Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – British Energy
Posted on 26. Apr, 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 nuclear energy giant, British Energy (BGY.L) measured up.
| FTSE 100 Company | RSS | Podcast | Blog | Online Video | Audio | Facebook, Flickr, etc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Energy |
No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
………………
Online Video/Webcasts: Yes
Usage of Social Media platforms: No
(Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, del.icio.us, Twitter, Digg etc)
According to Yahoo! Finance:
“Following the deregulation of the British energy sector in the mid 1990s, British Energy stood out as being one of the most dynamic private companies, despite narrowly avoiding bankruptcy in 2004-2005 thanks to financial intervention from the British government and a restructuring plan. As a result, the company sold off its North American activities but still owns and operates eight nuclear plants and coal-fired electric power plants, which generate 20% of the electricity used in Great Britain.”
Commentary:
The British Energy site was a refreshing slick experience after British Airway’s slightly turgid experience. The site is sadly lacking real social media features, there are no RSS feeds and the online video provided is the obligatory webcast of annual results announcements (signup required).
The site does provide a plethora of links to nuclear-related websites including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Environment Agency (EA).
Recommendations:
- Start an industry blog – With its firm focus on educating the wider UK community on nuclear energy issues, British Energy is best positioned to launch an industry blog covering issues that affect the nuclear energy industry.
By providing a forum for consumers to engage with the company on an external site, British Energy can improve engagement with third parties and other stake holders in this tightly regulated and occasionally publicity-sensitive industry.
………………
What do you think?
Are you a customer, employee, shareholder or stakeholder of British Energy? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this review. What would you like to see British Energy 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 British Energy and want some insight into some of the ideas published here?
Or perhaps you look after marketing for British Energy 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 – Cairn Energy
- Social Media Usage amongst FTSE 100 companies – Companies 11 To 15: British American Tobacco to British Land
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – British Land
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – Associated British Foods
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – British American Tobacco
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