The Power of Klout

By Yosef Solomon on Oct 26, 2011

In its simplest terms, Klout.com is the the first ever “street cred” authoritarian online. Using social network activity on sites like Twitter and Facebook, Klout acts as a barometer, granting users a “Klout Score” based on their own algorithm. There are a lot more features, but that is the gist of the site. Check out the video below by WSJ for a better understanding:

As an “OG” member of Klout (I actually have the badge to prove it), I’ve seen the site grow into what is now a fairly legit social analytics site that appeals to everyday users. Since I use the site more as a brand strategist, than a personal activity, I can’t exactly say how popular Klout is amongst the general public. But compared to most social analytics sites, it definitely wins in UI/UX and easy-to-understand terms.

The best part of Klout and I think most users would agree is their Perks system. Still in its infancy, Klout Perks awards social influencers with review products ranging in AXE Bodyspray to a Chevy Volt for the weekend. Some perks are directly through the site and others are directly from brands, who used Klout to determine which social influencers to award.

Today Klout introduced a new algorithm that claims to be more accurate with scores and how they calculate user activity across social networks. Many “Klouters” (not sure if that’s the correct term) were angry about dropped scores after this update and let it be know on the corporate blog. I myself dropped quite a few points with the new update, but am not too surprised by that. I believe it’s all in the secret sauce of Klout’s success.

The narcissistic nature of all users on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and every other major network is what powers Klout. If they can keep users coming back to their site, day after day, checking on whether their score went up or down, they’ve ultimately succeeded in their goal of being The Standard “Score” of Influence online.