Klout Updates Score Algorithm, Focuses on Content

By Cynthia Herbert :: 2:26 PM

Social media and Internet influence tracker Klout has released changes to its scoring and ranking algorithm today that changes the way users scores are computed.

The company has increased the number of variables that it takes into account when coming up with score numbers. Before, Klout only took about 100 variables of a social media user’s online presence into account when scores were factored. Now, the service looks at over 400 variables. This adds up to 12 billion data points each day, across seven popular social media networks.

While Klout still looks at overall numbers of followers and friends, the data is now weighed more on who you are interacting with and what you are saying online, rather than just focusing on sheer numbers.

In addition to the online world, Klout also claims to look at your real-world influence, and factor that into your overall score as well. For instance, if you are important enough to have your own Wikipedia page, that might get your ranking pushed a little higher.

When Klout users log into the service for the first time after the change, they will see the following screens that detail some of the changes: