Influence is currency in the world of the social brand. It’s not about how many followers you have - it’s about how you can influence them.
Since this social enlightenment came to the fore, websites such as Klout, which claim to put a number on your influence, have seen their popularity soar. But how much faith can we really put in our Klout score?
Recently, the Klout team has announced a recalibration of their scores. Now, your social influence will also take into account your LinkedIn network and a variety of new “signals” (likes, mentions, replies) on Facebook and Twitter. One thing is still missing from this equation though, and that’s direction.
It’s fine to have 500 followers, with a guaranteed 300 replies and 200 re-tweets to everything you post on Twitter. But what if the replies are negative, or question your approach? What if the re-tweets are made in jest or irony? Let’s face it - we all know how hard it is to convey tone via Social Media…
Direction should have the heaviest weighting of all when it comes to influence. If you generate a high level of engagement but your respondents all disagree (or even mock) you, then surely you can’t be given the lofty title of an “influencer”?
For example, Klout’s metrics page boasts that Justin Bieber once had a perfect score. This may be a tad cynical but do the guys at Klout really think that Bieber’s social media presence is without fault or disagreement?
The simple fact is that influence can’t just be about the numbers. The way in which people respond can also have either a positive or negative impact on a brand’s influence.
Klout can add as many new signals and variables into the equation as they please, but if they fail to address the issue of direction, then they’re doomed to go down as the flawed nearly-men of social influence…
Posted by Idealogy
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