Online newspapers are attracting more and more readers

By taking advantage of Web 2.0 technologies and increasing their footprints, online newspapers are drawing an online crowd.

by Helen Leggatt

Q4 online newspaper readership during 2006 reached a record 57.6 million monthly unique visitors, the most since the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) started recording the data 3 years ago, according to figures released by Nielsen//NetRatings.

October 2006 saw a peak of 58.7 million visitors.

“Newspaper Web sites continue to shatter records each quarter as they execute innovate strategies to expand the newspaper footprint,” said NAA Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer John Kimball. “These sites continue to grow newspaper readership and increase revenue streams, attracting young and affluent consumers to a continually evolving medium.”

Nielsen//NetRatings’ results showed that the numbers of visitors to newspaper’s blogs rose by 210 percent in December, 2006, compared with the same period in 2005, accounting for 13 percent of overall site traffic for the month.

As newspapers adopt new Web 2.0 technologies, such as blogs and RSS, they are becoming more attractive to a wider audience. Q4 saw more than 36 percent of all internet users visiting online newspapers, with visit durations lasting around 43 minutes a month.

“Newspapers update their Web sites to meet changing consumer demand,” Kimball said. “The latest news, blogs, podcasts and other features makes these sites one-stop shops for consumers seeking immediate access to news and information.”