I should be definitely writing my term paper and business plan for my MBA. But then, I am uninspired to write such technical papers especially when I already have all the answers (at least I think I do) in my head. So, here I am, catching up on my blogging, writing about a topic I long found fascinating and have wanted to write about.
Normally, I would not start at such a personal note, especially since I have been striving to be more of a third person, aloof type of writer for this blog, but then again, from the very title itself – this blog is a reflection of my thoughts so I’ll have as many first person and Ace-personality in it as I want it to have.
So now, what is this KLOUT in the title? Recently – that is, about a month ago – I came across this concept of a Klout score. I was browsing several job adverts in the social media category and I saw one which required the applicant to have an above average Klout score. I wondered, what is a klout score? And so I turned to my trusty Google for the answer.
KLOUT
Klout, is essentially an online site that measures, based from a set of proprietary algorithms, your influence in the social media world. Although size matters (the number of followers or friends you have), ultimately, it is the amount of interaction (retweets, likes, comments) that you get from each post or tweet that determines your Klout score.
What is its benefit? Anyone who has a high Klout score is given perks coming from brands who want to create brand advocates by tapping the influential persons out there and hoping that these people would turn in a positive word or two about them to their massive followers. People have been known to receive hotel room upgrades, the latest gadgets – either to own or try, and various other amenities, services and products.
Lately, it has also been a requirement to get into a job – something most found alarming as years of experience in an industry suddenly becomes invaluable as compared to a Klout score. Here in the Philippines, its far from happening but in the US, it has already happened. This is essentially true if one is a seasoned marketer looking for work in the digital, specifically, social media industry.
Of course Klout received numerous criticisms. A lot of people were skeptical about the proprietary algorithms used to calculate one’s influence. But in the digital world, very few are actually aware of how things are done or made remotely possible. That is why, one of the skills I’ve vowed to acquire is to learn, at least the basic, of coding. Just as I am enhancing my knowledge on Photoshop, so must I also brush up on my skills in programming.
But beside the point, as a brand manager, I can see the potential in targeting people with high Klout scores for perks in my brand. That way, I can get them to promote my brand ensuring more customers.
So where do I go with this Klout score? Although I admit that a program who rates Justin Bieber as more influential than Obama has some faults of its own, I cannot argue over the fact that having a pretty decent Klout score is a source of ego on my end. I admit, it is a boost of confidence to know that your influence mark is higher than most people.
But if I dig deeper into it, can I really say that I, a mere employee with the occasional robust Twitter interactions has more influence than my boss, an award-winning entrepreneur in the local scene? I guess not.
But, for the world I plan to enter, cultivating a healthy Klout score might come in handy.
Related articles
- What Your Klout Score Really Means (wired.com)
- What Klout Really Means and the Future of Social Media Influence (blogtrepreneur.com)
- What Is My Klout Score, and Why Should I Even Care? (bloggersmakemoney.com)
- Tools, Twitter and a Ton of Opportunity (seomoz.org)
