1. Klout: What’s the Big Deal &
Is it worth your time?
Liz Jostes - BarCamp Memphis, November 2011

2. Overview:
• What is Klout?
• The Klout Algorithm
• Klout Style
• Klout Features
• Topics
• +K
• How Klout is being used
• The reasons for growing #KloutDoubt
• How my Twitter accounts compare
• Discussion: What are your thoughts on Klout?

3. What is Klout?:
• A measurement of online influence shown as a score from 1-100
• Core platforms of Twitter and Facebook (personal)
• Pulls photo and bio from your Twitter profile

4. Components of the Klout Score:
• True Reach, Amplification and Network Impact

5. Klout Style:
• Along with your score, you have a certain style. Maybe you’re a
Dabbler, Conversationalist, Observer or Pundit?
I’m a Specialist - Focused and Consistent.

6. Klout Topics:
• You are given 10-ish topics that you are influential about.
• Topics are generated based on what you tweet about (?).
• You can delete any topics you feel are incorrect.
• You can earn Klout Perks based on Topics.
But what does one do with Topics?

7. Giving +K:

8. How is Klout Used?:
• As a measure of overall social media influence.
• To identify users who are influential on specific topics vs overall
(Subway, Spotify and Chevrolet).
• To help brands focus their customer reward and loyalty programs
(Involver).
• As part of hiring process.

9. #KloutDoubt:
• Is +K about pageviews and publicity or social media users?
• Friends give friends +K about bacon.
• Achievements eerily similar to FourSquare badges.

10. #KloutDoubt:
The Day the Algorithm Changed
• No notation was made in the data.
• All historical data was updated with the new algorithm.
• Many people outside of the social media realm (i.e. the average
Facebook user) saw huge jumps in scores.
• Barely-used, non-connected accounts sported higher Klout scores
than heavily-involved users.

11. My Twitters:
@BelleBeanDog - 38K tweets, 3.3K followers, 7 connected accounts, high level of
engagement and retweets. Klout dropped 11 pts.
@LizJostes - 146 tweets, 102 followers, 2 connected accounts, 1 tweet a day, zero
engagement. Klout increased 4 pts.

12. What’s Your Take?:
Open Discussion
• What are your thoughts on Klout?
• Do you use it to evaluate others?
• Has it ever been used to evaluate you?
• What do you think is a good barometer to gauge the effectiveness or
“success” of social media users?