Anyone else intrigued by Klout? According to the website, they provide:

Measurement of your overall online influence. The scores range from 1 to 100 with higher scores representing a wider and stronger sphere of influence. Klout uses over 35 variables on Facebook and Twitter to measure True Reach, Amplification Probability, and Network Score.

I stumbled across it while reading one of Chris Brogan’s posts on improving your influence in the online world. Since his Klout score is 80 out of 100 and I find his content pretty spot-on, I hopped on over to the Klout website.  After doing some reading about the Influence Metric and Amplification whoosie-whats-its, I determined that I really needed a slide rule.

Ok, but seriously, I signed up with my Twitter account, looped in my Facebook as well, and let it calculate my influence. The Klout score analysis page is interesting. The way in which one is ranked is democratic enough, with the quality and klout of your contribution reflected in how much it is valued and shared. Ultimately, though, what I like best about the site is the deft way in which Klout delivers a small amount of relevant and engaging information in a polished and complete feeling experience.

It’s about quality, not quantity. And it’s about the value of social media content as a currency.

At the end of the day, my Klout Score doesn’t tell me too much more than what I can already surmise through some pretty simple searches and dashboard checks. And, if Facebook or Twitter aren’t primary channels for you, your score may be skewed. But, the Klout experience does demonstrate some sophisticated social media marketing and top notch strategic business thinking.

For many people who are active in social media channels, this has potential as a good tool to have in the toolbox.

How are you measuring your reach and influence online?