What, Why, and How to Klout?

Guest Post by Angela Breidenbach

Let’s start with the what: Klout is an online “influence” measuring stick. The website helps monitor your online effectiveness.

Benefits of Klout.com: There are a few very pleasant benefits. As your actual online clout raises, people in your industry will be able to recognize your expertise. But there’s a fun perk to that rising number: You’ll get free Perks. Companies offer free products and services to Klout participants. The higher your Klout score, the more free opportunities you have to try because those companies hope you’ll enjoy the product/service and tweet about it. (No, there’s no requirement to do so.) I’ve received Lipton Green Tea & Honey, Jason’s shampoo, and a few other fun perks. And I liked them! Why not try something new?

Let’s take a look at why: By getting familiar with Klout, you’ll find out how well your online efforts reach your target market. Additionally, Klout.com helps you find out what messages you’re sending, mixed or pinpoint. The amount of topics listed under your score will tell you how wide a net you cast. For instance, mine has over 20 topics. Hmm. This tells me I need to hone my message if I’m after a specific target market. My next book, A Healing Heart, is in the Quilts of Love Books line from Abingdon. Over the next several months, my message will begin to move more into romance, quilts, and relationships to better target my market. But I wouldn’t know my eclectic message sent mixed signals unless I had a tool to monitor me. Thank you, Klout for pointing that out.

Now how do you get involved with Klout? Hop on over to Klout and follow the simple sign up. They’ll offer very short tutorials. Take them. They’re so short and helpful that you’ll feel like you understand right away.

Klout a little deeper?
Each time you log in to the actual site, Klout gives you “Klout” points to use toward benefiting others or yourself. You can click on a topic to show another person influences well in that area or add a topic to your own profile.

Notifications are at the top of the tool bar with a little icon that looks like a bunch of lines. Think of it as a little notebook holding your messages. If you’re awarded Perks because of your numerical Klout score, you’ll find those notices there along with when you’ve been awarded “klout” from another member.

Hop over to the Perks tab and see all the current and even some future perks. You can sign up on those you qualify for and they’ll send them over to you. The companies offering the perks do not get your contact information. That’s kept privately with Klout.com to protect people from too much nonsense. As your score goes up, you’ll be awarded more perks. Isn’t that the way the world goes round?

How do you raise your score? The most basic of basics. Tweet, post to your social media outlets, and be retweeted/quoted. The higher quality information you send out, the more you’ll be repeated. Those repeats share your message with the world. Klout.com picks up those social media messages and begins to build your score. Be patient for the first few days as Klout gathers enough information to measure.

Yes, there’s more to Klout. But this is enough to get you started and feel confident your clout is worth Klouting about.

Angela Breidenbach’s family tradition is to make photo memory quilts for each child as they graduate high school. Each unique quilt displays memorable moments of family life spanning birth to graduation. Angela is Mrs. Montana International 2009, a multi-award winning inspirational speaker, and author. Her works include Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life, Creative Cooking for Simple Elegance, and on Kindle Creative Cooking for Colitis. Other works by Angela include compilation books and devotionals from David C. Cook’s The Quiet Hour, Guidepost, Group, and articles in magazines, ezines, and newspapers. Angela also coaches courageous confidence, personal growth, and powerful living. She’s certified in mentor/peer counseling as a Stephen Minister and life coach. Angela serves as an assisting minister for her congregation in Missoula, MT. Angela is married with a combined family of six grown children and now several grand children. Look for her next book, A Healing Heart, from Abingdon Press April 2013.

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Interact with or learn more about Angela Breidenbach:
http://www.AngelaBreidenbach.com

https://www.facebook.com/AngelaBreidenbachInspirationalSpeakerAuthor
http://www.TheFaithGirls.com on Wednesdays each week
http://www.ChristianFictionOnlineMagazine.com Angie’s Place (monthly feature column)