At Klout, we believe influencers deserve to be recognized. If someone recommends a great Mexican restaurant or a new video game to 50 of their friends, that has real impact. More than any billboard because influencers put their reputation on the line every time they make a recommendation. As a company, we believe it is our job to serve influencers and our goal has always been to help them understand and leverage their influence.
A year ago we started experimenting with Klout Perks. The idea is simple: give influencers access to exclusive products and experiences and let them tell the story in their own words. If I tell my network which movie to go to and help studios fill up theaters, doesn’t it makes sense that I should have the opportunity to see early screenings of upcoming films? The key to the success of Perks is authenticity. This is why the Klout Influencer Code of Ethics states “You are receiving the perk because you are influential and have authority on topics related to the perk. You are welcome to tell the world you love the perk, you dislike the perk or say nothing at all”.
Over the past year we have run about 50 Klout Perks and have been lucky enough to work with such forward-thinking brands as Audi, Disney, Hewlett Packard, Nike, and Turner. One thing we’ve learned is that people don’t become influential about a topic without being extremely passionate about it. We are amazed by the quality of conversations that have emerged out of Perk experiences and love the variety of amazing content (such as this Popchips Perk unboxing). It’s time to open the Klout Perks experience to a wider audience so that we can reward even more influencers.
You’ll notice that Klout Perks are a more integrated part of Klout.com. This is still a work in progress but we want users to know which Perks they qualify for, which Perks their friends have received, and have a glimpse at Perks that are coming soon. Under the hood, we’ve completely rebuilt the way we select influencers and launch Perks. We believe that every person that creates content online has influence. Our new system allows us to run more Perks with an even higher resolution of topical targeting. You want to introduce your product to women in 20 markets who are influential about sports, health, and nutrition? Klout can do that. I couldn’t be more proud of the Klout team for what they have built.
While we’ve done some amazing Perks in the past (free tickets on Virgin America, a laptop from Hewlett Packard or a weekend in a Audi A8 to name a few), I am excited because we have some truly spectacular Perks coming soon!
I will wrap up by saying that the integrity of the Klout Score and our goal to be the standard for influence online is the foundation of our company (participating in Perks, or not participating, does nothing to your score). We simply believe it’s time to recognize more influencers. Make sure you are registered on Klout.com to see what your Klout can earn you. We have an awesome Perk coming early next week to kick it all off!
If you are interested in running a Klout Perk for your business or brand please reach out to partners@klout.com.
