How Europe’s cities are using digital to gain profile
How Europe’s cities are using digital to gain profile
Amid the global coronavirus pandemic, a strong digital presence may be more important than ever for cities eager to attract recognition, talent and investment.
ING Global Cities Digital Visibility Series 2020
ING’s research, now in its second year, provides insight into the impact digital messaging is having on cities as brands. Our global exploration highlights that the extent to which people are talking about cities is positively correlated with economic potential at a country level. Increasing awareness of place is one of the single most important measures local and national leaders can take to ensure their cities thrive in our connected world.
“In the new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has never been more important for cities to communicate clearly and effectively with their people both online and on social media”
Global surveys rank cities and major towns against almost every aspect of urban life; influencing investment and where talent concentrates. ING’s unique ranking reorders Europe’s Top 50 cities, based on global city rankings, by their share of the online conversation. This analysis shows which cities punch most above their weight and which show the most potential for increasing their digital profiles. A snapshot of top trending topics and a comparison of performance between the 2019 and 2020 editions highlight how online conversation patterns are always changing.
Europe’s most talked about cities (2020)
London has stayed top in our annual ranking of European cities for social media and online news mentions. Paris (2nd) and Madrid (3rd) also held onto their respective spots on the digital podium, with Istanbul (4th) replacing Rome in the Top 5 ahead of Barcelona (5th).
Within the overall ranking, cities like Porto, Valencia, Manchester, Lyon, and Rome are punching well above their weight.
While places like Copenhagen, Stockholm, Zurich, Oslo and Warsaw are not realising their comparatively stronger positions and have the most potential to grow their digital profiles.
Scotland performed strongly, with Glasgow and Edinburgh both among the biggest risers. No city rose more places in the rankings than Glasgow (up 4 places). Last year’s report picked out Edinburgh as one of the cities punching above its weight compared to other global rankings, justifying its jump this year.
Germany now has more cities in the Top 50 than the UK, highlighting the potential for cities to work together to gain profile, while the ranking also demonstrates how raising digital visibility can raise a city’s profile in other global rankings.
“Every city has significant talent and investment needs, but smaller urban areas may be the biggest winners in raising their digital profile to access new opportunities. ”
Produced by ING Media, this research is designed to help city policy and place makers understand how online presence impacts a city’s brand. At the cutting edge of communications, PR, digital media and wider urban cultural dialogues, ING has an extensive track record of helping cities as diverse as the City of London, the West Midlands Combined Authority, Belfast, the Scottish Cities Alliance, Helsinki, and Leipzig to thrive in a connected world
The full ranking of Europe’s most talked about cities (2020 edition) is: London, Paris, Madrid, Istanbul, Barcelona, Rome, Berlin, Moscow, Milan, Manchester, Brussels, Amsterdam, Porto, Lyon, Vienna, Valencia, Dublin, Munich, Glasgow, Frankfurt, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Prague, Geneva, Lisbon, Hamburg, Stockholm, Athens, Warsaw, Kiev, Copenhagen, Oslo, Helsinki, Budapest, St. Petersburg, Zurich, Stuttgart, Belgrade, Rotterdam, Düsseldorf, Kraków, Antwerp, Bucharest, Riga, Gothenburg, Bratislava, Tallinn, Sofia, Ljubljana, Vilnius.
If you would like to learn more about how ING works with cities email: cities@ing-media.com