Klout scores as it gets acquired for $200m by Lithium Technologies

You guys! Someone’s found a use for Klout! In fact, Lithium Technologies reckons the once controversial social ranking system is so useful that it’s willing to dole out US$200-million for it.

According to Fortune, the deal is a mixture of cash and Lithium private stock.

The deal between Klout and the social customer experience solutions provider, first reported on by Re/code last month will apprently be officially be announced later today at a joint press conference.

It’s interesting that Lithium is making the purchase now as it prepares for its IPO. After all, Klout has battled to overcome serious criticism around its efforts to put a number on people’s social influence. Famously, renowned blogger Robert Scoble at one stage had a higher score than US president Barack Obama.

It remedied that with an update to its algorithm and has also widened its product offering to include a content aggregation tool that allows users to share articles and posts within their business and Klout for Business.

The latter is a portal which offers deeper analytics to brands and will most likely be what is of greatest interest to Lithium Technologies.