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​Barcelona leading the way for social networks

LaLiga champions further their global leadership in 2018/19, with 1,086 million likes, shares and comments across social media – topping both Manchester United (916) and Liverpool (754), reports www.fcbusiness.co.uk

In 2018/19, the club generated 1,086 million interactions across its Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts – more than any other sports club in the world.

According to Crowdtangle and Hootsuite Analytics data, Barça lead the way over Manchester United (916 million), Liverpool (754), Juventus (749) and Real Madrid (636) in a comparison of the likes, shares and comments on these teams' official networks.

Instagram drives most interactions for the club with 963 million. These numbers mean nobody compares to the Catalans, with second-placed Man United some way adrift (764).

There were 125 million interactions in April alone, when Barça won the league title, one of six calendar months in which FC Barcelona topped the charts.

On Facebook, FC Barcelona are second, with 82 million interactions, where this time Manchester United came out ahead (102 million), while boosted by their Champions League winning campaign, Liverpool are at the top of the Twitter tree.

Video content is proving to be the best way to connect with fans around the world. Despite the limitations on what kind of content it is allowed to publish during competitive games, Barça is still producing a spectacular amount of content, generating 2,144 million views on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Barça has 7.2 million YouTube subscribers, more than any other football club, and led the way last season with 320 million views, a huge 45% increase on the 2017/18 season.

Liverpool come closest to that amount with 208 million, followed by Manchester United with 128 and Real Madrid with 120 million. The new formats introduced this season, included the Match Day Live videos and live coverage of training sessions with commentary, are among the most successful products.

The @FCBarcelona are obviously the ones getting the most hits, but with a presence on 14 social networks and 65 official accounts, the club is also generating interest in its other sports teams, the women's football team, the Foundation, its supporters movement, the Barça Innovation Hub and more.

In total, the club has an online community of around 342 million followers who are more often using their mobile devices to stay connected.

This increase in supporters and consumer patterns has also been boosted by the club's strategic focus on China, where it has made major efforts to create content adapted to the country's social and cultural reality. The new channels on Douyin and Toutiao are already helping to further expand in the Chinese market.

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Ian Ferris
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Ian Ferris

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