Klout claims to be the standard of measuring a person’s influence in the social media realm and one mortgage broker has used it to create a Top 45 list of broker players leading the pack.
Klout claims to be the standard of measuring a person’s influence in the social media realm and one mortgage broker has used it to create a Top 45 list of broker players leading the pack.
“I was looking for other mortgage professionals who had more influence than me and do a social audit on them to see why they’re influential (and) to better my game,” Jackson Middleton with First Foundation Residential Mortgages told MortgageBrokerNews.ca. “It’s not in the name of competition; it’s in the name of bettering your business.”
Launched in 2008, the website Klout uses social media analytics determine a person’s online presence by measuring how others react to their posts. Users can improve their score through interaction and sharing information online.
“Klout is in the business of measuring influence and they do everything to get it right,” Middleton said. “Klout is the Equifax of influence: They’re a big player.”
The man known as the “Kilted Broker” got started in social media in 2010 with the goal of becoming one of the most social mortgage brokers in the country – a goal that he seems to have achieved as his Klout score currently sits at 67 (out of 100); good enough for the number 1 spot on the list of top mortgage professionals in Canada ranked by Klout.
“I was looking for someone with a higher Klout score than me,” Middleton said. “It comes off as vain but it’s not about vanity, it’s about understanding where you are and what you can learn.”
Perhaps it’s Middleton who has some wisdom to share when it comes to improving your social influence.
“Engage – don`t pontificate. It’s not a platform; nobody cares about you until you show you care about them,” he said. “Social media is about engaging your audience in conversation, it’s not about broadcasting.”
For Middleton, social media is one of the most integral ways to build his business.
“It is where I drive my business and I believe business is moving social; like it or not, traditional advertising is not how people are being reached these days,” Middleton said. “Social media is word of mouth on steroids and I share content that is valuable; I leverage social media to share the content I create.”
Brokers looking to dip their toe into social media could do worse than starting with Twitter, according to Middleton.
“Twitter (is the best): Conversations are everywhere and you can talk with anyone, anywhere about anything. It’s widely accessible and a lot of people are on it.”
So without further ado, here is Middleton's Top 45 list. It is rounded out by a number of well-known players in the mortgage broker game. As for our very own CMP Magazine, we are currently ranked a respectable 23rd on Middleton’s list.
