Post Shift Shot #121 - Where is the Attention in 2021?

Where Is The Attention In 2021?

So, you want to get noticed on social media but don’t know where to start?

Well, today is your lucky day because we have compiled up-and-coming platforms that are not yet saturated! Go ahead and sign up for a taste of fame on these social networking sites!

#1: Clubhouse – Drop-in-audio Application

The Clubhouse is an invite-only platform that has gained immense popularity over the past year. It was launched in 2020, but as of January 2021, it is valued at a whopping 1B USD!

Remember the classic AOL forum style back in the day? The Clubhouse has adopted a very similar look, but what sets it apart is the fact that it is solely audio-based. Since it is invite-only, new members usually get to invite only one other member, but you do eventually get a few more invites over time. Now once you're in, you can create or join rooms to listen to or participate in a conversation. Naturally, the person who made the room decides who gets to speak. The app rooms have spectacular speakers, a stage, and a moderator- the perfect mix for a great virtual panel discussion!

Clubhouse members are all top of their fields- from Tedx talkers to Forbes Top 50 CEOs - the gang's all here! It's a great place to make contacts with important people. From a business point of view, Clubhouse is number 1, and if you're an expert in anything, get invited!

#2: TikTok

You might think TikTok is completely saturated by now. But that's actually not true at all! There are still niches to be explored. And I speak from personal experience, the potential for organic growth on TikTok is ridiculous! As a 40-year-old white dude who's only been on TikTok for a month, I've had brands reach out to me for endorsements. Crazy, right? Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are great, but the response and views on TikTok are just incredible!

If you're a young bartender, get TikTok and explore your niche. College drinks, neon blues, and greens are really trendy right now, so if you can rock the classics, TikTok is your stage! You'll resonate with a lot of people, but like any other social platform, there will be haters. All in all, TikTok is the future for drinks, influencers, and marketing. Forget about magazine spreads and billboards and invest in influencer marketing on TikTok. Your TikTok followers will find you on other social apps like Instagram and Facebook, too, if you manage to impress them.

Bottom line:

The hospitality industry has been really badly affected by the ongoing pandemic. Nobody knows exactly how to cope or what to do. There's no handbook to tackle the current scenario, lockdown, and all. It's a tough time for bars and restaurants, specifically in areas where they aren't even allowed to stay partially open. Furthermore, everyone has their own agendas- the government, operators, and even advocacy groups. Nevertheless, it's truly our first time amidst such a situation, so it will take some time to adjust. If you've been out of business for a while, try googling free training and courses for the hospitality industry to get some experience. I would recommend Bar Smarts in the US and Anania in Australia, but there are tons of others.

The bottom line is that if you're looking for attention in 2021, as a business or maybe just as an individual, TikTok is your go-to. The Clubhouse is number one because it's great for meeting professionals in the field, although it might not be very easy to get invited. But you can make connections sitting at home and network with people who were otherwise way out of your reach. So, get with the flow on Clubhouse and TikTok to garner loads of positive attention for yourself as well as your brand.

Share a dram with the hospitality industry’s top global talents: bartenders, venue owners, distillers and industry aficionados. Shawn Soole has lived, breathed, and imbibed hospitality for decades. Now, he delves into the advice, opinions, and provocative stories that are helping to define the creative, culturally-necessary space of ‘modern hospitality’—covering topics from front-of-house service, to back-end business operations, and every inch between.