The Klout Score, which measured people’s social media power, is disappearing. Influencers learned to game the scoring system by purchasing followers and churning out posts with automated tools. Brands sometimes partnered with influencers who had large numbers of followers but who actually lacked any real influence. Social Media Metrics Evolve The passing of Klout underscores the evolution of social media metrics and the growing sophistication of social media measurement. Brands have become more advanced in how they measure influence and vet influencers. Savvy digital PR and marketing professionals have moved beyond volume of activity and vanity metrics. Brands can now use advanced social media measurement tools to integrate large amounts of data from multiple social networks and other sources to gain a holistic view of the PR and marketing situations. More PR and marketing pros realize that measurement enables them to improve their influencer marketing programs, demonstrate its value to management and obtain increased funding. A few people still tout their high Klout scores online like a job applicant bragging about graduating summa cum laude. Klout Score Rides off into the Sunset Lithium, which purchased Klout in 2014, announced it will “sunset” the service on May 25.
The Klout Score, which measured people’s social media power, is disappearing.
The score supposedly graded social media influence with a single number and held clout in the past. Social media savants eagerly, even desperately, sought high Klout Scores. The scores boosted — and bruised — egos. High scores improved chances for new jobs, freelance assignments and even hotel room upgrades. Britney Spears once appeared at Klout’s headquarters to demand to know why her score was lower than Lady Gaga’s, Ad Age reported.
Influencers and influencer marketing professionals eventually started to ignore the scores. They learned that the score was actually a poor gauge of influence. Klout based its score on overall social media activity, not audience engagement or the influencer’s audience. Influencers learned to game the scoring system by purchasing followers and churning out posts with automated tools. Brands sometimes partnered with influencers who had large numbers of followers but who actually lacked any real influence.
Social Media Metrics Evolve
The passing of Klout underscores the evolution of social media metrics and the growing sophistication of social media measurement. Brands have become more advanced in how they measure influence and vet influencers. Savvy digital PR and marketing professionals have moved beyond volume of activity and vanity metrics.
Brands can now use advanced social media measurement tools to integrate large amounts…
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