Some while back I rage quit +Klout (automated software to measure a user's influence across his or her social network and issue 'perks' based on the score and a paid involvement by advertisers) because I didn't agree with the algorithm of heavily relying on Twitter activity of any kind to assign influence.
Several things set me off when it came time to quit Klout:
– I had (potential) clients come to me and say my Klout score dipped by 5 points in a week so they weren't sure I was really a social media 'expert' (I was not Tweeting as much because I was speaking at an industry conference – as an industry expert).
– Klout didn't consider activity on any of the digital properties that I am most active in (Google+) towards your level of influence.
– Taking the time to give another person a "+K" (human-issued clout) didn't seem to affect their score
I don't trust any decision made only by software algorithms especially when it blatantly ignores human knowledge. Yes, I realize that Klout is supposed to be a starting point in helping to determine other people or accounts that have influence in areas you are interested in reaching. It is not. Klout is, at its core and purpose, a vehicle for the company that created Klout to make money from large companies to dole out chotchkies and free movie tickets to suckers who work their fingers to the bone Tweeting for a perk. Businesses also get lazy and decide to pick people or accounts with Klout scores in the 'range' of influencer and be done with it. Not Klout's fault, but part of how they market the platform in my opinion.
Like most social networking sites or analytics, I joined Klout in the very early pre-public stages. It read my Twitter stream and assigned me as influential in mullets. I have no idea why. I could not correct the listing for a very long time. I had people contact me poking fun at the fact that I must be some sort of redneck to be influential on a haircut. (I hesitate repeating the word here too much in fear of ranking in search for the term.) My only reason for considering joining again is to see if there have been any improvements and if the mechanics of the platform have evolved. Klout would be added as one of many tools I use for my clients and the results are weighted accordingly – and with a solid dose of human common sense.
Over the past few months I have talked to many professionals that have relationships or clients that use Klout. As much as I'd like to stick to my decision of quitting Klout to make a point, I realize my lack of involvement is neither helping me or hurting Klout. If the platform is better and considers more than just Twitter as a viable social media publishing platform in which to earn influence, then I'd consider it.
Is Klout different now? Is it better? Does it consider multiple social publishing platforms or is it still in bed with Twitter?
Google+: Reshared 2 times
Google+: View post on Google+
It's still got a lot of problems, chief of which is trust. As long as the system can be gamed, it's not going to do what Klout claims it can do for consumers. Their B2B offering is still pretty decent, though (thanks to marketers still viewing social within their CPM framework).
Hmm I felt like it was twitter early on… Then weighted plus heavily and now is more weighted based on Facebook it seems
IMO, Klout is masturbation and it hasn't gotten any better or interesting in the past few months. Of course, I'm one of those people who sees my rating tank ten points every time they hone their algorithm, so I'm biased. 🙂
So was this like the commercial where the manager slapped his associate until he agreed that social networking could be used to calculate RoI?
+Christina Trapolino I know +Christopher Penn 'gamed' Klout a few times and reverse engineered making the needle move. Any system can be gamed, but I just don't know about participating in a system that is marketed to be the definitive solution to finding influencers online. Large agencies and companies know influence is a black magic mix of multiple things, but smaller agencies and companies not 'in the know' seem to still be duped.
+matthew rappaport Klout measures Google+? When I quit they did not. The only real connection from Klout to Facebook seemed to be to spam walls and recruit friends. Also two features of 'social' platforms I despise.
As you may know, Klout now factors in your activity on other social media sites as well (like Facebook).
No. It's a scam.
It seems to me that what Klout should say to its users is: "This is a black box so we can't tell you everything, but we are happy to tell you some of the signals that played into determining your score. BUT we removed our platform-specific +K bull@#$% that was designed to increase engagement on our site. We're sorry about that; we thought short term growth would look better to our investors. Now we see we were dismantling the entire system of trust we wanted you to emotionally connect with as a brand. Oops."
+Lynette Young, I agree with +matthew rappaport's assessment. I messed with Klout for a month or two several months ago, and during that time they had an algorithm change. As near as I can tell the change significantly increased the influence of Facebook interactions and decreased the influence of Google+ interactions. I played with it enough to learn a bit of how to game the system and then stopped doing anything with it and haven't looked back.
You already have trust issues. Don't go back into something you thought was an abusive relationship. 😉
+Aaron Wood good point. 😉
My Klout score has shot up in the past few weeks because I've made internet-friends with "influential" people. Which just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, because I interact with people because I like them, not because they have high Klout scores. Mix in the tasteless little quips it gives you about your "moments," (Klout told me, "Well played, Christina" when I posted on Facebook thanking people for attending my stepfather's memorial service last month — seriously) and you've got a creepy, bizarre little world inside of that Klout Dashboard.
To get back to +Lynette Young's original question, though — I'd say get back on the system. It's good to be familiar with it so you can disassemble it for your clients. 🙂
Oh +Christina Trapolino that's horrible!! It's not that hard nowadays to determine sentiment from context.
I do want to dive back in a bit for professional reasons. Personally I think it's bunk.
I think your personal beliefs about it lend strength to your ability to discuss it professionally. I have been to several conferences this year where I've met super smart analytics people from places like WCG — and getting into Klout talks with them is ironically one of the best networking tools in my belt. 🙂
That's an excellent point, +Christina Trapolino. I noticed that my Klout score would rise when you, or +Lynette Young, or +Michelle Marie, or any number of other higher-Klout people would comment on a post. While I enjoy interaction, and certainly from any of those people and many others, I certainly don't want it to be because I want my Klout score to go up. It's just unseemly. (I also agree about the stupid little "Well played" comments in the new interface, which just rolled out prior to my stopping going there.)
It's a measurement. It is only as good as what it collects. Seems that it has gotten better. I actually use it just to make sure I'm not ignoring managing my relationships on different networks. Also to briefly and easily scan who has interacted with my posts.
Well, people like me (y'know someone with a low Klout score) are finally becoming aware of it. I signed up a month ago, saw my horrid score, gamed my way to something more respectable, then lost interest. After all that, I found other people on linked-in and elsewhere are talking about Klout, meaning the Klout is still percolating.
I haven't seen anyone actually USE a Klout score for anything, and I certainly don't ask for Klout scores when I receive resumes. That comes down to what +Christina Trapolino says "trust". If I can game the darn thing so easily, I won't trust it on a resume.
Yeah almost every post is shown and it's been measuring plus for I want to say a year or more?
+Amanda Blain visited their offices and talked to them about the new system to come which is now in place. What do you think about the K place Amanda?
I now have 4 red bulls sitting in my kitchen from them.
It can't measure how you've been able to take your internet influence and had people do something more than just respond to one of your posts which might be more important. The President has social media but he does influence people offline more I would think.
I got some SWEET Moo business cards for "free." (Shipping and handling.) 😀
Sorry – I feel it's crap. From my tests it seems extremely waited to Facebook and next in line is twitter. Google+ (where I spend most of my time and get most of my engagement) is an oversight. I have added my Instagram on which I receive 100's of likes and comments a day and my Klout does not budge. This may change as Facebook decides what to do with the Instagram platform but it has no affect in its current form.
The response is "I'm an expert and you should hire me because I can teach you why contrived faux-metrics like these are a meaningless high-tech circle jerk."
+Matthew Ebel – Oooh. Following you. I HOPE IT BOOSTS YOUR KLOUT SCORE!
I'm going to follow you, +Christina Trapolino . You've probably got Justin Bieber beat, eh? 🙂
Y'know, Klout-wise, that is.
I have so much Klout it's like it's dripping off of me. It's actually pretty gross.
ITT, we learn that any "serious" discussion of Klout by true influencers (e.g. +Lynette Young) will turn into nonsense. I will leave it to the rest of you to draw your own conclusions about what that means.
+Daniel Chavitage, you can only follow her until she gets the restraining order.
+Michael O'Reilly oh no! not again! lol
+Christina Trapolino, now I have the old Palmolive "you're soaking in it" commercial stuck in my head.
Klout "You're dripping in it."
Eh, I could use some more Moo cards…
They're wicked nice cards. Although they do have a tiny Klout logo on the back side. lol
I feel I can reveal to you all that I have met +Christina Trapolino _in person_ and can attest that the Klout veritably drips off of her.
+Aaron Wood – I know this is crazy, but I totally buy and pay for my moo cards. 🙂
Hmm, sometimes on Google+ when I put those underscores around text it makes it italicized…
+Christina Trapolino, hey, I didn't just meet you, and the details are hazy, but you pay for your Moo cards, call you crazy?
I don't like it..and joined because I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.. but find it all to be a totally screwed view of people. Not only do I distrust the site.. but I would have problems with people who take it too seriously.
+Michael O'Reilly , I have the same problem .. LOL !! I never know when and why it works on when and why not.
+Lynette Young I used Klout for a while just because I was curious and stopped pretty soon again, because I did not see any practical use for it. If you job depends on it though, maybe the right way is to go back on again, learn how to play the system and get your Klout rating where you want to be. That might not quite be Klout's original idea, but then again, if it serves a purpose ..
I never really quit, I just stopped paying it any attention. I don't think it has gotten any better.
I also get perks for events happening in cities across the country from where I am. Thanks Cadillac – love to go to the premier of your new car in San Fran but don't feel it would be worth the $2,500 plane ticket 🙁
It is really weird I think, I am no one social media guru and posted a manicure picture on twitter and somehow my score jumped up to 49 from the low 10s.
i got some free zatarain's once from klout lol.
Blah… I'm so over Klout it's not even funny. My interest in it lasted about as long as my interest in Foursquare. I'm not sure the platform will go anywhere good, their perks have really gone down which gives me the feeling that many big brands are not buying into it. Also, there have been a lot of perks I have not received after being rewarded – even after contacting them I got no response. They have TERRIBLE customer service.
Google this: site:klout.com/perk – it'll show you all the perks that have been listed, none are recent.
It's crazy how Klout is viewed as a "be all, end all" by some people — scary too. I've never been wild about them and would never do business with someone just because of their Klout score. I do business with people, not numbers.
I also wonder if it will break down regional and/or language influence.
For example ..
It seems that there are some with large followings made up mostly of Asian and middle eastern fans. Those people can't get huge interaction from say the North American and European region and if someone is trying to do an event or influence a company based in North America/Canada, they are going to have a tough time.
I think people say global influence which is fine but it can be very misleading. It seems strange that someone with hundreds of thousands of followers or millions couldn't influence the entire world but I think we all see it. There are so many posts by people with one hundred thousand or more who have primarily little interaction or 70 percent or higher of what they do have is from an audience on the other side of the world that doesn't have English as its first language.
I think this would be a huge reason for a company not to hire simply based on Klout score. I can't imagine how many people have gotten jobs because someone liked them enough to feature them to inflate their numbers and klout score, and they can't show much influence at all.