Have you been hearing a lot about Klout lately? Here's a break down of what it is & how it's scored

@GatzSocialMediaGatz Optimize, LLC

Have you been hearing a lot about #Klout lately? Here's a break down of what it is & how it's scored:goo.gl/lFPW7

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Do You Have Klout?

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Gatz Optimize

What is Klout and why does it matter? Klout measures influence across the social web and Klout scores are based on your ability to drive action.  Klout does not focus on the number of followers or friends you have, but on your social actions, such as retweets, @mentions, likes, comments, etc.  Think of it as a social credit score.

Currently Klout scores are based on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Foursquare, YouTube, Instagram, Tumblr, Blogger, WordPress, Last.fm and Flickr.  Klout uses the data from these social networks to measure:

True Reach – How many people you influence. Klout filters out spam and bots to focus on the people who are actually acting on your content.
Amplification – How much you influence them.  The number of people who respond to or share information you post determine your Amplification score.

Network Impact – The influence of your network. When top influencers respond or share your content, they increase your Network score.

Klout can be useful for both individuals and businesses.  Klout is a good way to benchmark social media success by monitoring your score. If there’s a dramatic decrease, something you’re doing may not be working.  Look at the Klout scores of the people in your community to find out who is most influential.  Give props to the people in your network who have an impact on you by giving them +K.  As an added bonus, Klout users are eligible to receive Perks based on scores and areas of expertise.

Interested in finding out what your Klout score is?  Sign up for Klout here.  For those of you that are already registered with Klout, what do you think of the service? Do you take people’s Klout scores into account when deciding whether to connect with them? Let us know in the comment box below.