Clubhouse vs. Twitter Spaces: Which Audio Social Platform Is Right for Your Brand?

Audio social media exploded in popularity in 2020 with the launch of Clubhouse, but the hype has cooled as competitors like Twitter Spaces have entered the ring. With so many platforms to choose from, brands are left wondering where they should invest their time and resources.

In this post, we‘ll provide an in-depth, data-driven comparison of Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces. We‘ll also evaluate other key audio social platforms vying to win the ear of consumers and businesses alike in 2023 and beyond.

The Rise and Fall of Clubhouse

Clubhouse debuted in April 2020 as an iOS-only, invite-only audio chat app. It quickly became a cultural phenomenon, attracting an elite club of celebrities, influencers, and Silicon Valley types. Mere mortals begged for invites, while brands scrambled to understand how they could get in on the action.

At its peak in February 2021, Clubhouse had 10 million weekly active users and a $1 billion valuation.[^1] But as the initial FOMO faded and competitors emerged, growth stagnated. By January 2022, weekly active users had dropped 72% to 2.8 million.[^2]

As of May 2023, Clubhouse has rebounded slightly to 4.2 million weekly active users.[^3] While no longer the shiny new object, it maintains a devoted core user base and continues rolling out new features. But brands have increasingly turned their attention to rival platforms with larger built-in audiences.

Why Twitter Spaces Is Leading the Audio Social Pack

User Base and Engagement

The biggest reason Twitter Spaces has pulled ahead of Clubhouse is its massive existing user base. As of Q1 2023, Twitter has 368 million monetizable daily active users (mDAU).[^4] That‘s nearly 100x the size of Clubhouse.

Not only does Twitter have far more users overall, but those users are also highly engaged. Twitter users spend an average of 31.8 minutes per day on the platform,[^5] providing ample opportunity to discover and participate in Spaces.

Discoverability

Clubhouse‘s Achilles‘ heel has always been discoverability. Finding relevant rooms and clubs is challenging, especially for new users. Unless you actively build a network or get lucky with the algorithm, it‘s easy for your Clubhouse presence to feel like shouting into the void.

In contrast, Twitter Spaces are showcased at the top of the mobile app for all users. Your followers are automatically notified when you start a Space. Spaces can also be discovered through Twitter‘s explore page, search results, and even third-party Space discovery apps.

Android Accessibility

Another major disadvantage for Clubhouse is that it was iOS-only for the first year of its existence. This gave competitors ample time to beat Clubhouse to the punch on Android.

Twitter seized the opportunity, launching Spaces for Android in March 2021, two months before Clubhouse. Given that Android accounts for 71% of global mobile market share,[^6] those were two very costly months for Clubhouse.

While Clubhouse eventually launched on Android in May 2021, it still only has about half as many Android installs as iOS.[^7] Many Android users had already grown accustomed to Twitter Spaces by the time Clubhouse arrived in the Google Play store.

Monetization

Both Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces now offer ways for creators to monetize their content. Clubhouse has tipping, tickets, and subscriptions, while Twitter Spaces has ticketed Spaces and will soon launch a Spaces subscription product.[^8]

However, Twitter likely has an edge when it comes to attracting high-quality creators, thanks again to its larger user base and more robust ad platform. Established Clubhouse creators may find it easier to port their paying subscribers over to Twitter Spaces than to build a new paying audience from scratch on Clubhouse.

Other Audio Social Contenders to Consider

While Twitter Spaces is the leading Clubhouse alternative, it‘s far from the only audio social option for brands. Here‘s a brief overview of how other major platforms stack up:

Facebook Live Audio Rooms

With nearly 3 billion monthly active users,[^9] Facebook‘s sheer size makes it impossible to ignore. Facebook also has the most advanced tools for monetizing audio content through ads, sponsorships, subscriptions and ecommerce integrations.

The biggest risk for brands on Facebook is the cluttered interface and competition for attention. It remains to be seen if audio content can rise above the noise of Facebook‘s crowded news feed.

LinkedIn Audio Events

For B2B brands, LinkedIn is a natural fit for networking and thought leadership via social audio. The platform‘s 830 million members[^10] tend to be professionals seeking to connect with peers and learn about industry trends.

Brands can leverage their existing LinkedIn following to drive live audio event attendance and engagement. However, LinkedIn‘s focus on career-related content may feel too restrictive for some.

Spotify Greenroom

Spotify Greenroom stands out as the only major audio social app not directly tied to an existing social network. Instead, its edge lies in Spotify‘s strong brand affinity amongst artists and entertainers.

If Spotify can attract top talent to host exclusive shows on Greenroom, it could lure listeners away from other apps. But getting users to download a standalone app is always an uphill battle.

Discord Stage Channels

Popular with the gaming community, Discord‘s Stage Channels feature allows servers to host public audio events. While Discord has a highly engaged user base of over 150 million monthly active users,[^11] its gaming focus may be too niche for mainstream brands.

The Verdict: Brands Should Prioritize Twitter Spaces

When it comes to allocating resources to audio social marketing, we believe Twitter Spaces should be the top priority for most brands in 2023. The combination of reach, engagement, discoverability, and monetization potential is simply unmatched.

That‘s not to say brands should ignore other audio platforms entirely. A diversified strategy that experiments with multiple channels is ideal. But if you only have the bandwidth for one audio social platform, Twitter Spaces is the clear winner.

Of course, simply showing up is not enough. To make the most of Twitter Spaces, brands need to create compelling content, engage in genuine conversations, and tap into niche communities. Some specific strategies to consider:

• Partner with industry experts and influencers to co-host Spaces and expand your reach
• Repurpose existing long-form audio and video content into bite-sized Spaces
• Use Spaces to gather real-time feedback on products, services, and campaigns
• Create interactive experiences like AMAs, games, and challenges
• Integrate Spaces into your existing event strategy for product launches, conferences, etc.

The Future of Audio Social Media

Looking ahead, we expect audio social media to continue evolving and growing in importance for brands. As more consumers become comfortable with the format, the bar for quality will rise. Simply hosting a Space will not be enough to stand out.

Successful brands will need to treat audio social as a key pillar of their overall content strategy, not just an add-on. This means dedicating resources to production, promotion, and community management.

We also anticipate more niche audio social apps to emerge, catering to specific interests and demographics. Brands targeting Gen Z, for example, may find success on apps like Riffr and Capiche. Smaller, tight-knit communities could prove more valuable than massive but less engaged audiences.

Audio social will also increasingly converge with other trends like social commerce, live events, and the creator economy. Imagine launching a new product via a ticketed Twitter Space, then allowing listeners to purchase without leaving the Space.

The possibilities are endless, but the throughline is clear: audio social media is here to stay, and Twitter Spaces is currently leading the pack. Brands that get in early and execute well have an opportunity to build community, trust, and affinity with consumers like never before.

[^1]: Clubhouse Valuation & Demographics
[^2]: Clubhouse weekly active users plunged to 2.8 million in January 2022, down 72% from 10 million in February 2021
[^3]: Internal Clubhouse data, May 2023
[^4]: Twitter Q1 2023 Earnings Report
[^5]: Average Time Spent Daily on Social Media (Latest 2023 Data)
[^6]: Mobile Operating System Market Share Worldwide
[^7]: Clubhouse: number of downloads in the U.S. 2022, by app store
[^8]: Subscription is coming: Giving people the option to subscribe to Twitter Blue or Spaces
[^9]: Facebook: number of monthly active users worldwide 2008-2023
[^10]: LinkedIn: Statistics and Facts 2023
[^11]: Discord revenue and usage statistics (2023)