A regional daily has been named the second best media brand for its use of social media in a report which looked at more than 700 companies.

The Liverpool Echo has been highlighted in the Social Brands 100 report by social brand agency Headstream which aims to “identify and acknowledge brands leading the way in social media”.

The Echo came second in the media and publishing category, behind Heart FM, and was ranked the 49th best brand overall.

Fellow Trinity Mirror regional titles were also featured in the top media and publishing category, including WalesOnline, the Newcastle Evening Chronicle and the Daily Post in North Wales, along with the Daily Mirror.

The report was put together by calculating the interactions between brands and individuals on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube over a six week period during March and April 2013.

Heather Hughes, the publisher’s regional social media and engagement editor, said: “This is a fantastic achievement. Trinity Mirror was the only publisher to have regional titles feature in the list and for these accolades to be given just weeks after our success at the Regional Press Awards shows just how strong our digital brands are across the country, and across multiple platforms.”

Neil Macdonald, the head of web and data for the Echo, added: “The Liverpool Echo places great importance on its relationship with its readers, so we have always put a lot of effort and attention into how we manage the Echo’s different social media channels.

“Put simply, we make sure people can see and feel there are real people behind the accounts by engaging with our followers as much as we can, answering their questions and having a laugh with them when appropriate.

“We also work hard to ensure our updates are not just promoting stories on our site, by seeking their views on topics of the day or sharing a picture from our archive for instance.

“It can’t just be one way communication and I think people like that about what we do.”

The full report can be viewed here.