National Newspaper Websites Report Record Growth

Looks like the proactive efforts of the UK's national newspaper's to woo the online communities is working.

Four UK national newspaper websites (The Guardian, Daily Mail, Times, Sun and Telegraph) posted record traffic figures according to the Audit Bureau of Circulation's January 2008 figures.  The Mail Online is closing the gap on the Guardian in spite of record traffic at both sites.

Interestingly, for the first time, the January ABC report published a consolidated report combining print and online audience figures for all the national newspapers in a single document.

The Guardian has the largest UK audience with 8.7 million unique users, 44 per cent of its total followed by The Times, then The Sun and then the Telegraph.co.uk.  The Mail Online continues to have the largest overseas audience of the UK nationals, with 12.9 million unique users from outside the UK, 72 per cent of its overall audience.