The Standard
Kenya's oldest newspaper and a major news portal.
The Standard at a glance
The Standard is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Kenya, currently ranked #2 in the country. It was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. Today The Standard is owned by Standard Group PLC. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 10 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through advertising, print sales, broadcast (ktn). Its closest rivals include nation.africa, citizen.digital.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 9.4 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 9.7 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 10 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 10.6 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Kenya, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Kenya86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 3 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Kenya
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| the standard | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Kenya web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Kenya
Company information
- Website
- standardmedia.co.ke
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Standard Group PLC
- Owner type
- Public company
- Founded
- 1902
- Headquarters
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Ownership
- Standard Group PLC controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Languages
- English, Swahili
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
The Standard operates a news and media publisher focused on Kenya. Kenya's oldest newspaper and a major news portal. Revenue comes mainly from advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Advertising
- Print sales
- Broadcast (KTN)
International presence
- Primary market
- Kenya
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Kenya)
- #2 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Kenya
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| nation.africa | ≈ 6 million / month | #3 class competitor | — |
| citizen.digital | ≈ 4.5 million / month | #4 class competitor | — |
What is The Standard?
The Standard (standardmedia.co.ke) is a news and media publisher serving users in Kenya. Kenya's oldest newspaper and a major news portal. It ranks #2 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns The Standard?
The site is operated by Standard Group PLC. The company was established in 1902 and is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place The Standard at roughly 10 million visits per month, about 0.3 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How The Standard makes money
Revenue comes primarily from advertising, alongside print sales, broadcast (ktn).
Competitors in Kenya
Its closest rivals include nation.africa, citizen.digital.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1902
The Standard is founded in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #2 among the most visited websites in Kenya.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns The Standard?
The Standard is operated by Standard Group PLC. Public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is The Standard headquartered?
The Standard is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.
When was The Standard founded?
The Standard was founded in 1902.
What is The Standard's revenue?
The Standard does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from advertising, print sales, broadcast (ktn).
Who are The Standard's competitors?
Main competitors in Kenya include nation.africa, citizen.digital.
How does The Standard make money?
Mainly advertising, print sales, broadcast (ktn).
Is The Standard publicly traded?
The Standard's ownership: Public company.
How many visitors does The Standard get?
Third-party estimates place The Standard at roughly 10 million visits per month, mostly from Kenya, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is The Standard safe?
The Standard is an established news & media site founded in 1902 and ranked #2 in Kenya; use the official domain standardmedia.co.ke and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsstandardmedia.co.ke
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageKenya and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos