The publisher of the Mirror and Express newspapers has suffered a plunge in online readership across its regional titles as it reels from Google’s algorithm changes.
Reach, which owns dozens of local news titles across the UK, saw sharp drops in both page views and visitor numbers last month.
Page views of Surrey Live, one of its properties, tumbled almost 85pc to 4.3 million in January, down from 28.2 million at the same time last year, according to figures from Ipsos.
Leeds Live’s page views dropped by 77pc while Bristol Live tumbled just under 70pc. Reach’s outlets in Lancashire, Plymouth, Gloucestershire and Cambridge all saw their page views fall by more than half.
The number of unique visitors to these outlets also fell sharply in January. A source close to Reach argued that the length of time spent per visit was up 4pc, which they said validated the publisher’s strategy.
Reach has previously blamed tumbling audience numbers on algorithm changes by Google that have caused a “material reduction” in referrals.
Alex DeGroote, a media analyst, described the decline in reader numbers as “very alarming”, adding that it highlighted how the social media age has left many publishers at the mercy of algorithms.
He said: “Unless this is remedied quickly, which seems unlikely, there will be an impact on revenue and profits.”
Reach is scheduled to report its full-year results next week. It has forecast a 1pc fall in digital revenues, with profits ahead of market expectations thanks to cost-cutting measures.
The publisher has largely shunned paywalls in favour of pursuing digital advertising revenue, leaving it heavily reliant on social media platforms such as Facebook and Google to drive traffic.
But recent algorithm changes have taken their toll, particularly as Google has sought to give less prominence to low-quality or recycled content.
Reach has frequently faced accusations of clickbait, as its titles have pursued celebrity news and, for example, stories about the home-furnishings retailer Dunelm over more relevant local reporting.
It also comes amid heavy cutbacks at the publisher that has seen its editorial workforce plunge by around 1,000 in recent years.
Reach said in September it would cut more than 300 jobs, including 186 journalists, in its latest bruising round of redundancies.
At the same time, Reach has ramped up its use of AI. The company has its own generative AI tool – called Guten – which helps journalists quickly rewrite stories “ripped” from rival outlets.
