Klout is a social media measurement tool that aims to help companies and individuals to understand their influence online. Social media influence is not just a popularity to see who can collect the most friends, followers and connections but rather a measurement of online interactions. Social media influence is really a measurement of how many people interact with your social posts including “liking” your posts or re-sharing them.

Klout calculates a score for social media users from 0 to 100 measuring the users influence on particular topics. Klout allows companies to offer users with high Klout scores on specific topics to offer special privileges or “perks” to users in hopes those users will review their products and services sharing with all of their engaged followers. The general idea is that social media users can reach thousands or millions of users with a single post and Klout looks to harness that power for businesses.

American Airlines Uses Klout to Combat Bad Social Press

Klout has done many different promotions for their users. One of the most recent promotions was with American Airlines who opened their ‘Admirals Club’ lounge for those with highKlout scores. The airline hoped this promotion would create some positive social media press to combat the hordes of negative social media posts travelers put up when dealing with airline shenanigans. American Airlines provided a Klout Perk of a free one-day pass for the Admirals Club.

For the airlines getting people with high Klout scores to post pictures and comments is a very valuable marketing tool, and for Klout users, well, they get the VIP treatment in the Admirals Club. (Your Klout Score Could Get You Into American Airlines’ First Class Lounge – AdAge Magazine)

Chevy Loans Volts to Klout Influencers

Social media can quickly get exposure for a new brand or product, but it is difficult to get something to go “viral” without a little help. To increase social chatter about their new electric car, Chevy loaned the new Volt to Klout users in 6 cities. The marketing campaign for the Volt not only made headlines about the vehicle itself, but since it was one of the first truly visible (and awesome) promotions on Klout it generated a lot of media buzz in the marketing world as well. Chevy loaned the vehicle for three-day joy rides by users and looked for them to document their experiences through social media including pictures, videos and other types of posts.

This campaign was so successful that Chevy has since done other Klout promotions with their new Sonic vehicle to continue leveraging this powerful new marketing channel. (Chevy loans Volts to Klout influencers in 6 cities – Venture Beat) Redbull sent us some cans of their energy drink as part of a Klout Perk.

Redbull Gets Social Boost from Klout Perk

Redbull provided a Klout Perk to provide influencers with some cans of their product. This was one of the Klout Perks that I personally took part in and they sent me 4 cans of Redbull hoping I would talk about them online. They even sent a nice note with the cans saying that they understand what it takes to maintain a high Klout score and wanted to provide us with “fuel” to keep on posting. They never actually asked me to post, but provided a generous gesture that I wanted to talk about.

Redbull’s plan worked, I ended up taking a picture of the delivery when I received it and posted on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ about the experience. I think I even remember writing an additional post each time I opened a new can.

Klout provides a iOS Passbook card to show your Klout Score.

Is Klout a Social Media Press Pass?

In short, yes. A press pass gives journalists special access so they can write informed articles. These passes often provide special VIP treatment of journalists to enhance their experience and improve the quality of the journalists review. Ultimately Klout Perks work in the same way.

Klout has even provided a digital “Klout Card” for your iPhone Passbook so you can prove your score. Although I have not yet seen any use for this feature, I can see this becoming the press pass of the future. One that digitally refreshes and measure how influential that person really is on a scale of 1 – 100.

For the companies offering Klout Perks to influencers, Klout provides a great medium for enhancing social media chatter about your products and services. Better than paid advertisements, Klout Perks offer real reviews, posted by real, trusted influencers.