What is the ‘Deeply read’ list?

What is the ‘Deeply read’ list?

The Guardian has long tracked how readers engage with its journalism by measuring the duration of their time spent on articles. While click counts offer a glimpse into an article’s popularity, they don’t fully capture its impact. By analyzing reading time, we aim to highlight content that holds readers’ attention longer, reflecting deeper interest and value.

In contrast to traditional “Most viewed” lists, which showcase articles with the highest click-through rates, the “Deeply read” list focuses on how long readers invest in a piece. This approach surfaces stories that may not dominate headlines but resonate more profoundly with audiences. The metric combines attention time with the article’s length, ensuring a fair comparison across formats and topics.

Unlike standard lists, the “Deeply read” selection appears on regional home pages, tailoring recommendations to local interests. It embraces a broad spectrum of journalism, from short reports to in-depth analyses. By prioritizing time spent over immediate visibility, we hope to celebrate diverse narratives that enrich the reader’s experience.

We hope you enjoy the increased variety and depth of the pieces you find here.