Weathering Inevitable Change Online

Klout, the site that measures your social media activity to calculate your online influence, changed their algorithm in late October.  Klout users’ scores dropped, spurring a stream of negative buzz on Klout’s website.  But this isn’t the first time a change has resulted in discontent among the online masses.

Panda
The Google Panda update wreaked havoc on page rankings throughout the web in an effort to squash irrelevant links in the search results.

Netflix
Netflix changed their pricing structure, raising the price of online streaming and sending Netflix users into a tailspin.

Facebook
Recent changes to make way for the Facebook Timeline has users in a tizzy.

Should You Play by the Rules?
We’re conditioned to work a certain way to get ahead – like settling for a B-list streaming movie because you used up your dvds for the month, or writing loads of keyword stuffed articles to get a better page ranking – and feel powerless when changes wipe the slate clean again.

Then again, these sweeping changes can give us a new perspective on what we are really trying to accomplish online.

Look, if you’re working on increasing your [Klout] score you’re focusing on the wrong thing. Focus on actually BEING influential and you’ll weather any algorithm change that happens now and in the future.  -Kyle Wegner

Maybe we are focusing on the wrong thing.  Having to most Twitter followers, the highest page ranking for a keyword, or the best Klout score is great.

But, what’s even better, is converting the most Twitter followers to candidates, coming up in a Google search when a client is actually looking for a recruiter, and attracting new business through your social media influence.

Just Keep Swimming
While we may have little control over changes online, it doesn't mean that we don't have a say in our success.  Pursue what is working for you, not necessarily what works for everyone else.  Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture.  Focus on the metrics that directly influence the bottom line.

This post originally appeared at www.sendouts.com