Clubhouse has announced a feature to make it easier for audiences to browse links while hanging out in a room. Clubhouse is an audio-centric platform that lets users gather together to listen to—and take part in—live conversations. Hosts can let listeners speak (“invite to stage” in Clubhouse terminology), and they can also co-host rooms with others.
Launched in April 2020, Clubhouse quickly became the poster child of live audio apps. However, it was initially invite-only and limited to just iOS. Anyone that wanted to try out the social app had to use an iPhone and know someone who could pass along a Clubhouse invite. Still, despite its initial shortcomings, others in the social space noted the app’s popularity, with the likes of Twitter, Facebook, and Spotify quick to launch their own competitors. And while Clubhouse has since opened up its sign-up process and expanded to Android, its rivals have focused on rapidly iterating. Users of Twitter’s Spaces can publicize a Space (akin to a Clubhouse room) by posting a Tweet, and creators on Spotify’s Greenroom can turn their live conversations into downloadable podcasts.
Clubhouse has not been slow to add its own updates, of course, and its most recent is Pinned Links—a feature that lets moderators display a URL that is visible to a room’s participants. The platform notes moderators can also change the link throughout the conversation, allowing listeners to follow topics as they come up. Clubhouse pitches the tool as a way to let hosts share content such as the subject of discussion, a YouTube video, a news article, and more. (It’s currently unclear whether or how audio playback from a third-party source might interfere with a Clubhouse conversation.)
Pinned Links Coming To iOS And Android
Pinned Links will go live for iOS and Android on October 27 and be available to all hosts. Room moderators will be able to find the feature via the “…” menu in the upper right of the room page, then tapping “Pin a Link.” Links will display at the top of the room, accompanied by a main image from the URL source.
Pinned Links will surely address one of the app’s most significant shortcomings for Clubhouse creators—how to illustrate discussions. Speakers have previously had to share links verbally or encourage listeners to check out user profiles to find links to other social apps like Instagram and Twitter. Keeping users engaged and on the platform is not just good for listeners. It’s also smart for an app that is already facing stiff competition.
