Transcribe your podcast
[00:00:00]

Hello and welcome to this podcast from the BBC World Service, please let us know what you think and tell other people about us on social media. Podcasts from the BBC World Service are supported by advertising.

[00:00:13]

This is a download from BBC Learning English to find out more. Visit our website. Hello and welcome to the English We Speak, I'm faithful and I'm Roy, I'm really impressed. Roy Neel said you have real clout.

[00:00:32]

What, you mean that Neil wants to hit me? Is the angry with me? Oh, no. Roy clout can mean to hit someone as a verb, but it can also be used as a noun to mean your influence or fame on social media. Neil was talking about how much clout you have with all your followers are that kind of clout.

[00:00:54]

But I don't have that many followers. So sometimes people get my name confused with Rob.

[00:01:00]

It's Rob who has the clout. He has lots of followers and some real influence on social media. He's using it to sell biscuits his mum made. Hmm.

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I'm going to try and find some more followers while we listen to some examples.

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The Esmeralda has some real clout on social media. She has so many followers who watch all have logs. We've decided to hire an influence with real clout to help us launch our new project. Derek used his clout to sell the new perfume to his millions of followers. This is the English we speak from BBC, Learn English, and we're talking about the informal expression clout, which means your level of fame or influence on social media, it can also be used in another situation, can't it?

[00:01:55]

That's right.

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It can also be used in business or politics to refer to the level of power and influence a person has. For example, my boss used their clout to get the deal done.

[00:02:07]

That's right. So, Roy, did you have any success in getting any more followers? Do you have some more clout?

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Yes, my mom just followed me and as soon as I posted my photo, someone like that, like in your own photos, doesn't count as clout.

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You can't influence yourself. Right? I'm off to get a photo with Rob so I can get more followers.

[00:02:33]

Hmm. That sounds like a great way to increase your clout. It does. By Roy, by FFA.