Klout is known for showing an influence score of a user based on the activities connected to their profile. People connect their profiles from Facebook, Twitter and a whole lot of other social media channels and each interaction that happens on these channels will account for a Klout score. Right now, they have recently added Google+ to this list.

Users who have been using Klout also know that you can give +Ks to influencers of a certain topic and curate lists that will give people who are experts an edge over other users. It is sort of like a vote or a like to “agree” that the person is influential about a certain topic. And who wouldn’t want to be influential when you know you can get perks for being one.

This gamification of the system has proved to be useful for Klout to ensure that people keep their profiles and Klout accounts up to date.

For other people who just browse around the net for things they like, they just might not see benefits of having a Klout account. Scoring and influence – what’s the use of those anyway? Do we need to keep track of scores? Depending on your industry, you might find it helpful. Here are some of my thoughts on how it might be beneficial.

For headhunters and PR professionals

Headhunters and PR professionals who are looking to reach out or hire people in the digital marketing scene will find Klout a useful tool to know which users are influential in specific industries.

Do you need an influential blogger? Look up the blogging topic page. Do you need someone who’s into tech? Look up the influencers in the tech list.

If you are business looking to hire a social media manager, it will be good to look into their  Klout score as a way to know if the person really “gets” digital and multichannel marketing can find Klout a good basis for considering someone.

For those seeking social media positions

 My Digitentrep classmate, Ryan, has already mentioned local agencies here in the Philippines who put up their requirements that include a Klout score.

If you are looking for a digital marketing person and want to showcase the communities that have handled or the activities of your own social media channels, you will find Klout a tool to consider and show to your potential clients. Of course, you would also have to explain to them what the number actually means and why it’s beneficial to have a high score.

For business owners

Business owners who self-study on digital marketing may find Klout to be another app they have to explore. From forums and other blogs, they might be forced to jump in with this new platform that claims to be the “standard of influence”. But one good thing about using Klout is the capability to give away perks only to inluencers of your industry.

You don’t need to go about and wonder if the tweep or the blogger you have on your PR database is really influential. You can easily contact Klout and inquire about giving away perks for influencers. Just like what the others on the list are doing.

For “regular” users

For regular users like most of us, I found it interesting that you can get perks from different brands. The only sad thing about it is that most of the perks are applicable only for those who live in the U.S. I tried signing up for a beta invite for Spotify only to learn that it is for U.S. influencers only.

How do you use Klout? Care to share?