ABCes: Regional news publishers see significant traffic growth in first half of 2010

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Newsquest, Trinity Mirror Regionals and Northcliffe Media all saw significant growth in traffic to their local newspaper websites over the six months to June this year, according to the latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations Electronic (ABCe).

Average monthly unique browsers to Newsquest's network of 158 local media sites between January and June 2010 grew by 25.6 per cent year-on-year to 6,472,972 for the period. The ABCe's report showed a 13.1 per cent increase in average monthly uniques from the last six-month audit up to December 2009.

"These excellent numbers reflect the biggest ever monthly average year-on-year growth in the five years we’ve been publishing audited audience figures," says Roger Green, managing director of Newsquest Digital Media, in a press release.

According to the group, the number of repeat visitors to the network has increased by more than 17 per cent when compared with the same period in 2009. The average daily unique browsers to the network rose to 365,659 - a 21.7 per cent increase when compared with the same period in 2009.

The Trinity Mirror Regional Network saw a 15.5 per cent year-on-year rise in average monthly unique browsers to 5,819,646 for the first six months of 2010 - a 6.2 per cent growth on the figures up to the end of 2009.

Average daily unique browser figures for Trinity also grew. The network posted a 12.6 per cent year-on-year rise in average daily unique browsers, increasing the figure to 304,290.

Northcliffe's network attracted an average of 4,042,720 unique browsers a month in the first six months of 2010 - a 12.4 per cent year-on-year increase. The network's average daily unique browsers for the period came in at 275,643, a 10.6 per cent growth on January to June 2009.

There were also year-on-year increases in monthly unique browsers for Midlands News Association and Johnston Press. Full figures for those groups included in the audit are below, the figure in brackets represents the year-on-year percentage change:

Iliffe Digital Network

Average daily unique browsers = 32,940 (+5 per cent)

Average monthly unique browsers = 542,909 (-1.6 per cent)

Johnston Network (Johnston Press)

Average daily unique browsers = 400,612 (+3.1 per cent)

Average monthly unique browsers = 7,009,847 (+2.1 per cent)

KM Group

Network

Average daily unique browsers = 15,575 (no data available)

Average monthly unique browsers = 272,921 (no data available)

Midland News Association

Average daily unique browsers = 40,398 (+8.7 per cent)

Average monthly unique browsers = 693,261 (+10.0 per cent)

Newsquest

Network

Average daily unique browsers = 365,659 (+21.7 per cent)

Average monthly unique browsers = 6,472,972 (+25.6 per cent)

Northcliffe Media Network

Average daily unique browsers = 275,643 (+10.6 per cent)

Average monthly unique browsers = 4,042,720 (+12.4 per cent)

Trinity Mirror Regional Network

Average daily unique browsers = 304,290 (+12.6 per cent)

Average monthly unique browsers = 5,819,646 (+15.5 per cent)