If you’ve been on Twitter recently, you’ve probably noticed a lot of people spreading around “Klout.” If you ever wondered exactly what Klout is and how it can be useful to you, join the crowd. Klout has captured the imagination of millions of social media enthusiasts, and your Klout score now has real world implications.

Klout mania isn’t going anywhere, either. In fact, the San Francisco startup plans on adding even more social networks to the mix it already has. Google+ integration is in the works, and will likely heavily influence your Klout score.

Why do people love Klout so much? Right now the service is the de facto standard for influence. The rank has many critics, which is understandable. Some say it’s not precise enough or uses the wrong metrics to judge influence. Still, right now Klout is the best overall device for measuring whether your engagement on social media channels is having an influence on anyone. Klout takes a look at all of the interaction across your multiple social media profiles and assigns a numeric value. The higher the number, the higher your perceived influence will be.

I think Klout is a fun way to make a quick judgment about where you stand. If you’re doing consistent social media marketing, it’s almost a ‘must’ if only because it helps give you a focal point that encourages you to keep on interacting. Engagement is the true key to social media, and that only comes from consistent and meticulous attention to engaging with others. Social networks are a place for conversations. Klout, in essence, attempts to give a rank to how ‘vibrant’ your conversations skills really are.

We plan on taking a look at more issues surrounding Klout in a series of future articles, so feel free to ask any questions you have. Feel free to check me out on Klout, for an example of the ranking page.