Last night I had the pleasure of attending the first Spokane Tweetup of the 2012 season at Ripples within the Red Lion Hotel. The beer was good, company better, and overall discussion was rather engaging.

One of the topics we hit on was how we viewed Klout as a SM tool. Some at the table knew what Klout was, some did not. The aggregate response from the crowd bordered somewhere between indifference and pessimism about the product/service. To butcher but recapture one opinion at the table, the comment was "If I'm meeting my internal ROI, who cares what my score is?" This seemed to become the default final say as we moved on with our discussion.

On the car ride home I thought about that a bit more, and how I use Klout personally, what we may have overlooked in that quick roundtable, and the fallacy of looking for Klout as a direct-benefit tool for a social media manager, when it's real benefit might be a little more obscure.


Klout if you aren't familiar is a tool that connects to your social media accounts, and give you a numeric score, from 1-100, based on certain criteria such as amplification, reach, and network impact. It's forward facing display of a creative use of game theory, using our ego and internal trained desire to measure your social media usage, and perhaps even self worth, against a number that is created in some black-box algorithm. Since grade school, we've always been taught to strive for a 100, and Klout takes great advantage of this conditioned response.

Sadly, I'm fairly trained to look at my score every morning, and be ecstatic when I go up a point, and frustrated beyond rational thinking when I'm down. It's a great example of how game theory is really a force to be reckoned with as social media and the web becomes more refined.

When I think about the comment "If I'm meeting my ROI, screw Klout and their superficial number" I'm in agreement- This thing drives me effing crazy trying to keep it afloat. But while the self facing metric is what we pay attention to, Klout is useful to social media managers in a different way.


Klout has less to do with how you see yourself. The value is about how others see you.

Klout's value really comes from you outward facing Klout number, and how your followers, and potential followers see you. I've noticed this in my own usage, and for a brand or social media manager, your outward image and message is everything, right?

Think of it this way: The people who sign up voluntarily for Klout by best guestimate are going to be the people who are: A) social media savvy/trendy (you want these people following you right?)  B) now driven insane by this Klout score (people externally driven to become BETTER/MORE ACTIVE followers).

 If these people are valuing themselves by their Klout score, you can bet your ass their holding you and your brand to the the same superficial judgement system as well! Sadly I know because like I mentioned, I'm already caught in this self-worth/judgement cycle. When I'm looking to follow a new person, a Klout score for me gives me a first impression of whether they are active and create good content (via Reach/Amplification). Klout's value to an SMM or Brand is less about who you influence, and more about how Klout influences your followers (potential customers) to want to follow you. 

The kicker? Everyone has a Klout score whether you've signed up or not. So when I, a Klout user, open my Twitter page everyday, your score is right next to your name- whether you care to acknowledge it or not. In an article about business social media campaigns I wrote back in September, I mention that when it comes to branding and social media- you're either in or your out- but half ass will harm your brand more than cause good. Unfortunately (and wisely) Klout has opted you in as a brand- unless Klout falls to the wayside, you don't have a whole lot of choice. A great brand and content will be, and is being undercut with a poor Klout score stamped on your Twitter account.   


Is it fair to judge someone by their Klout score? Isn't the real value of SM in the connections and the content, which is not being accurately reflected in a score?

Fair may not be the word to describe this new ranking- but common would be. We make thousands of snap judgements everyday with one or two data points-Think about walking down the street and bumping into a person. A lot can be deferred by simply their clothes or demeanor.  Is if fair? No. Is it accurate? Probably not all the time. But it is how we operate in the real world. Klout is your customers first glance at your brand or company- what will they infer?

like it or not, your Klout score is now part of your companies first impression to the world. The value in Klout for you as a person, a brand, or a company may not be ranking and judging yourself everyday; but realize whether you do or not, you'll never stop others from passing the same quick judgement on you. If your a brand or SMM and not worried about your Klout score, I would take a second look.

Originally published by Social Media NZ:




In a world where social media and the so-called “game layer” are constantly turning the most mundane tasks into opportunities for rewards, it seem like everything we do has the opportunity to be turned into Foursquare or SCVNGR-like activity.

But can the new wave of social gaming really change how people live their lives?

That’s what two programs, Earth Aid and Joulebug, are aiming to do. The two companies have their sights set on an elusive goal: they are betting they can lead you to become more energy efficient at home.

First, let’s admit to ourselves that energy efficiency, for all its positive attributes, has always had a hard time gaining traction. It’s hailed by utilities, governments, and advocacy groups as a partial solution to some of humanities larger issues: climate change, fossil fuel dependence, and even poverty to name a few. Year after year, millions of dollars are thrown at programs encouraging and subsidizing efficiency programs, encouraging homeowners to step up and do something that can benefit them financially and even help the environment as a feel good bonus. Yet the majority of homeowners still aren’t biting.

Why hasn’t energy efficiency hit its tipping point? There’s the obvious upfront cost people have to shell out for efficiency upgrades in the short term. But let’s face it- energy efficiency is pretty mundane in practice. It takes a certain type of person to get excited about energy efficiency (I happen to be one of those crazy individuals).

For the rest, Earth Aid and Joulebug are hoping to convince them that saving energy can be fun by offering achievement levels, instant feedback, and the possibility to gain imaginary and real rewards for completing certain tasks.

Earth Aid, is a website that touts the headline, “Reduce your home energy bills…and we’ll pay you for it.” While currently only available in the United States, Earth Aid has created a program where homeowners can gain tangible rewards by achieving energy reductions in there home. With regional businesses and international companies such as Starbucks and Unilever participating, homeowners have multiple ways they can “double up”, not only reducing their energy bills, but getting rewarded again with things like free Starbucks coffee.

Meanwhile Joulebug, a downloadable app for iPhone, allows users to gain points, badges, and pins for accomplishing day-to-day tasks that reduce the users energy use.

Both Earth Aid and Joulebug can be connected to social networks Facebook and Twitter, allowing users to share, encourage, and (in theory) compete against each other in their energy efficiency achievements.

So will rewards, feedback and social bragging rights be enough to nudge a large group of people to take on energy efficiency? Time will tell. In the case of Earth Aid, Starbucks and Unilever believe enough in the idea to attach their brands to it.

In the meantime, let’s not forget that foursquare made it popular to push all your boring life details to Twitter in return for the possibility of becoming “mayor”. If checking into the subway on the way to work can become popular, then I think energy efficiency has a chance in the game layer.

Originally written for Social Media NZ @http://bit.ly/iialHd

Social media is most commonly thought of as an experience based around the idea of sharing. Everyday millions of people share content, opinions, insight, experience, and media with their friends, coworkers, family, and acquaintances. Sharing in essence has become the backbone of what the social media experience is about.

But as our digital lives become more centered on the idea of sharing information, we’re beginning to see a new trend: people using online platforms to share possessions, services, physical space, personal time, and other non-digital goods. While the first decade of the millennium was about sharing digital goods, this decade will be about sharing everything else.

Welcome to the new world of collaborative consumption.

The idea of sharing has always been simple, but the actual act of sharing is a complex mix of logistics, trust, and strength of social ties. For most of us, it’s always been easier to buy something, use it when necessary, and store it away than to try to share.

But one of the major breakthroughs driving change is that social networking and social media have made it possible to overcome the traditional barriers of sharing: the risk associated with lending out our possessions to others. As we’ve learned through sales-based peer-to-peer sites like eBay, participant’s feedback and recommendations are trusted by the majority of the population as a way to legitimize a transaction with someone they’ve never met.

In the last few years, peer to peer share and rental networks such as NeighborGoods, Zilok, airbnb, Share Some Sugar, and ecoSharing.net have all unlocked the possibility for anyone to share or rent things directly, whether it’s a power drill collecting dust in the garage, a spare bedroom to a traveler, or a mountain bike for the weekend.

The enticement of saving money by borrowing instead of purchasing, or making money renting something going unutilized is creating a large increase of people looking to capitalize on the idea of sharing. It seems as if peer-to-peer sharing has hit its tipping point.

How big is this new market of peer-to-peer sharing? While there are no global figures, the peer-to-peer rental market of goods is estimated to be around $36 billion dollars in the US and growing. JWTI 100 Things to Watch in 2011 picked peer-to-peer micro-businesses as number 51 on their list and peer-to-peer car sharing as number 71. A joint study by Latitude and Sharable Magazine found that 75% of respondents predicted their sharing of physical objects and spaces will increase in the next 5 years.

Is sharing for everyone and everything in a culture of ownership and single-use products? The answer is no. But as social media networks and peer-to-peer exchange hubs build stronger online communities to facilitate sharing, and the global recession and environmental concerns have people second-guessing consumption as king, there will no doubt be a growing place in the near future for the sharing economy.

After a mini discussion on Twitter (Aren't they all?) @SocialMediaNZ asked me to post my thoughts and comment on their article at SocialMediaNZ.com titled "Social Media: The New-School Curricula. Check at the article and my response Here.

As a late update after the crazy week I’ve had since last Tuesday, I wanted to mention here if you hadn't caught it yet that I won the grand prize for ECOVER’s 30 under 30 contest Wednesday evening.

The prize was for outstanding environmental leadership by a person under 30 and was a nationwide contest. For those who may not know, I flew over to NYC on Tuesday to accept the prize, which was a choice of a new Santomer Bed Set or Dining Table set from Environment Furniture and a year’s worth of cleaning supplies from ECOVER. Besides the award, I participated on a round table discussion on Green Blogging with a group including moderator Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff of EcoStiletto,  and panelists Meaghan O’Neill of Treehugger, Jill Fehrenbacher of Inhabitat, Starre Vartan of Eco-Chick, and Brian Clark Howard of TheDailyGreen. It was a bit overwhelming speaking with such respected people, but it was a great experience, I met some fantastic people, and got featured on a few different websites (LivingOnTheVedge, TheMidwestSide) and in NYU’s Newspaper. The official article on the event by ECOVER can be found here.

I wanted to thank anyone who took the time to lend me their vote two weeks ago (I received over 500 votes in 5 days, twice as many as the next person), and for the warm support from friends, family, and colleagues.

Sincerely,

Ryan S. Arnold

I wanted to share with you all what drove me to work towards becoming a sustainability professional and why I'm listed as one of ECOVER's "30 Under 30" people who have made a difference in protecting our planet. Check out my story of what energized me to enter the green building industry and please lend me your vote, once a day, all week long at:

30 Under 30 ECOVER Contest

A Promotional Video made for my BGI Social Web Assignment for www.RyanSArnold.com