Guardian.co.uk records largest monthly rise in daily online readers

Guardian.co.uk recorded the largest monthly rise in daily online readers among national newspaper websites in July, as the News of the World phone-hacking scandal dominated the news agenda. However, Mail Online remained by far the busiest national newspaper website in July, topping 70 million monthly users. Guardian.co.uk, which is part of the network that publishes MediaGuardian.co.uk, reported a 7.5% rise in daily traffic compared with June, to 2,810,046 users, according to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABCe) figures released on Thursday. The Guardian News & Media website saw its online traffic peak with just under 4 million daily unique browsers on Monday 18 July, the day Sean Hoare , the NoW whistleblower, was found dead and John Yates, the assistant Metropolitan police commissioner, resigned. A busy July saw a boost for almost all ABCe-audited national newspaper websites. Mail Online continued its reign as the UK's most popular newspaper website with a 4.36% month-on-month lift in daily average online traffic, to 4,239,304. The rise saw the Associated Newspapers website reach almost 73 million monthly users. Telegraph.co.uk also recorded a lift in daily traffic, with a 2.28% boost compared to June to 1,965,481 users. The Mirror Group Digital network of websites, which includes 3am.co.uk and MirrorFootball.co.uk, saw its average daily users rise 0.99% month on month to 737,494. Independent.co.uk was the only ABCe-audited newspaper website to report a minor fall in daily users in July, with a 0.55% dip to 622,543. Mail Online Daily average browsers: 4,239,304 Month-on-month: +4.36% Year-on-year: +69.92% Monthly browsers: 72,964,048 Month-on-month: +8.72% theguardian.com Daily average browsers: 2,810,046 Month-on-month: +7.52% Year-on-year: +45.32% Monthly browsers: 49,715,584 Month-on-month change: N/A Telegraph.co.uk Daily average browsers: 1,965,481 Month-on-month: +2.28% Year-on-year: +21.08% Monthly browsers: 36,457,713 Month-on-month: +4.96% Mirror Group Digital Daily average browsers: 737,494 Month-on-month: +0.99% Year-on-year: +43.5% Monthly browsers: 15,542,461 Month-on-month: 5.67% Independent.co.uk Daily average browsers: 622,543 Month-on-month: -0.55% Year-on-year: +31.92% Monthly browsers: 13,516,692 Month-on-month: +0.03% • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook .