Since its inception, the social media tribe has had a love-hate relationship with Klout. Most recognize that there is a need for metrics and measurement, however, assigning a number to a gigantoid concept like ‘influence’ was always going to be tricky.
Last week, Klout updated its algorithm, or as Thoora fave @TheRunningStart calls it ‘the Caramilk Secret’ (how do they get all that ooey gooey influence summed up in one number?). CEO Joe Fernandez attempted to be forthcoming about the changes, re-itering that influence drives action and Klout scores are a combination of how many people you influence, how much you influence them and how influential they are.
Outrage and dismay ensued, centred upon two issues:
1. Transparency
As one of the guiding and Yoda-all mighty principles of social media, it appears the expectation of transparency has yet to be met. Klout admits that their score will always be a work-in-progress, however, they also say they’re taking the same approach as Google with SEO (which for the record, can’t be described as transparent). Perhaps the tagline “The Standard for Influence” just rubs people the wrong way. When social measurement is still young, budding and evolving, it’s hard to stomach this claim.
2. The Number
What is the #1 complaint Klout receives from users? Don’t be surprised. Klout-ers most frequently believe their Klout score is too low. So good and proof there is demand for social media scoring and even more demand for top marks. As Klout integrates with other social networks, a fresh batch of feedback has sprung up. How could Facebook-ers without Twitter, Foursquare and LinkedIn profiles overtake the Klout of the esteemed Twitterati and even important bloggers??? It begs the question, can you hate the game if you’re still a player?
Leave it to Geoff Livingston to bring it back to the heart of the debate. Can we get an Amen please? Livingston has a simple take. Social media will always be about being ‘social’, interacting, dialoguing, chit chatting. So he asks, “What is the real reason to quantify big social media influencers? If relationships are your desired outcome, why waste time?” While we can’t entirely walk away from the great Klout debate (it’s too entertaining!), we can certainly focus on the heart of social media – SOCIAL.
What’s your take on Klout? How often do you check your Klout? How much does this number mean to you? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
