Three Google Chrome extensions for those obsessed with Klout scores

For the Klout obsessed

Although social media scoring site Klout.com has been taken to task for taking on the impossible task of measuring someone’s clout, some still obsess over what some consider to be an arbitrary score (given that Warren Buffet who clearly has more influence than any of us only has a Klout score of 36). Critics point out that influence isn’t measured inside a single industry, rather a wide net is cast over all industries, matching supermodels against doctors – neither influence the same people. Additionally, some have shown how the system can be gamed and how quantity trumps quality, violating the very nature of social media.

That said, many are still obsessed with Klout and watch their score constantly, in fact, we were recently told that a conference was recruiting speakers (unpaid, mind you) based on their Klout score, not considering anyone with a score under 60. We have also heard of CEOs becoming obsessed with the scores, insisting on their staff raising their Klout scores to better the company (flawed thinking at best). If that boss had the following chart, he would know that scores 50 or above are not common:

For the curious, obsessed or (like the boss above) overly-obsessed, we have found three extensions for Google Chrome to feed your bad habit!

1. Klout for Twitter

The Klout for Twitter Google Chrome extension adds a tiny Klout icon next to every status update when using Twitter.com as seen in the image at the top of this article. It’s quick and easy and lets you see the scores of people you’re talking to, but we advise that no one take it too seriously, we assert it is mostly entertainment.

2. KloutPlus for Google Plus

UPDATE: as of December 2013, this extension is defunct and no longer available.
To further feed your obsession and measure yourself against everyone online, you can also see people’s Klout scores when using Google+ with the KloutPlus for Google Plus Google Chrome extension. We have installed this extension and it has not populated yet, we don’t know how long the delay is, but scores don’t appear inline next to updates, rather on a user’s profile:

3. Klouter

Klouter is an extension that simply adds a small icon at the top of the Chrome browser that updates you of your own Klout score as often as you like from one minute to 99 minutes. This is for the truly obsessed:

Do you plan on using any of these three extensions? Tell us in comments what you think!