Banks Seize Web 2.0 Opportunity

Joining the ranks of a growing number of banks increasingly focusing on Web 2.0, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is targeting Facebook users by launching a financial advice blog that can be accessed through its fan page on the popular social networking site.Six full-time students at Canadian universities will write daily blogs on money management for the bank, which also has a full-service brokerage operation.

Together with videos, the blogs will be available through the bank's website as well as the RBC Bankbook page on Facebook.

"RBC Bankbook is your source for everything financial," the bank writes on its Facebook page. ..."You'll get the straight goods on saving your cash and spending it smarter, sharing insights with peers, and finding out about the latest RBC promos and programs that matter the most to you.

RBC is the latest in a growing number of banks to increasingly focus on Web 2.0.

In a recent interview with Wall Street & Technology, Sean Kelley, global head, technology and operations (asset management), for Deutsche Bank in New York, confirmed that the Frankfurt-based bank has been focusing on Web 2.0 collaborative technologies and will continue to do so in the future.

"Getting into a collaboration with customers and partners via Web services is critical," Kelley says.

"The whole notion of Web 2.0 really focuses on customer self-service. We need to present ourselves to customers as a total experience and allow them to choose what services they want."Joining the ranks of a growing number of financial institutions to increasingly focus on Web 2.0, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is targeting Facebook users by launching a financial advice blog that can be accessed through its fan page on the popular social networking site.... Melanie Rodier has worked as a print and broadcast journalist for over 10 years, covering business and finance, general news, and film trade news. Prior to joining Wall Street & Technology in April 2007, Melanie lived in Paris, where she worked for the International Herald ... View Full Bio