5 Takeaways From a Week on the Wisdom App The newest networking social-media app is challenging Clubhouse and offering a different approach.

Clubhouse exploded during the pandemic, but since then, other information-sharing, networking apps have started challenging its position. Wisdom, the newest challenger to Clubhouse, launched a few weeks ago. Dayo Akinrinade, the Black female founder of Wisdom, created a platform that combines Clubhouse with Masterclass and addresses some of the criticisms of Clubhouse.

For example, on Wisdom, there is no large stage with multiple voices, sometimes tripping over each other. Instead, Wisdom is set up for one-to-one conversations between the host and a guest, with the guest having a limited timeframe in which to contribute. Although controlled by the host, the time restriction helps prevent one voice from holding a monopoly on the conversation so other perspectives can be integrated into the discussion.

The discussions on Wisdom are also recorded and archived for followers to listen to later on, and you can post your Wisdom talks to other social-media platforms. There are still improvements to be made, but for many Clubhouse followers, Wisdom is providing a different or additional outlet to share ideas and promote their work.

To make the Wisdom experience beneficial for you, here are a few things to consider.

1. Join early

By the time Clubhouse became a mainstream topic, millions had joined. This left fewer opportunities for individuals to find space in rooms packed with hundreds of listeners. If you like the idea of connecting, learning, discussing and networking, join Wisdom early. Your first step is to download the app and create your bio, an easy time investment.

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2. Create two bios

If you want to be seen as a credible participant, be sure to complete your bios. There are two on Wisdom: your written bio and your audio bio. The written bio is short, typically written as keywords, which gives people a quick idea of what you do and who you are. The audio bio is created by starting a room. Once you have a profile on Wisdom, you can start a talk and record an overview of your bio, going into more depth than in your written bio. Keep in mind that others may be listening live, so practice it a few times before starting the talk. If you don't like the results, you can delete that talk before it is published on the site.

3. Be in the app daily

If you are like me, I didn't develop a daily routine to utilize Clubhouse. I was nervous about learning the new platform and, honestly, it was overwhelming at the beginning. Because I delayed, this left me feeling like I was behind in terms of learning how best to use the app and lagging in making connections. Even if you only jump on Wisdom for ten minutes a day, you develop a comfort with the app. You learn new changes as they happen. You establish connections that you can build on. It becomes part of your daily habits for marketing, learning or interacting with others.

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4. Link all social media

Like Clubhouse, you can connect your social media to Wisdom. By doing this, potential followers can learn more about you, and this is important for two reasons. First, like your bio, it develops your credibility, and second, it establishes more of a connection between you and those people looking you up. Instead of relying solely on Instagram like Clubhouse, Wisdom allows you to share your Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Medium accounts. It also provides you the ability to connect your Clubhouse bio, creating lots of avenues for followers to connect to you.

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5. Dive in and talk

There are two ways to actively participate on Wisdom: You can start a talk as the host or you can participate in a discussion as a guest. If you host a talk that isn't what you want as part of your profile, Wisdom allows you to delete the talk so it isn't archived — no harm, no foul. You give it a try, knowing it doesn't have to be permanent. If you are a guest, then you are simply having a conversation with the host, getting your face and voice known to those following the host. The best part about being a guest is that once the discussion is over, you can start your own talk, using the expertise and information you shared as your starting point.

Ultimately, there are two things to consider with any of these types of apps. Start by determining how this type of tool can support your professional goals. This will help you decide how much time and energy to allocate to the app so it works for you versus you working for it. Once you decide if this type of tool is aligned with your goal, select the app or apps that best match your style. At some level, using the app should be something you look forward to and enjoy using rather than something that you'd prefer to avoid. Maybe I'll see you on one of the platforms soon!