubhouse user, they can choose up to four lucky others to join them.

That said, you don’t necessarily need to know a Clubhouse user personally to be invited, with hundreds of social media users taking to Twitter and Instagram to ask for spare invites. If you’re not keen on waiting and want a place on Clubhouse as soon as you can get one, it’s certainly worth putting the #Clubhouse call out on your profile or story and seeing if any existing users can hook you up. Why not also try regularly searching the tag directly and keeping an eye out for anyone offering their spare invitations to those who are looking for them?

In the meantime, all iOS users are currently able to download the app whether they have an invitation or not. By all accounts, the engaging, thought-provoking and eye-opening conversations you’ll find once you are signed up are more than worth the wait, so be sure to download Clubhouse and reserve your username in anticipation of the day that your access-all-areas invite finally arrives!