Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – Barclays
Posted on 01. Mar, 2008 by Chi-chi Ekweozor in Social Media Strategies
This article forms part of a study on social media usage amongst FTSE 100 companies.
Each company in the FTSE 100 index was reviewed on its usage of such social media tools as RSS feeds*, blogs, online video, podcasts and social media platforms like Flickr and Facebook on its main website and on occasion, on websites of well-known subsidiary companies.
*RSS feeds are a simple way of delivering fresh versions of a website’s content to online readers automatically.
According to the Guardian.co.uk Business Glossary:
“The FTSE 100 index comprises the 100 most highly capitalised blue chip companies on the London Stock Exchange, representing approximately 81% of the UK market.”
Here’s how financial services giant, Barclays (BARC.L) measured up.
| FTSE 100 Company | RSS | Podcast | Blog | Online Video | Audio | Facebook, Flickr, etc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
………………
Online Video/Webcasts: Yes
Full Year Results Announcement, sign up required
Usage of Social Media platforms: No
(Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, del.icio.us, Twitter, Digg etc)
According to Yahoo! Finance:
“The group’s emblem is an eagle, which has become a great symbol after more than three hundred years of activity. The English bank began operations in the 17th century in the financial center of London, but has since then become a strong entity in 60 international countries, in Europe, the United States, Africa, and Asia. It is now one of the major players in financial services.”
Commentary:
The Barclays corporate website is a rich cornucopia of information. Perhaps too rich.
There are lots of links to the various parts of the Barclays group and a nice media centre in which RSS feeds for Barclays news are clearly highlighted.
Like BAE Systems, Barclays has an impressive track record in Corporate Responsibility. Here’s an example:
“The twelfth annual Chairman’s Awards will recognise and celebrate the fantastic achievements of Barclays people in their local communities around the world and in the areas of equality and diversity, financial inclusion and the environment.”
£13.8 million has been raised by staff through 12,000 events – with matched funding from Barclays.
The corporate site reports on this and other initiatives but provides no way for ‘Barclays people’ to comment directly on their involvement online.
Providing video footage of such activities on a company blog would help add a real human dimension to this and other worthy initiatives and provide an authentic platform for Barclays staff and customers to interact with each other around the events.
Recommendations:
- Start several blogs - several worthy initiatives on the Barclays corporate site that deserve more online customer engagement include:
- The Barclays Pledge – “Through Banking on brighter futures, Barclays is pledging its money and its colleagues’ expertise to help disadvantaged people work towards financial independence”. A blog that discusses responsible borrowing wouldn’t be out of place here.
- Make a Difference Day – Use a blog to tell Barclays customers about ‘Make a Difference Day’, an event run by Community Service Volunteers (CSV) which encourages people to get involved in volunteering by giving their time, not money, to make a positive difference in their local community.
- Tower Hamlets Business Partnership – The scheme involves reading with primary school children and a mentoring and interviewing skills programme for secondary school children. A blog covering tried and tested mentoring techniques would be welcomed by the educational establishment.
- Create some web video that tells your story – A blog highlighting significant events like the following would add to the neat historical overview on the Barclays corporate site:
1966 – Barclays launches Barclaycard, the UK’s first credit card.
1967 – Barclays unveils the world’s first cash machine, offering “Barclaycash” from its Enfield branch.
1972 – Barclaycard is the first UK credit card to use TV advertising.
Barclays is investing £30 million in a three year programme called Barclays Spaces for Sports which aims to encourage grassroots sport.
Let’s hope it features lots of social media.
………………
What do you think?
Are you a customer, employee, shareholder or stakeholder of Barclays? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this review. What would you like to see Barclays doing more of in terms of social media? More online video? A CEO blog, perhaps?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Need any help?
Do you work for Barclays and want some insight into some of the ideas published here?
Or perhaps you look after marketing for Barclays and would like a quick chat about putting some of those recommendations into practice. Contact us.
Related posts:
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – Alliance and Leicester
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – Admiral Group
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – BAE Systems
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – Bunzl
- Social Media Usage amongst FTSE 100 companies – Companies 6 To 10: Antofagasta to Barclays
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