The Daily Telegraph was the only quality newspaper to grow its web traffic from April to May, helped by its ongoing investigation into MPs’ expenses.
Telegraph.co.uk reported 25,246,936 unique users last month, up 5.75 per cent month on month and 36.49 per cent on the same period last year, according to officially audited data from ABCe.
The expenses story broke on 8 May – but it will not be until June’s data is released in a month’s time that the full effect of putting the expenses data online will be seen.
Telegraph Media Group digital editor Ed Roussel said: “Our MPs’ expenses coverage brought new audiences to our website, helping to extend the Telegraph brand in the UK and across the world.
“We have continued to lead coverage of the story in June, most recently with our exclusive online database covering all 646 MPs.”
Guardian.co.uk, Independent.co.uk and Times Online all saw month-on-month dips in traffic in May.
The Guardian site remained the most visited national newspaper website with 27,194,840 unique users, down 0.47 per cent on the month but up 48.41 per cent year on year.
Times Online fell 5.46 per cent on April to record 20,406,420 unique users in May, a rise of 28.52 per cent on the same month in 2008.
Independent.co.uk was down 8.23 per cent month on month but up 46.53 per cent year on year with 9,573,870 uniques.
Among the mid-market and red-top titles, Mail Online rose 6.41 per cent month on month and 31.66 per cent on the year, with 24,637,383 monthly unique users.
Sun Online overtook News International stablemate Times Online to become the fourth most visited national newspaper website behind the Guardian, Telegraph and Mail.
The tabloid’s website recorded 22,946,242 unique users in May, up 11.57 per cent on April and 53.51 per cent year on year.
The biggest year-on-year rise went to the Mirror Group network of sites, up 80 per cent to 8,693,581 – a rise of 1.12 per cent on the previous month.
Trinity Mirror group digital publishing director David Black said: “The consistent month-on-month growth of Mirror Group’s websites every month this year shows the success of our strategy of developing a loyal and engaged audience focused on the UK.’
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