Edelman launches new tools to measure levels of influence on Twitter and Blogs

Public relations firm Edelman has launched two new tools to identify and recognise who is influential on a particular topic on blogosphere and twitter. TweetLevel helps finds influencers on Twitter and BlogLevel helps find influencers in blogosphere. These free tools help one determine – buzz around a topic, who is relevant and influential on that topic, what else are people talking about on the topic, and which web links are frequently shared. The new tools are built on the original TweetLevel which MTV had used to select its first ‘Twitter Jockey’, in 2010. 

Commenting on the launch of these social tools, Robert Holdheim, managing director, Edelman India said, “Social Media is not only about popularity. Factors like engagement and trust play an equally important role. Through our proprietary tools like BlogLevel and TweetLevel, we can better guide our clients on identifying the leading online influencers for their brand and measure the effectiveness of online campaigns.”

“Although the tools were primarily developed for internal use, the algorithm and tools are being made widely available because the broader application for communicators is clear, and that Edelman welcomes a crowd-sourced approach to the tools’ evolution over time,” he added. 

Using a custom developed algorithm, the tools can track bloggers and tweeters in any language and in any country, and score them according to their influence, using 40 distinct metrics. People who rank highest are those who create unique ideas that are then amplified, and those who engage with their followers by providing informative and relevant content. The tools have already been beta-tested by more than 400 people including university professors, industry analysts, marketing professionals, journalists and brand marketers.