Barack vs. Bieber

I'm asked all the time... "What's the difference between PROskore and Klout?"
   
Up until now, my reply has involved some long winded answer about how we quantify and measures different things... or how our score is used for different purposes, blah, blah, blah...   In reality the answer is less nuanced and much more straight-forward than I ever realized.  It's...

Let me explain...

Klout measures the ability for someone to drive consumer behavior. Klout uses (and sells) your score to advertisers who have an interest in your ability to help generate word of mouth.  In this sense, Justin Bieber by virtue of having a huge social media following and an apparent ability for his messages to go viral, has become Klout's poster boy as the ultimate 'pitchman'.  They've admitted as much.


PROskore measures your overall worth as a professional.  Our interest lies in helping you as an individual do more business, find jobs, etc.  We do this by taking into account a more complete picture of you as a professional that goes beyond social media influence.This includes your popularity as a professional as well as your professional experiences (i.e. education, work experience, etc.).  In this sense, Barack Obama, by virtue of having the capacity to motivate people on a professional level (i.e. vote, organize, etc), combined with his professional work and educational experience (Harvard, Columbia), make him the ultimate 'pro'.


So in other words, a 17 year old heart throb is the standard by which you are being measured on Klout.  Whereas, the leader of the free world is the standard by which you are being measured on PROskore.


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Tale of the Tape:

Barack Obama:

Twitter Followers:  12,000,000

Facebook Fans:  25,000,000

YouTube Views:  170,000,000

LinkedIn Connections:  500+

Google+ Followers:  330,000

Highest Degree Earned:  Juris Doctorate in Law (Harvard University)

Earned Extra Points For... Taking out Bin Laden

Klout Score:  90

PROskore = 99

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Justin Bieber:

Twitter Followers:  17,000,000

Facebook Fans:  39,700,000

YouTube Views:  377,000,000

LinkedIn Connections:  38

Google+ Followers:  None

Highest Degree Earned:  Sophomore in High School (home schooled)

Earned Extra Points For... Taking out Selena Gomez

Klout Score:  100

PROskore = 78

The Republican Primary: Scoring The Final Four

A lot has happened since we originally scored the Republican nominees back on January 3rd.  Since that initial post, three primaries have been held resulting in three different winners.  Additionally, three candidates have suspended their campaigns, leaving us with four remaining contenders vying for the nomination.   

The changing landscape (attrition) of the field undoubtedly provides heightened exposure for each candidate. As a result, one would assume that each candidates popularity across social media would improve as well.   For example in just three weeks:

• Ron Paul saw his popularity across Twitter and Google+ improve by 42% and 77% respectively
• Newt Gingrich witnessed a nice jump in YouTube views (most likely as a result of his recent debate performance) by 35%.
• Mitt Romney saw an increase on Twitter and Google+ (2,000% Increase)
• Rick Santorum saw huge percentage increases in each platform, but remains low in terms of overall fans and followers.
  
  

Note:  Santorum's campaign has recently made our building it's Florida headquarters.  As I write this, I can't help but think of the social media strategy meetings taking place in the offices just 10 feet below.  The irony.

It's also interesting to see how each campaign places more emphasis on certain platforms over others... and subsequently dominates the other candidates on those platforms.  For example, when looking at the raw numbers:

• Ron Paul = YouTube
• Newt Gingrich = Twitter
• Mitt Romney = Faceook
• Rick Santorum  = ?
• 
  

Below is a recap of each candidates overall social media statistics from January 3 vs. today (January 26).

Ron Paul:

Twitter Followers:  150,000   vs.  213,500  (42% Increase)

Facebook Followers:  675,000  vs.  796,500  (18% Increase) 

YouTube Views:  36,000,000  vs. 41,112,000   (14% Increase)

LinkedIn Connections:   500+

Google+ Followers:  107,000  vs. 189,500  (77% Increase)

Klout Score:  75  vs. 79  (5% Increase)

PROskore = 95

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Newt Gingrich:

Twitter Followers:  1,385,000  vs. 1,424,000  (2% Increase)

Facebook Followers:  224,000  vs.  251,000  (12% Increase)

YouTube Views:  6,300,000  vs.  8,489,000  (35% Increase)

LinkedIn Connections:   500+

Google+ Followers:  63,000  vs.  63, 322  (<1%)

Klout Score:  78  vs.  83  (6% Increase)

PROskore = 91

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Mitt Romney:

Twitter Followers:  220,000  vs.  293,000  (33% Increase)

Facebook Followers:  1,267,000  vs.  1,385,000  (9% Increase)

YouTube Views:  4,051,000  (Note: We did not originally score YouTube views for Romney)

LinkedIn Connections:   No LinkedIn Profile  (still no LinkedIn Profile)

Google+ Followers:  4,300  vs.  85,300  (2,000% Increase)

Klout Score:  78  vs.  85  (9% Increase)

PROskore = 82

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Rick Santorum:

Twitter Followers:  53,000  vs.  95,000  (79% Increase)

Facebook Followers:  42,000  vs.  88,000  (100% Increase)

YouTube Views:  43,000  vs.  1,114,000   (3,000% Increase)

LinkedIn Connections:   350

Google+ Followers:  No Google+ Profile  vs. 700  (700% Increase)

Klout Score:  70  vs. 79  (13% Increase)

PROskore = 63

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Going PRO After College

A few weeks ago I had a in-depth conversation with the director of career services for one of the largest (if not the largest) university in the state of Florida.  The goal of the conversation (for me) was to learn more about the current tools and tactics being used by career centers to assist college students with their plans for life after college.  Surprisingly, the career center approach hasn't changed much in the 15+ years since I first graduated.  The process still goes something like this:

1. Resume (now LinkedIn) Writing

2. Career Fairs: Currently attended by fewer large companies with fewer jobs to fill

3. Interview Training and Scheduling:  Wear a shirt and tie.  Don't look nervous.

Given all that we now know about the world and the changing landscape of business (particularly here in the U.S. where small business is king), shouldn't the process focus almost entirely on:

1. Personal Branding
2. Networking

Chances are, the majority of today's college graduates are either going to change jobs (within smaller companies) multiple times over the next 10 years and/or start multiple businesses on their own. In either case, ones ability to brand themselves effectively... and use that brand to network and influence people in order to drive sales, are critical skill sets within a small business economy.

From a personal branding standpoint, the PROskore profile provides a great way to establish professional reputation at an early age.  In fact, most recent college grads will have a respectable score right away.  Think about it... a college grad has a degree, and is likely to have formed a large network on Facebook and Twitter.  Remember, professional background + social media influence are two factors in determining a PROskore.

As far as networking, PROskore is an amazing tool to help grads get connected with small business owners at the local level.  By virtue of our scoring and ranking system, a college grad can quickly discover who some of the most reputable and influential small business professionals are in their local community.  The next opportunity may not even come from the professionals they connect with but rather as a result of the collective influence of those they've connected to.  Knowing who has influence is the first step.

Calling all career centers... It's time to start teaching your grads how to be PRO's!  Get them started on PROskore today!

PROskore Scores Big Becoming First Social Measurement Platform To Go Mobile

A few weeks ago, PROskore released version 1 of our iPhone and Android apps.  Chances are, you missed the announcement.  The reason... there was no announcement.  In the midst of everything else we've been doing, we forgot to mention it.

To make matters worse, PROskore is the first social measurement platform to release a mobile application.

In hindsight it's easy to understand how we missed this opportunity.  Up until now we've been focused like a laser on member growth and user experience on the desktop.  Mobile was something we were working on in the background as part of the overall big picture.  In fact, for our mobile plans to work effectively (we have some really cool stuff in the works) it's important that we first capture mind share within the business community by reaching a critical mass.  It's a cart before the horse thing...

So now that we've gotten the big announcement out of the way... here's some details on a few of the things you can do with v1 of PROskore mobile for iPhone and Android:

• Follow Up With Leads - Contact members of PROskore who have indicated they are looking to buy what you sell.
  
• Communicate To Your Network - Access member phone numbers and email addresses 'on the go'.
  
• Post Your Needs - Tell the network what you need and create more opportunities for PROskore to send you leads (see how it works here).
  
• Access Your Inbox - Accept Invitations to Connect, Respond to Messages sent to you from other members.
  
• Use Your Profile - Show off your score.  Leverage your professional reputation at events, with vendors and more.
  
  

Screenshots of the PROskore mobile app:

To download the PROskore mobile app, simply type 'PROskore' into Apple iTunes or Android Marketplace.

Also, keep an eye out for updates to the PROskore mobile app in the coming months.  Look for some useful location based functionality and the ability to leverage your score with local merchants.

The Republican Primary: Scoring the Candidates

As the Republican Primaries get underway with the Iowa Caucuses having started a little over two hours ago, those of us at PROskore thought it would be fun to calculate the professional reputation scores (i.e. PROskore) for each of the seven presidential hopefuls.

Although these scores have no relevance on the actual outcome of the primaries, we were curious to see how the candidates overall scores measure up to one another.  Plus, it's a great opportunity to breakdown how our scoring algorithm works by measuring: 1) Social Media Influence (Facebook Followers + Twitter Followers, etc.)   2) Professional Background (Educational Achievements + Work Experience, etc.).

Based on each of these two factors, Ron Paul has the highest PROskore followed by Newt Gingrich, and Mitt Romney.  Their impressive professional backgrounds and educational experiences combined with their overall social media popularity is what helped propel them to the top of the list.

It will be interesting to see in the coming weeks what correlation (if any) there is between a candidates PROskore and their success in the primaries.Check out the breakdown of each of the candidates with a link to their PROskore profiles, below:

The Tale of the Tape:

Ron Paul:

Twitter Followers:  150,000

Facebook Followers:  675,000

YouTube Views:  36,000,000

LinkedIn Connections:   500+

Google+ Followers:  107,000

Highest Degree Earned: M.D. from Duke University

Earned Extra Points for.... Serving in the Armed Forces

Klout Score:  75

PROskore = 95
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Newt Gingrich:

Twitter Followers:  1,385,000

Facebook Followers:  224,000

YouTube Views:  6,300,000 

LinkedIn Connections:   500+

Google+ Followers:  63,000

Highest Degree Earned:  Doctorate in History, Tulane University

Earned Extra Points for... Becoming Speaker of the House

Klout Score:  78

PROskore = 91
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Mitt Romney:

Twitter Followers:  220,000

Facebook Followers:  1,267,000

YouTube Views:  6,700

LinkedIn Connections:   No LinkedIn Profile

Google+ Followers:  4,300

Highest Degree Earned:  MBA from Harvard University

Earned Extra Points for... Elected as Governor of Massachusetts

Klout Score:  78

PROskore = 82
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Rick Perry:

Twitter Followers:  112,000

Facebook Followers:  180,000

YouTube Views:  13,000,000

LinkedIn Connections:   500+

Google+ Followers:  2,971

Highest Degree Earned:  Bachelors in Animal Science from Texas A&M

Earned Extra Points for... Elected as Governor of Texas

Klout Score:  74

PROskore = 81

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Jon Huntsman:

Twitter Followers:  67,000

Facebook Followers:  31,000

YouTube Views:  635,000

LinkedIn Connections:   No LinkedIn Profile

Google+ Followers:  1,200

Highest Degree Earned:  Bachelors in International Politics from University of Pennsylvania

Earned Extra Points for... Elected as Governor of Utah

Klout Score:  70

PROskore = 69

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Michele Bachmann:

Twitter Followers:  36,000

Facebook Followers:  460,000

YouTube Views:  1,400,000

LinkedIn Connections:   No LinkedIn Profile

Google+ Followers:  No Google+ Profile 

Highest Degree Earned:  Juris Doctorate from Oral Roberts University

Earned Extra Points for... Elected as U.S. Congresswoman

Klout Score:  68

PROskore = 66

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Rick Santorum:

Twitter Followers:  53,000

Facebook Followers:  42,000

YouTube Views:  43,000

LinkedIn Connections:   350

Google+ Followers:  No Google+ Profile

Highest Degree Earned:  Juris Doctorate from Dickinson College

Earned Extra Points for... Elected as United States Senator

Klout Score:  70

PROskore = 63

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PROskore Power Rankings - January 2012

 Below is our third Top 25 Ranking for the highest PROskores found across our entire network of over 125,000 members.  Notice the shift in power among the Top 10 vs. our November ranking.  The Top 10 now includes: Berrie Pelser (#2), Adam Justice (#3), Randy Gage (#5), Carece Slaughter (#6), John Zajaros (#7), Steven Hughes (#8).  PROskore is excited to welcome these 'heavy hitters' to our business community.

PROskore Power Rankings - January 2012

96		Ivan Misner BNI Upland CA USA
91		Berrie Pelser Ber|Art Visual Design Dorst NL
89		Adam Justice Elkhorn Media New York NY USA
86		Paul Green paulgreen.biz Finedon UK
85		Randy Gage Prosperity Factory, Inc MIAMI FL USA
84		Carece Slaughter Carece H Slaughter. LLC DALLAS TX USA
82		John Zajaros The Ultimate Internet Image Cleveland OH USA
82		Steven Hughes Critical Defence Washington DC USA
82		Justice Mitchell Big Block Studios, Inc. Orlando FL USA
82		John Jantsch Duct Tape Marketing Kansas City MO USA
81		Lucas Wyrsch Swiss Business Club Zollikerberg CH
81		Mark Miller Oracle Redwood City CA USA
81		Stewart Jordan Self Employed Lapworth UK
80		Shane Barker ShaneBarker.com Sacramento CA USA
80		StockCoach McLaughlin DayTradersWin.com Laguna Niguel CA USA
80		Ivor Kellock www.whatsonstalbans.co.uk St Albans UK
80		Kim Beasley Social Media Tool Coach St. Louis MO USA
79		Saul Fleischman OsakaBentures Sakai City JP
79		Raymond Morin RAYMOND MORIN, freelance Montreal CA
78		Jason Yormark Strategies 360 Seattle WA USA
78		Dionisios Favatas Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Associates Washington DC USA
78		Chris Tompkins Go! Media International, LLC Seminole FL USA
77		Lou Unkeless WSI MarketBuilders Sacramento CA USA
77		Phyllis Zimbler Miller Miller Mosaic, LLC Beverly Hills CA USA
76		Josh Harcus SayItSocial Wilmington NC USA

Honorable Mention: Roseli A. Bakar, Michael Q. Todd, Steve Wiideman, Yacine Baroudi, Fred McMurray and Phil Lauterjung

PROskore also ranks members geographically.  Local networking is the heartbeat of business.  Login and see how you stack up against your local competition.