Klout.com purports to be the standard for measuring influence on the web. Klout measures a person or company’s influence on a scale of 1-100. The average Klout Score is 40. President Obama’s Klout Score is 99. Klout measures how you inspire social interactions on the web; likes, shares and retweets. The amout of social media conversation has little impact. It’s the interactions you create that makes you influential. (While Klout has detractors, many industry players use it to determine who is influential. To date, Klout appears to be the best measuring stick. If another platform arises to measure social media influence in the future, we’ll use it, but Klout is the market leader as of now.)
Michael Phelps, Klout King in Swimming
Of those competing now or recently retired, here are the top ten highest Klout Scores in swimming:
1. Michael Phelps, Klout Score 87
Phelps is a social media master with 1.4 million followers on Twitter and 7.3 million likes on Facebook. After his one-stroke win over basketball icon Michael Jordan at the 12th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, his numbers bounced again. With golf keeping Phelps in the media, it appears his Klout Score will keep climbing in the future.
Lochte’s social media was allover the place from 2008 to 2010, very raw, very real and unfiltered. Many fans enjoyed his tweets more when he rifted on Twitter without any oversight. In early 2011 his social media evolved into a more partner-based strategy presenting him as a star contender at 
the 2012 London Olympics. On the flipside, now in 2013, with multiple endorsements and a reality series about to debute, Lochte’s a bonefided star with 988k followers on Twitter and 456k likes on Facebook.
3. Natalie Coughlin, Klout Score 84
Coughlin is argueably the greatest female swimmer in history with 12 Olympic races and 12 Olympic medals won, but she has a well-balanced life beyond 
the pool–and she shares it. Armed with her Canon 7D, Coughlin invites you into her backyard garden and into her kitchen to see vivid images of her latest meals. Over holidays you can count on Natalie sharing family photos (her husband’s a swim coach). The Halloween shots have been the most entertaining. Over the last two years she and hubbie were vampires and zombies! Coughlin, always a professional in social media, manages to share her life without over-sharing, a mistake a lot of new rising stars can make.
4. Missy Franklin, Klout Score 83
Missy Franklin has been shot out of cannon, media-wise, since the spring of 2012 and the ramp-up to the London Olympic Games. Franklin, aside from being a 5-time Olympic medalist, is clearly smart (going to UC Berkeley in the fall) and clearly a nice kid. What you see is what you get. On deck after competitions, Franklin stays for waiting fans and signs as many autographs as she can, often delaying a much needed dinner. In social media, the same personality transcends. Franklin’s Twitter account has been the go-to for behind the scenes info on Olympians who are invited to charity and celebrity events, red carpet galas, and television appearances (like Pretty Little Liars). Franklin reacts as a teenager would with an enthusiasm you can appreciate as a swim fan.
5. Cullen Jones, Klout Score 82
Cullen Jones, a 3-time Olympic medalist, has been swimming’s pioneer for water safety. As an ambassador to the USA Swimming Foundation, Jones has traveled tirerlessly across the United States to educate people on the need to learn the life-saving skill of swimming. Working with the sports’ governing body has provided Jones with a big platform to share the message. That platform alone has increased Jones’ influence on the web. On a more personal side, Jones is an avid tweeter and a fashion fan. He’s a returning attendee to New York’s fashion week. If you follow Jones, you know he’s still in training and has rescently signed an endorsement partnership with speedo.
5. Jessica Hardy, Klout Score 82
Jessica Hardy, world record holder and two-time Olympic medalist, scores an 82 on the power of personality. She uses Twitter to have very real (and sometimes) very long conversations with swimmers, swim-parents and swim fans. More than anything else, Hardy has a way of sharing herself that makes you feel like you can be her friend. In a nutshell, she’s just likeable.
7. Ricky Berens, Klout Score 81
Ricky Berens, three-time Olympic medalist, is a proud Texas Longhorn. A consistant spot on Team USA winning relays and rifts about everything from painful practices to the choice between chicken or duck eggs for breakfast, makes Berens a must-follow on Twitter. Berens’ star is rising fast in the post Phelps era. Berens will continue to play a key role on relays, he’s clearly the top U.S. 200 freestyler after his American Record performance in early March, 1:31.31, at his home pool in Austin, Texas. See the race here.
7. Rebecca Soni, Klout Score 81
Rebecca Soni captured our hearts when she won Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, and she’s been a stalwart breaststroke star ever since, 
certainly the best in U.S. history thus far. Soni’s social media charm, like several other elites, is her tweets back and forth with teammates. Why text friends when you can tweet them and make plans for the weekend? Soni’s tweets between Dana Vollmer and Jessica Hardy are insider fun, and, at times, epically funny. True, outsiders are not always in on the joke, but you can read between the lines…and for that, we thank Soni!
7. Rebecca Adlington, Klout Score 81
Rebecca Adlington’s star-turn at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing won her fans around the world. Breaking Janet Evans’ iconic 800 freestyle record to win the 800 free gold in 8:14 captured the limelight during a time when Phelps dominated the media…no easy feat. The media ramp-up to the London Olympics in her home country of Britain further sealed her name in lights. At the London Olympics, Adlington won two bronze medals in her signature events, racing well against new talent. British fans may have been slighly disappointed, but they were proud by how gracefully Adlington praised the winners, proving that being a sportswoman in the Olympic arena carries just as much weight as being a champion. The four-time Olympic medalist is an robust tweeter with over 323k follower.
7. Stephanie Rice, Klout Score 81
Stephanie Rice, three-time Olympic gold medalist from the 2008 Olympic Games, was the female Australian swimming star for years. She embraced social media early on, traveling to exotic places with Olympic peers, tweeting photos with almost daily updates. Rice came under fire from the media when she tweeted a slur that upset some in the gay community. Most of Rice’s fans knew her intentions were not malicious, and the negative stretch of media passed relatively quickly. Rice’s Twitter following is 116k (over 200k behind Adlington), but her honest and often funny tweets multiple fast as retweets on the social media platform.
11. Eric Shanteau, Klout Score 79
Eric Shanteau, Olympic gold medalist and cancer survivor, stands out among his peers. When Shanteau went public about battling the disease, he was open and honest with the world. Everyone’s heart went out to him, and he shared his fears candidly, just as he shared his truimphs. Cancer-free and fast, Shanteau won Olympic gold as a part of the 4×100 medley relay at the 2012 London Olympics. Recently on Twitter Shanteau gave a shoutout to Kevin Cordes’, fellow breaststroker and rising star, for his astounding 200 yard breast American Record, 1:48.6. That one tweet was retweeted and retweeted.
12. Cesar Cielo, Klout Score 76
Cesar Cielo, three-time Olympic medalist, rounds out the top ten. Cielo has 209k followers on Twitter, but keeps the tweets relatively simple; thanks to friends and coaches, expressing excitement or not about an upcoming meet. A lot of his tweets are in his native language, Portugese. With the 2016 Olympic Games in his home country, Brazil, expect to see Cielo’s Klout score rise rapidly over the next three years. Cielo is a global superstar, and his number of followers speaks to the rabid swimming fan base in South America, as well as the world’s love for sprinters.
Swimmers To Watch on Klout
Nathan Adrian’s score is rising fast on Klout. In addition to being a 4-time Olympic medalist, he’s a social media natural. Nathan appears to enjoy it, and only engages when he actually has something to say. Nathan also uses social media to stay engaged to fans, actually taking 5 to 10 minutes on Twitter or Facebook to say, “Ok, I’m back from practice, and I have a few minutes. Ask me anything.” (Makes me jealous. I would’ve loved the opportunity to ask Matt Biondi questions on a random day when I was an age grouper.)
Swim Industry Player To Watch On Klout
Matt Farrell, USA Swimming CMO
Matt Farrell’s the Chief Marketing Officier (CMO) at USA Swimming, and he’s one of the few players in the Olympic industry engaged in social media. Farrell understands the digital space, understands that helps to promote the sport of swimming, but he also shares tidbits of insider info from time to time. If you’re smart enough to follow Farrell, then you’ll be on the front end of the curve for USA Swimming marketing strategies, an area that has greatly improved with him behind the steering wheel.
+K (via Klout.com)
Anyone can recognize you for your influence by giving you +K. You can do the same for others by visiting their profiles and clicking the Give +K button by the topics they influence you about. Learn more about +K here.
Companies have Klout scores, and SwimSwam is strong in the swimming niche market with a score of 72. If you think SwimSwam deserves a +K in swimming, visit SwimSwam Klout and click the “Give +K” button next to a topic to give recognition. Thank you.
I’m surprised at all the people who are upset about Coughlin. She’s a legend, and for people in their teens/early twenties (like me), she’s a legend.
Honestly, I’d consider Coughlin to be one of the greatest of all time – including international swimmers. Maybe it’s because I’m a young American female, but she inspired a generation of swimmers.
I didn’t see or read anyone upset about Coughlin.
People just disagree with Mel calling Coughlin the greatest female swimmer in history.
I’m surprised that you cannot understand and upset why people disagree and have different opinion.
I called Coughlin the greatest, re: 12 Olympic races, 12 Olympic medals. Some people disagreed…. and I love it when people disagree. This is one of only a few places on the web (other than FB & Twitter) where we can debate these topics. Honestly, I’ve learned more about swimming from comments than any place else.
I’m liking your comment
It seems to me that it is nearly impossible to compare the greats of yesteryear with those of today simply due to the basis of this article. Inge de Brujin (or any other of the greats mentioned earlier) was great BEFORE social media took off. As weird as it may seem, athletes today are almost required to have a social media present. No longer can a kid just train and hang out on their own, people feel the need to know about their every move. That is a level of stress, I believe they call it Tech-stress, that can greatly impact someone’s daily physiology.
It would have been interesting to see if Spitz could have done so well if he… Read more »
I think you might be exaggerating. Many just like being on twitter. Anyway, I think, even today, an athlete can keep their head down and work hard. I think a swimmer can become widely respected and admired without being on social media. But 21st century swimmers have the opportunity to make real money, unlike almost any of the swimmers of yesteryears. The best in world often want to make that money. Sometimes being on twitter is part of a sponsor’s contract. Some tweet more personal information–some keep it more professional. It’s entirely their choice. Just like doing an ad might be distracting or anything else public/commercial. It just comes down to if you just want to swim or also make… Read more »
What a crock!
“Makes me jealous. I would’ve loved the opportunity to ask Matt Biondi questions on a random day when I was an age grouper.”
I agree in that it’s really cool these guys do this, but I’m willing to bet at least half of the participants are not young swimmers.
Seeing Cesar means it’s clearly not just Americans. I am surprised Stephanie Rice or Ian Thorpe are not on there. Thorpe doesn’t do a lot of social media (that’s probably why), but he definitely has influence. Rice tweets all the time. Maybe people don’t share/retweet what she says a lot. Btw, Biondi is really nice. I bet he would have been awesome on Twitter, and would have loved to answer questions from fans.
Rice would’ve actually been next on the list – she’s got a score of 80. Adlington was at an 81 as well. I’d guess they both would’ve been higher if they were still actively competing…
Rice jumped to 81 in last 24 hours. Funny thing, she was at 80 for a long time.
I’ll update this list. Rice should be on it as well. I’ll do the top 15 and add. (I knew I was missing an Aussie swim star!) BTW, Maggie’s Klout score is low, but he’s not as active on social media either. Thorpe will be added as well since he’s still in the hunt.
That would be great! With this, I did not even think about James, which I suppose says something.
Thanks for the update. I love seeing Rice and Adlington represented here. I checked Thorpe is 51 and Maggie 42 :/ Kinda makes you wonder what a hundredth of a second would have done.
I’m sure Mel Stewart means Coughlin as the greatest (AMERICAN) female swimmer in history …
but if not… *facepalm*
…aswimfan…You’re right, and I need to think about that. At swimswam, we pride ourselves on international coverage. In your opinion, who is the greatest female swimmer…in the world?
Are you asking for my opinion on who is the *current* greatest female swimmer or who is the greatest female swimmer *ever*?
For active female swimmers, Coughlin is certainly one of the strongest candidates, if not the strongest. I am assuming here that Coughlin has not retired yet.
But in your article above, you wrote *greatest female swimmer in history*, and for that, Coughlin does not even make top 10 in my book. There are others whose achievements towered over coughlin’s:
Egerszegi, Fraser, Klochkova, Evans, Gould, Meagher, Caulkins, De Bruijn,
And that’s even with discounting pre-50/60s swimmers, kornelia ender, the chinese, etc.
FYI, I don’t consider (or give very little weight) relays medals when evaluating greatest swimmers.
i suppose they have their metrics and number systems, but really, how can ricky berens be an 81 while phelps is a 87?
from my experience phelps is way ahead of everyone else in popularity and name-recognition. the only person close if lochte, and then maybe lissy. for most people, berens is a random person they’ve never heard of
also, natalie coughlin does not deserve to be considered one of the top female swimmers ever. she’s probably not even top 10
mcgillrocks – on the Klout numbers, generally speaking the higher you go, the bigger difference there is between numbers. AKA, the difference between an 81 and an 87 is bigger, say, than the difference between a 40 and a 46.
Berens is probably close to Phelps because he plays the social media game better. He comments on more swimming-related topics, interacts with more fans, etc. Klout looks beyond just raw numbers. That’s the best explanation I have.
As for Coughlin…I’d like to hear the list of 10 female swimmers who get top billing over her. 12 Olympic medals, 22 World Championship medals…First woman to break through the minute barrier. She won 6 medals in Beijing (first American woman to do… Read more »
Coughlin = awesome. Read your swimming history MCGILLROCKS. (Something tells me you know your history, however, and that you’re simply comment bombing.)
KLOUT? They’re pretty impressive at measuring social media influence. Study the platform. You’ll see.
McGillRocks- That’s one of the stupidest posts I’ve ever read on this message board…Braden and Mel thanks for providing the long course stats/achievements to this idiot’s post.
In terms of Aswimfan’s logic, even though long course is appreciated much more than short course yards, how could you not appreciate Natalie’s success at that level as well.
She is simply put, one of the greatest female short course swimmers of all time. That alone, along with her 13 medals (even if many are due to relays) puts in her in top 10. Besides Missy and Dana’s 2012 contributions, can you name another female that had participated on all 3 relays for Team USA?
To not respect the gift… Read more »
As I explained in my comment below, I think she is arguably the greatest *active* female swimmer. But in my book, she is not in the top 10 greatest female swimmers in history.
As for relays, it is true she contributed to the US relays (otherwise, she wouldn’t have had those medals, no?), and no one can dispute that.
But relays are NOT one swimmer’s effort. How many olympics and worlds relays medals do you think she’d won had she swum for Ukraine (a la Klochkova) or for Hungary (a la Egerszegi)?
As for short yard course, yes absolutely, that should be a yardstick (pardon the pun) to measure greatness for *american* swimmer, but not for world.
Just a note: Vollmer did not qualify for the 4×100 free relay in Omaha, but Schmitt swam on all 3 relay finals with Franklin in London.
i will admit excluding her from the top 10 is probably not something that can be easily be backed up, i should have said top 5. however i will do my best to find 10 swimmers who have more international achievements than Coughlin (in terms of domestic achievements, perhaps only Caulkins is more impressive)
(a refresher: coughlin has 2 individual olympic gold medals and 2 WC golds, in addition to 3 individual bronzes)
Helene Madison (WR in every freestyle event in the 30’s)… Read more »
Shane Gould (WR in 100 through 1500 + 200 IM)
Tracy Caulkins (Americans records in every stroke for yards)
Janet Evans (3 WR, 4 ind Olympic golds)
Dawn Fraser (1st woman to “3-peat”)
My top 10 is also very similar to yours.
Coughlin is one of the best EVER!!! Yeah, having all 14 national cuts, at anytime, not just in high school, is an amazing feat!! I also admired her because she was able to put 2000 behind her and come back even stronger!! Plus, the fact that she was a great leader for team USA, that should not be underestimated too!!