The Most Influential Celebrities on the Internet

May 6, 2013— -- intro: How easily can you turn the tides of social media and drive action online? For many famous faces, very easily, according to Klout, an app that uses social media analytics to rank its users.

If you use Twitter, you already have a Klout score -- a number between 1 and 100 that represents how influential they are across social media platforms, as calculated by Klout's algorithm. Facebook and Instagram users can also opt in.

How many followers you have, how often you post, how many mentions, likes and retweets you receive, how often someone shares content you posted and who they share it with are just some of the variables that can affect a Klout score.

Klout scores can change at any time, and the company is often tweaking its secret formula.

Hundreds of celebrities use social media to keep in touch with their fans and offer peeks into their private lives. Many of them have millions of followers and get thousands of shares and comments whenever they post something new.

Here is a Klout list of some of most influential celebrities on the Internet -- and a few may surprise you.

quicklist: 1category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Justin Bieberurl: media: 19118753text: Klout score: 93

OK, well, no surprises here.

Not only does Justin Bieber have almost 40 million followers on Twitter, he is a social media fiend, constantly posting his thoughts, photos and links to new videos online.

quicklist: 2category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Rihannaurl: media: 19032096text: Klout score: 93

Rihanna uses Instagram to share photos with her 7.1 million Instagram followers from inside the recording studio, backstage at her concert or going out on the town. She will often share her Instagram photos on Twitter, reaching an additional 29 million followers.

quicklist: 3category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Justin Timberlakeurl: media: 19118661text: Klout score: 93

Justin Timberlake uses a lot more than his "Suit and Tie" to gain influence on social media.

He uses Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to post different kinds of content multiple times a day, reaching almost 20 million Twitter followers.

quicklist: 4category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Lady Gagaurl: media: 19119070text: Klout score: 92

With her whopping 37 million followers on Twitter, Lady Gaga can reach more people than the population of New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., combined, with a single tweet.

quicklist: 5category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Taylor Swifturl: media: 19118735text: Klout score: 91

Taylor Swift is one of the most successful crossover artists to hit the airwaves, and her award-winning songs have earned her millions of fans.

She regularly tweets to her 27 million followers on Twitter, but she also consistently posts photos, links and fun promos to her Facebook page, which has more than 42 million "Likes."

quicklist: 6category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Oprah Winfreyurl: media: 19118778text: Klout score: 91

It's no surprise that Oprah Winfrey makes the list.

The talk show queen turned media mogul has a multibillion-dollar empire that includes OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, and "O" magazine.

When Oprah shares her thoughts about a recent interview, a new book or life in general, her 18.5 million Twitter followers -- and then some -- pay attention.

quicklist: 7category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Ryan Seacresturl: media: 16200649text: Klout score: 91

As a wildly successful businessman, radio personality, TV host and producer, the many hats of Ryan Seacrest have made him into a household name. While sharing posts with almost 10 million followers on Twitter, Seacrest seems to be everywhere.

quicklist: 8category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Stephen Colberturl: media: 16969179text: Klout score: 90

With his punchy take on the media and provocative jabs at the country's political elite, pundit and expert satirist Stephen Colbert has earned a wide fan base online.

He regularly tweets to his 5 million followers and even persuaded Bill Clinton to join Twitter.

quicklist: 9category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Ellen DeGeneresurl: media: 19118725text: Klout score: 90

Talk show queen and comedian Ellen DeGeneres is known for her good-natured humor and killer dance moves, but she is also an avid Tweeter.

Almost every tweet DeGeneres sends out to her 19 million followers includes a link to something she shared from her show, which helps boost her Klout score.

quicklist: 10category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Perez Hiltonurl: media: 19119161text: Klout score: 90

Celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton helped build a name for himself through social media by constantly contributing to it.

In the past 24 hours, Hilton has tweeted more than 25 times to his 6 million followers.

quicklist: 11category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Paris Hiltonurl: media: 17289723text: Klout score: 89

Heiress and socialite Paris Hilton leads a life of luxury that many of us can only dream about, and her 10.7 million Twitter followers can't get enough of the little glimpses of her world she shares online.

quicklist: 12category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Skim Kardashianurl: media: 19118865text: Klout score: 88

One thing is for sure, Kim Kardashian has Klout.

The reality TV star and entrepreneur loves to dish about her life through Instagram and Twitter, where she has a combined 25 million followers.

It also doesn't hurt that she is dating Kanye West, who has a massive social media following in his own right, and the couple is expecting their first child together, which has kept them in the spotlight.

quicklist: 13category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Tom Hanksurl: media: 17444518text: Klout score: 88

Tom Hanks is one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood. Along with his acting, writing, producing and directing skills, Hanx, as he signs his name on social media, has serious chops when it comes sharing on Twitter, Facebook and other platforms.

Hanx often shares quirky musings with his 6 million Twitter followers and on his Facebook fanpage, which has more than 1 million "Likes."

quicklist: 14category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Jim Carreyurl: media: 19118684text: Klout score: 87

Even though it has been a while since funnyman Jim Carrey has starred in a new movie, the actor and director has an active social media presence, posting tons of photos on his Facebook fanpage, which has almost 700,000 "Likes."

quicklist: 15category: Most Influential Celebrities on the Internettitle: Ashton Kutcherurl: media: 19118797text: Klout score: 87

A few years ago, Ashton Kutcher was hailed as a social media business pioneer and was once the most followed man on Twitter. But several online outbursts and Twitter rants tarnished the actor's social media reputation.

Even though he has been eclipsed by other Hollywood A-listers, Kutcher now has over 14 million Twitter followers and posts something new about once a day.