Klout founder Joe Hernandez. Image via Wired (Getty Images)
Klout is launching Klout Experts, a real-time social network of influencers answering questions in their field of expertise. For most social media professionals, Klout has always been a crapshoot, a useless scorecard: how can one possibly put a number on digital influence? Founder Joe Fernandez wants to move beyond the rampant navel-gazing that Klout encourages and into an intelligence bazaar where questions can be matched with rated, ranked and verified answers from Klout’s very best in fewer than 300 characters.
Skepticism aside, Microsoft has already signed on to include Klout Experts answers in their search engine results, and the software giant is encouraging users to participate in order to maximize their digital potential. The new service isn’t without its problems: it’s difficult to accept a supposedly objective score from a service that’s also self-ranking its own participation and users. However, some early users are finding it helpful, like Yolanda Vanveen, a Portland YouTube gardening expert who is looking to spread her eco-wisdom to the world. “I’m ecstatic about that,” croons Vanveen. “I want to get my sustainable gardening message out.”
We do too, Yolanda. We do too. But we still love Yahoo! Answers more.
[via Wired]
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Vidal Wu is an intern at Toronto Standard. You can follow him on Twitter at @vidalwuu.
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