Social Scoring

Remember a time when we used Facebook and Twitter only to connect with friends and share thoughts? Well, things are not so simple anymore as we are all being rated on how influential we are based on what we do on social networks.

Klout: Figure out how influential you are

Remember a time when we use Facebook and Twitter only to connect with friends and share thoughts? Well, things are not so simple anymore as we are all being rated on how influential we are based on what we do on social networking websites. You might think you don’t care about your social score; after all, it’s nothing but a record of how many people like the things you liked on Facebook and how often your tweets get retweeted. What if your score can get you discounts and freebies, determine whether or not you get a job and possibly make you a celebrity? Would you still be so indifferent about it?

What does your social score mean?

Social scoring websites like Klout, Peerindex and Kred are the new hot trend in the social media world. In case you haven’t heard it yet, these websites rate a person’s level of influence by evaluating their friends, followers and postings on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other key social networks. Your score is comprised of three components:

• True Reach: The number of people you influence
• Amplification: The degree to which you influence them
• Network: How influential the people in your network

How well are you doing on Facebook and Twitter?

How can a high social score benefit you?

A high social score can get you discounts, free gifts and Perks, exclusive products or experiences that you ‘earn’ based on your influence, putting it in Klout’s term. Some of the perks offered so far include free flight on a new route by Virgin Airlines, free stay in Palms Hotel in Las Vegas, all-expense-paid weekend trips in Audi’s new A8 to top design, technology and luxury influencers in 2011. On top of that, a high Klout score can make you feel like a celebrity by offering you to night premiers of theatre releases, giving you the first available table at a 5 star restaurant without a reservation and a star treatment in one of the best hotels in the world. Last year when Spotify first launched in the US, it wasn’t A-list celebrities like Britney Spears or P Diddy who got first access because Spotify partnered with Klout and invited influential Klout members to spread words for them instead. A perfect example of why you would want to be influential on Klout: a free premium Spotify account before anyone else.

Free gifts for tweeting about yourself, too good to be true?

By choosing influencers based on their social score, topical influence, location and other factors specific to each campaign, companies are hoping to reach out to real customers who have reputations in giving unbiased comments on products in specific areas. Their strategy is to offer these influential people their newest products and wish that they talk about it in their personal social space. Imagine yourself as a potential customer, would buy a new cell phone because the advertisement says it has several new upgrades or a private blogger who has been using the phone and loves it so much he can’t stop telling his friends how wonderful the experience is? Probably the latter and that’s exactly why companies are offering these influential people great deals. As wonderful as it sounds, it’s not easy to get a high social score. Just to give you an idea, on Klout, a score of 20 out of 100 is average, a score of 50+ puts you in the 95^th percentile and Justin Bieber is the only person with a perfect score so far. So, what are you waiting for? Go post some tweets and earn yourself a new car. Justin Bieber is the only people on earth to earn a perfect Klout score. Yes, he's more influential online than any president.