What is the ‘Deeply read’ list?
What is the ‘Deeply read’ list?
For years, The Guardian has monitored how readers interact with our journalism, focusing on the duration they spend engaging with each piece. While click counts provide a snapshot of a story’s reach, they don’t always reflect its depth or the reader’s true interest. To better capture the essence of meaningful engagement, we introduced a new way to highlight content that resonates more profoundly with audiences.
Measuring Engagement Beyond Clicks
Traditional metrics like “Most viewed” lists often prioritize popularity over substance. These rankings typically showcase articles that attract the most clicks, but they can overlook compelling stories that delve into niche or less mainstream topics. By tracking attention time—how long readers remain on a piece—we can identify content that holds deeper significance, even if it’s not the most widely shared.
How the List Works
The ‘Deeply read’ list is designed to surface journalism that readers engage with for extended periods, regardless of its length or format. We developed a metric comparing reader engagement time to the article’s length, ensuring a broader representation of quality writing. This approach allows us to showcase a diverse range of topics and styles, reflecting the varied interests of our audience across different regions.
Unlike conventional lists, this feature appears on regional home pages, tailoring recommendations to local readers’ preferences. It’s not just about popularity; it’s about uncovering stories that demand more thoughtful attention. The result is a collection of articles that balance depth, originality, and accessibility, offering something new to explore each day.
We hope you enjoy the richer selection of content here, where attention spans and curiosity drive the discovery of meaningful stories.