The Clubhouse social network, born in 2020 and based on interaction through voice chats, has experienced a rapid reception and growing success. So much so that it has not taken long for new versions of this social network to emerge exclusively for iOS mobiles, such as Hotline, Facebook’s alternative.
The aim of Hotline is to attract users of this app by adding new functionalities, and its test version was launched last April.
To get an idea of what this platform is like, imagine a mix of Instagram Live and Clubhouse, where chat room creators can talk to their audience, who in turn can ask questions with text and audio messages. That’s Hotline.
What sets these social networks apart is the video broadcasting by participants, who can also connect their cameras to participate in the meeting.
Hotline makes the difference with video option
Logging into Hotline via the mobile device, a speaker section appears at the top of Hotline where the host of the event appears with a round profile icon, or in the live video stream. Below the host, or next to the host in the desktop version, are the event’s listeners.
If this format is somewhat familiar, it is because social networks such as Twitter Spaces, born in early 2021, could not resist emulating Clubhouse, differing in allowing a link to the audio rooms to be shared via tweets or direct messages.
Despite the suspicious similarities with its competitors, Hotline differs from them in several ways. The most notable is that in order to start using Hotline, the app requires the user to log in to Twitter, followed by verification of their identity via SMS.
It also differs in its listener section, which divides those who only attend the broadcast from those who interact with questions. This section shows the questions asked by users, allowing the rest to vote for or against the issues raised. This section can also be consulted by the creator to find out which questions need to be answered, and then move listeners to the stage area to talk to them in turn.
Recordable broadcasts
As well as being able to activate the video at will during the broadcast, there are also related emojis including applause, fire, heart, laughter, surprise and thumbs up.
It should be noted that the special feature of Hotline broadcasts is that they can be recorded. After the event, the host receives two recordings of the session in mp3 and mp4 versions respectively, which can be shared on YouTube or Facebook if desired. They can also edit them to share on TikTok or turn them into a podcast.
In Hotline, as in Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces, the hosts have full control over the social network, being able to kick people out during the session if they see fit, or delete unfortunate questions.