Eight of the top 10 best-performing regional news websites experienced a year-on-year decrease in audience, new figures show.
The latest figures by market research firm Ipsos have revealed decreases in the number of unique users visiting the sites of the UK’s regional dailies.
The top four titles – the Manchester Evening News, Birmingham Mail, Liverpool Echo and Wales Online – remained the same as the previous month, although all saw double-digit decreases in the number of visitors when compared with July 2022.
All of the top 10 were Reach plc sites, of which just two – the Huddersfield Examiner and Bristol Post – recorded year-on-year growth, with their audiences increasing by 9pc and 4.5pc respectively.
The declines in readership come amid a bid to tackle industry-wide online engagement issues, including changes to Facebook algorithms that Reach blamed in May for a slump in digital revenue.
The MEN was read by more than nine million people online in July this year, while the title also topped the total page view charts at 62 million.
The Mail, Liverpool Echo and Wales Online were also second, thid and fourth on the page views measure.
It was a different story when it came to the battle for keeping readers’ eyeballs for long periods of time, with Newsquest titles accounting for nine out of the top 10 when it came to the average time each user spent on a website.
Colchester Daily Gazette readers spent more than 13 minutes on its pages, almost treble what they had done in July 2022, with the Hereford Times coming second as readers spent more than 12 minutes on its site on average throughout July 2023.
The full list showing the total number of unique users is below. Scroll down for the table showing total number of page views per user and average minutes per user tables.
The titles are ranked by the most recent, July 2023 metrics, which can be found in the middle column.
Table 1: Overall audience (unique users)
Table 2: Total number of page views per title
Table 3: Average minutes per user
| Title | Jul 22 ave mins / user | Jul 23 ave mins / user | Pc change |
| gazette-news.co.uk | 5:34 | 13:25 | 141.1 % |
| herefordtimes.com | 4:54 | 12:26 | 154.1 % |
| ipswichstar.co.uk | 7:37 | 11:27 | 50.3 % |
| kentonline.co.uk | 17:51 | 10:57 | -38.6 % |
| thetelegraphandargus.co.uk | 4:57 | 9:15 | 87.1 % |
| newsandstar.co.uk | 4:00 | 8:56 | 123.6 % |
| bournemouthecho.co.uk | 9:04 | 8:25 | -7.2 % |
| eveningnews24.co.uk | 18:10 | 8:25 | -53.7 % |
| grimsbytelegraph.co.uk | 6:49 | 8:11 | 19.9 % |
| hulldailymail.co.uk | 6:16 | 7:56 | 26.7 % |
| gazettelive.co.uk | 9:03 | 7:46 | -14.2 % |
| pressandjournal.co.uk | 3:32 | 7:13 | 103.8 % |
| northamptonchron.co.uk | 2:20 | 6:52 | 194.6 % |
| plymouthherald.co.uk | 4:35 | 6:44 | 47.1 % |
| stokesentinel.co.uk | 6:12 | 6:43 | 8.5 % |
| leicestermercury.co.uk | 3:36 | 6:39 | 85.1 % |
| edp24.co.uk | 9:33 | 6:37 | -30.8 % |
| sunderlandecho.com | 3:33 | 6:30 | 83.1 % |
| shieldsgazette.com | 2:42 | 6:09 | 127.4 % |
| liverpoolecho.co.uk | 5:00 | 5:57 | 18.9 % |
| thestar.co.uk | 4:36 | 5:55 | 28.7 % |
| belfastlive.co.uk | 5:51 | 5:28 | -6.5 % |
| cornwalllive.com | 5:34 | 5:22 | -3.6 % |
| worcesternews.co.uk | 6:19 | 5:10 | -18.0 % |
| walesonline.co.uk | 5:50 | 5:06 | -12.6 % |
| romfordrecorder.co.uk | 3:02 | 5:05 | 67.7 % |
| portsmouth.co.uk | 4:26 | 4:59 | 12.5 % |
| manchestereveningnews.co.uk | 4:36 | 4:59 | 8.2 % |
| expressandstar.com | 7:00 | 4:50 | -31.0 % |
| wigantoday.net | 0:47 | 4:49 | 512.3 % |
| yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk | 4:19 | 4:41 | 8.4 % |
| peterboroughtoday.co.uk | 3:53 | 4:40 | 20.3 % |
| hexham-courant.co.uk | N/A | 4:36 | N/A |
| belfasttelegraph.co.uk | 4:30 | 4:34 | 1.6 % |
| gloucestershirelive.co.uk | 3:23 | 4:30 | 33.0 % |
| blackpoolgazette.co.uk | 2:32 | 4:29 | 77.5 % |
| glasgowlive.co.uk | 3:17 | 4:27 | 35.4 % |
| coventrytelegraph.net | 3:20 | 4:26 | 33.3 % |
| theisleofthanetnews.com | 3:48 | 4:21 | 14.4 % |
| hertsad.co.uk | 3:35 | 4:15 | 18.8 % |
| devonlive.com | 6:02 | 4:14 | -29.8 % |
| bishopsstortfordindependent.co.uk | N/A | 4:06 | N/A |
| derbyshiretimes.co.uk | 2:11 | 4:05 | 87.0 % |
| bournelocal.co.uk | N/A | 4:05 | N/A |
| dailypost.co.uk | 4:33 | 4:02 | -11.3 % |
| glasgowtimes.co.uk | 4:20 | 3:58 | -8.4 % |
| swindonadvertiser.co.uk | 3:15 | 3:56 | 20.9 % |
| doncasterfreepress.co.uk | 5:20 | 3:51 | -27.9 % |
| hartlepoolmail.co.uk | 0:53 | 3:51 | 335.9 % |
| dorsetecho.co.uk | 8:01 | 3:47 | -52.8 % |
| leeds-live.co.uk | 3:17 | 3:46 | 14.8 % |
| gazetteandherald.co.uk | 4:34 | 3:45 | -17.6 % |
| edinburghnews.scotsman.com | 3:35 | 3:38 | 1.5 % |
| northantstelegraph.co.uk | 2:10 | 3:38 | 67.0 % |
| somersetcountygazette.co.uk | 2:09 | 3:37 | 69.1 % |
| newsletter.co.uk | 0:56 | 3:37 | 284.6 % |
| chroniclelive.co.uk | 3:30 | 3:37 | 3.3 % |
| theboltonnews.co.uk | 4:53 | 3:31 | -27.8 % |
| lep.co.uk | 1:18 | 3:30 | 170.5 % |
| chad.co.uk | 1:25 | 3:30 | 145.6 % |
| yorkpress.co.uk | 5:11 | 3:29 | -33.0 % |
| yourlocalguardian.co.uk | 1:01 | 3:27 | 241.9 % |
| eastlothiancourier.com | 3:40 | 3:26 | -6.4 % |
| sussexexpress.co.uk | 2:57 | 3:25 | 16.3 % |
| watfordobserver.co.uk | 10:28 | 3:19 | -68.3 % |
| derbytelegraph.co.uk | 4:10 | 3:17 | -21.2 % |
| wakefieldexpress.co.uk | 1:35 | 3:14 | 103.6 % |
| lutontoday.co.uk | 0:56 | 3:11 | 237.7 % |
| warringtonguardian.co.uk | 2:33 | 3:11 | 25.5 % |
| echo-news.co.uk | 5:23 | 3:04 | -43.1 % |
| advertiserandtimes.co.uk | N/A | 2:59 | N/A |
| northwichguardian.co.uk | 1:11 | 2:58 | 148.9 % |
| nottinghampost.com | 3:04 | 2:57 | -3.8 % |
| harrogateadvertiser.co.uk | 3:15 | 2:56 | -10.0 % |
| shropshirestar.com | 5:13 | 2:55 | -44.1 % |
| glasgowworld.com | 0:29 | 2:54 | 505.5 % |
| scotsman.com | 1:52 | 2:53 | 54.2 % |
| burytimes.co.uk | 1:24 | 2:53 | 105.4 % |
| essexlive.news | 3:11 | 2:51 | -10.4 % |
| bristolpost.co.uk | 3:23 | 2:47 | -17.8 % |
| somersetlive.co.uk | 2:12 | 2:46 | 25.4 % |
| birminghammail.co.uk | 3:23 | 2:43 | -19.8 % |
| burnleyexpress.net | 2:27 | 2:42 | 9.6 % |
| stornowaygazette.co.uk | 0:57 | 2:41 | 183.7 % |
| lincolnshirelive.co.uk | 2:51 | 2:40 | -6.4 % |
| salisburyjournal.co.uk | 8:21 | 2:39 | -68.3 % |
| readingchronicle.co.uk | 2:20 | 2:38 | 12.9 % |
| halifaxcourier.co.uk | 3:09 | 2:38 | -16.6 % |
| miltonkeynes.co.uk | 0:37 | 2:38 | 326.5 % |
| sthelensstar.co.uk | 2:46 | 2:37 | -5.4 % |
| fifetoday.co.uk | 2:04 | 2:35 | 24.9 % |
| lancasterguardian.co.uk | 0:38 | 2:32 | 301.4 % |
| aberdeenlive.news | 2:37 | 2:31 | -3.5 % |
| dailyecho.co.uk | 2:03 | 2:30 | 22.1 % |
| newarkadvertiser.co.uk | N/A | 2:28 | N/A |
| meltontimes.co.uk | 2:30 | 2:24 | -4.1 % |
| getsurrey.co.uk | 2:31 | 2:24 | -4.6 % |
| southwalesargus.co.uk | 11:23 | 2:24 | -79.0 % |
| lancs.live | 2:10 | 2:23 | 9.6 % |
| eadt.co.uk | 4:00 | 2:23 | -40.5 % |
| theargus.co.uk | 7:33 | 2:21 | -68.9 % |
| runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk | 1:15 | 2:20 | 86.9 % |
| falmouthpacket.co.uk | 2:06 | 2:19 | 10.1 % |
| examinerlive.co.uk | 3:37 | 2:19 | -36.1 % |
| thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk | 2:12 | 2:17 | 4.2 % |
| cravenherald.co.uk | 1:35 | 2:16 | 42.4 % |
| falkirkherald.co.uk | 0:48 | 2:15 | 182.1 % |
| edinburghlive.co.uk | 2:57 | 2:14 | -24.3 % |
| yorkshirepost.co.uk | 2:25 | 2:13 | -8.5 % |
| westerntelegraph.co.uk | 2:36 | 2:11 | -15.9 % |
| wirralglobe.co.uk | 9:57 | 2:09 | -78.4 % |
| wiltshiretimes.co.uk | 2:19 | 2:08 | -8.1 % |
| kidderminstershuttle.co.uk | 6:20 | 2:06 | -66.9 % |
| newburytoday.co.uk | N/A | 2:06 | N/A |
| bristol247.com | 2:34 | 2:06 | -18.1 % |
| fenlandcitizen.co.uk | N/A | 2:05 | N/A |
| heraldscotland.com | 2:00 | 2:05 | 4.1 % |
| stamfordmercury.co.uk | N/A | 2:04 | N/A |
| cambridge-news.co.uk | 2:06 | 2:02 | -3.5 % |
| suffolknews.co.uk | 2:23 | 1:58 | -17.6 % |
| cheshire-live.co.uk | 2:47 | 1:58 | -29.2 % |
| nwemail.co.uk | 3:25 | 1:56 | -43.3 % |
| hampshirelive.news | 2:11 | 1:55 | -12.2 % |
| thescarboroughnews.co.uk | 0:43 | 1:55 | 166.7 % |
| northern-scot.co.uk | N/A | 1:54 | N/A |
| kentlive.news | 2:07 | 1:54 | -10.3 % |
| chesterstandard.co.uk | 5:19 | 1:52 | -64.7 % |
| staffordshire-live.co.uk | 0:49 | 1:52 | 129.1 % |
| northumberlandgazette.co.uk | 0:29 | 1:49 | 278.8 % |
| getreading.co.uk | 2:22 | 1:49 | -23.2 % |
| countypress.co.uk | 1:59 | 1:48 | -9.1 % |
| jewishnews.co.uk | N/A | 1:48 | N/A |
| bordertelegraph.com | 1:58 | 1:45 | -11.0 % |
| northernirelandworld.com | 0:27 | 1:45 | 285.4 % |
| countytimes.co.uk | 6:23 | 1:45 | -72.6 % |
| hertfordshiremercury.co.uk | 2:10 | 1:41 | -23.0 % |
| oxfordmail.co.uk | 1:23 | 1:41 | 21.5 % |
| sussexlive.co.uk | 1:20 | 1:41 | 27.5 % |
| stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk | 0:31 | 1:41 | 223.0 % |
| cambridgeindependent.co.uk | 2:34 | 1:39 | -35.6 % |
| buxtonadvertiser.co.uk | 1:02 | 1:35 | 52.4 % |
| northantslive.news | 2:27 | 1:33 | -36.8 % |
| ross-shirejournal.co.uk | N/A | 1:31 | N/A |
| thenorthernecho.co.uk | 1:32 | 1:30 | -2.3 % |
| lancashiretelegraph.co.uk | 4:47 | 1:30 | -68.8 % |
| warwickshireworld.com | 0:51 | 1:30 | 77.7 % |
| dunfermlinepress.com | 1:16 | 1:27 | 14.0 % |
| mylondon.news | 1:39 | 1:27 | -12.0 % |
| thegazette.co.uk | 3:32 | 1:25 | -59.9 % |
| cambrian-news.co.uk | N/A | 1:21 | N/A |
| lynnnews.co.uk | 2:55 | 1:21 | -53.6 % |
| biggleswadetoday.co.uk | 2:15 | 1:20 | -40.9 % |
| worksopguardian.co.uk | 3:32 | 1:20 | -62.1 % |
| clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk | 2:00 | 1:19 | -33.8 % |
| basingstokegazette.co.uk | 3:18 | 1:19 | -60.2 % |
| granthamjournal.co.uk | 9:09 | 1:17 | -86.0 % |
| inverness-courier.co.uk | 2:56 | 1:15 | -57.3 % |
| northwalespioneer.co.uk | 0:19 | 1:11 | 278.6 % |
| norfolklive.co.uk | 1:42 | 1:09 | -32.6 % |
| dewsburyreporter.co.uk | 8:28 | 1:08 | -86.6 % |
| insider.co.uk | 0:57 | 1:07 | 17.6 % |
| northnorfolknews.co.uk | 1:56 | 1:07 | -42.5 % |
| spaldingtoday.co.uk | N/A | 1:05 | N/A |
| dorset.live | 2:11 | 1:05 | -50.6 % |
| leaderlive.co.uk | 2:13 | 1:04 | -51.7 % |
| bridportnews.co.uk | N/A | 1:04 | N/A |
| buckinghamshirelive.com | 0:30 | 1:00 | 100.0 % |
| thenational.scot | 1:35 | 1:00 | -37.3 % |
| suffolklive.com | 4:38 | 0:58 | -79.2 % |
| bedfordtoday.co.uk | 1:46 | 0:54 | -49.0 % |
| southwarknews.co.uk | N/A | 0:53 | N/A |
| hampshirechronicle.co.uk | 2:30 | 0:53 | -64.5 % |
| huntspost.co.uk | 3:21 | 0:52 | -74.4 % |
| harrowtimes.co.uk | N/A | 0:51 | N/A |
| irishnews.com | 1:08 | 0:48 | -29.1 % |
| banburyguardian.co.uk | 0:46 | 0:47 | 1.5 % |
| thecomet.net | 1:14 | 0:47 | -36.8 % |
| bracknellnews.co.uk | N/A | 0:47 | N/A |
| rutland-times.co.uk | N/A | 0:46 | N/A |
| bucksherald.co.uk | 0:54 | 0:45 | -16.3 % |
| stratford-herald.com | N/A | 0:45 | N/A |
| hamhigh.co.uk | 2:57 | 0:42 | -76.2 % |
| daventryexpress.co.uk | 1:21 | 0:42 | -47.5 % |
| strathspey-herald.co.uk | N/A | 0:42 | N/A |
| wiltshirelive.co.uk | 1:04 | 0:41 | -35.6 % |
| stourbridgenews.co.uk | N/A | 0:41 | N/A |
| bucksfreepress.co.uk | 5:42 | 0:40 | -88.2 % |
| lincolnshireworld.com | 1:39 | 0:37 | -62.9 % |
| leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk | 2:33 | 0:36 | -76.4 % |
| bedfordshirelive.co.uk | 1:05 | 0:33 | -49.6 % |
| thesouthernreporter.co.uk | 6:53 | 0:32 | -92.3 % |
| johnogroat-journal.co.uk | N/A | 0:31 | N/A |
| derryjournal.com | 1:28 | 0:31 | -65.1 % |
| hemeltoday.co.uk | 0:45 | 0:29 | -34.3 % |
| oxfordshirelive.co.uk | 0:36 | 0:28 | -22.2 % |
| dissexpress.co.uk | N/A | 0:27 | N/A |
| wiltsglosstandard.co.uk | 1:33 | 0:25 | -72.8 % |
| harboroughmail.co.uk | 2:51 | 0:22 | -87.2 % |
| forres-gazette.co.uk | N/A | 0:19 | N/A |
| farminglife.com | 0:46 | 0:18 | -60.2 % |
| hucknalldispatch.co.uk | 1:33 | 0:18 | -81.0 % |
| hackneygazette.co.uk | N/A | 0:17 | N/A |
| dublinlive.ie | 0:08 | 0:16 | 103.2 % |
| northern-times.co.uk | N/A | 0:11 | N/A |
| anguscountyworld.co.uk | 0:34 | 0:05 | -84.5 % |
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