Key Q&A to Understanding Klout

By Miriam Slozberg and Janette Speyer ––  

Recently I wrote an article about using Klout score as a guide to screen bloggers and brand ambassadors. As a result our readers had many unanswered questions. I have asked Social Media Specialist and Klout evangelist Miriam Slozberg to help me answer these questions and to clarify some of your concerns about Klout. Here goes:

1. How can Klout track my website or blog? 

Miriam: Right now it can’t. What Klout does do is measure the amount of shares you receive from your blog, tweets, Google Plus and Facebook shares. The trick is, your handler or name has to be tagged while the content is being shared. For instance, if you have written a blog post, and someone shares it on Twitter and if your Twitter handle is mentioned as a result of that share, it will contribute to your Klout score. Same thing will happen if your name is tagged on Facebook or Google Plus. However, if nothing is tagged and you are acknowledged while someone shares anything from your blog, Klout will not measure that. So the best thing to do is to go into your social share plug-in settings and you should be able to add your Twitter handle so this way, if someone shares your blog, you are mentioned and that will help your score. Hopefully one day Klout will track your blog better than that. It is still in its infancy and has a long way to go.

2. When will they add Pinterest, Tumblr and Flipboard? 

Miriam: That is a good question. I know Klout has been testing Tumblr for a while, but not sure when it will be tracking it. Pinterest does not have a public API that I am aware of so it will be impossible for Klout to track Pinterest for now. As for Flipboard, I am unsure of as well.

3. What do you do if you have a low Klout score but you are getting engagement from other sources?

Miriam: Make sure you are receiving the same engagement through the platforms connected to #Klout and that will raise it!

4. What to do if your Klout score drops?

Miriam: If you have a lot of engagement and yet your score is dropping, check your settings and go to your connected networks. Sometimes a platform can get disconnected and when this happens your score will drop. Otherwise just keep engaging and be consistent. A drop in the score could be a result of old updates disappearing as Klout discounts activity that has taken place prior to 90 days. If you have had a lot of activity in the last 90 days and then you have been less active, your score has a high chance of dropping, even if you are consistently engaging on social media. Just keep at it. It will catch up eventually.

5. How do I increase my Klout score? (Everyone wants to know the answer to this one)

Miriam: You will want to be sure to connect Twitter, your Facebook page or profile (which ever is more active), Google Pus, Instagram and LinkedIn (however Klout does not measure a lot of your LinkedIn activity) and Foursquare. Be active on most of it and just remain consistent with your activities. Meaning, post captivating and relevant content that will attract interaction, and be sure to engage with others so you have a lot of activity, retweet others so they will retweet you which will increase your score, like other people’s content on Facebook and +1 on Google Plus, this way they will do the same to you. Do the same on Instagram. Consistency is the key when it comes to maintaining a strong social media presence.

6. Why did the new update eliminate the “Twitter lists” feature?

Miriam: The impression I got was that a lot of users were not seeing the benefit from it, however perhaps one day they will bring it back if there is a place for it.

7. What can’t you connect a Facebook page and a Facebook personal account to the Klout networks?

Miriam: That is the way they are structured for now. Klout may give you the option to hook up both later on. I have found that those with profiles tend to have higher scores because many times profiles tend to get more engagement. The exception to that rule is if you have a high profile page and you get consistent interaction. Eventually they may give you the option to hook both up.

Closing note about Klout:

Klout is still in its infancy, not to mention social media, it is still very new. It has come along way but it still has further to go and I believe it will. Yet it is still one of the best determinants for influence. Hope this helped answer some of your questions.

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Miriam SlozbergMiriam Slozberg is a Canadian author, SEO and social media consultant, helping entrepreneurs stand out and be influential in their niche through social media. She also has a really personal and updated outlook on what it means to operate a business based on spirituality in this day and age of world wide web economy, combining her skills and sensitivity with her knowledge of new social media and web marketing. Miriam was noted as one of the top 50 industry influencers by AGBeat Magazine. 

 

2 comments

  1. Linda Sherman
    April 3rd, 2014 21:29  / 

    Nice job answering the frequent questions about Klout Miriam and Janette.

    I find that on Kauai, many people have not yet connected Facebook to their Klout score. They just have Twitter connected.

    By adding Facebook their score goes up significantly. I wrote an article just focusing on this for KauaiMarketing.com

    Will I see you at BlogChat this Sunday Janette?

    ====
    It would be really nice if you make an error on the captcha that it saves your comment and sign-in instead of making you start all over again. agh.

  2. WebSuccessTeam
    April 6th, 2014 16:03  / 

    Thanks for commenting, Linda. Yes true about Facebook, many people don’t add Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to Klout and it does make a huge difference. Thanks for making us aware of the captcha. Sorry you had to rewrite the comment.

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