Blog Popularity: How to Grow and Measure Your Blog Audience

Introduction: Blog Popularity in 2025 (What’s Changed and Why It Matters)

“Blog popularity” used to mean “more pageviews.” In 2025, it’s smarter - and more profitable - to define it as engaged readers and qualified traffic that return, subscribe, and convert. Popularity looks like a growing blog audience with:

• Consistent, qualified search traffic (not just spikes)

• Repeat visits and longer engaged sessions

• Email subscribers who open, click, and reply

• Internal click-throughs to related posts

• Steady growth in branded searches and referrals

Put simply: don’t just get traffic to your blog - earn attention that lasts.

What changed in 2024–2025 The ground shifted in four big ways:

• AI-assisted search and AI Overviews: More answers now surface directly on the SERP. To grow blog traffic, you need content that’s authoritative, succinct, and irresistibly useful so users click for depth, tools, and examples.

• Stricter E‑E‑A‑T expectations: Google increasingly rewards demonstrable Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust. Clear authorship, firsthand perspectives, and credible sources matter more than ever.

• Core Web Vitals get real: Page experience is table stakes. With INP replacing FID and a focus on speed, stability, and responsiveness, fast-loading, easy-to-read posts directly influence visibility and engagement.

• The rise of entity and topical authority: Search systems map ideas and entities, not just keywords. Clusters that build topical depth - and interlinking that clarifies relationships - strengthen your ability to rank and get featured.

Your two-part mission

1. Grow your blog audience: Attract qualified readers with content that proves topical authority, loads fast, and offers genuine value - so it wins in both Google and AI-powered results.

2. Measure it reliably: Track the right blog stats to double down on what works - beyond vanity metrics. Focus on engaged sessions, return visitor rate, subscriber growth, internal click-through rate, scroll depth, search impressions vs. clicks, and conversions.

What you’ll learn in this guide You’ll get a repeatable growth-and-measurement framework you can run in sprints. Each sprint focuses on:

• Topic clustering and internal linking to expand topical authority

• Optimization for Core Web Vitals to improve engagement and rankings

• Content UX upgrades to increase time-on-page and repeat visits

• Clear metrics, dashboards, and checkpoints so you know what to scale

We’ll also show how platforms like BlogBowl reduce the lift. With SEO-optimized templates, built-in analytics, a newsletter engine, and AI automation that drafts posts, research-backed keywords, internal links, and embedded media, you can grow blog popularity faster - with less manual work.

Throughout this guide, we’ll naturally weave in the essentials - how to grow blog traffic, how to get traffic to your blog that’s actually qualified, and which blog stats matter to build a durable, loyal blog audience in 2025.

Set Your Baseline: Goals, Benchmarks, and the Blog Stats That Matter

Define success before you scale. Clear goals and a simple metrics plan make it far easier to grow blog traffic, prove impact, and focus on the levers that increase blog popularity and a loyal blog audience.

Define success with SMART goals

• Traffic: +40% organic sessions in 90 days (from Search to qualified posts)

• Engagement: +20% engaged sessions and +15% average scroll depth on top 20 posts

• Retention: +15% returning users and +15% newsletter growth

• Conversions: +20% post-to-signup rate on key CTAs; +10% assisted conversions from blog

Establish your measurement stack

• GA4: Source/Medium, engaged sessions, conversion tracking, cohorts

• Google Search Console: queries, pages, CTR from SERP, average position, impressions

• Privacy-friendly analytics: corroborate trends without personal data (e.g., simple pageview/engagement insights)

• BlogBowl’s built-in analytics: post-level engagement, internal link CTR, newsletter growth, multi-blog rollups, and content-to-signup attribution

The four measurement pillars

• Acquisition (how readers find you)

  • Channels: Organic, Direct, Referral, Social, Email

  • Queries & pages: Which keywords and URLs earn impressions and clicks

  • Referrers: Top links driving qualified sessions

  • Goal: Get traffic to your blog that matches intent and converts

• Engagement (quality of visits)

  • Engaged sessions, average engagement time, scroll depth

  • CTR (SERP and internal links), outbound click quality

  • Goal: Turn clicks into attention with scannable structure, media, and internal linking

• Retention (who returns and why)

  • New vs. returning users, cohort retention, newsletter growth and churn

  • Goal: Build habit - content updates, email cadence, and topic clusters readers follow

• Revenue/impact (outcomes)

  • Conversions, signups, trial activations, assisted conversions

  • Goal: Tie content to pipeline and product impact, not just pageviews

Baseline Metrics & Targets

Build a simple weekly reporting cadence (15 minutes)

• What moved: Top gains/drops across the four pillars (traffic, engagement, retention, impact)

• Why: 1–2 hypotheses tied to recent changes (new posts, internal links, title updates, CWV fixes)

• What’s next: 3 prioritized actions for the next sprint (e.g., refresh top page for intent, add FAQ schema, ship 10 internal links)

• Tip: Automate snapshots in BlogBowl and GA4; review Search Console queries to spot easy wins (low CTR, high impressions)

Set your baseline this week, commit to a lightweight weekly review, and iterate in focused sprints. This is how you build durable blog popularity - measured by the blog stats that matter and sustained by an audience that returns, subscribes, and converts.

Identify and Validate Your Target Blog Audience

Define ICPs and personas using Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD) Skip surface-level demographics and focus on “jobs” your readers hire your content to do. An Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) describes the best-fit segment, while personas capture roles, contexts, and constraints. JTBD reframes personas around:

• Situation: When I’m trying to [achieve X] in [context Y]

• Motivation: I want to [progress/outcome]

• Expected outcome: So I can [measurable result] This keeps your content laser-focused on problems and progress - critical for growing blog traffic and building a loyal blog audience.

Fast audience research

• SERP and People Also Ask (PAA) mining to map intent

  • Search your head terms and long-tails; group results by intent (informational, transactional, comparison, troubleshooting)

  • Capture PAA questions and featured snippets; note patterns in subtopics, entities, and formats (checklists, templates, calculators)

  • Record which pages rank and why (authority, freshness, depth, media)

• Community listening (Reddit, Slack/Discord groups, industry forums)

  • Track recurring pains, language, and misconceptions

  • Note what gets upvoted and which answers are bookmarked - these signal content gaps you can fill

• Review mining (G2, Capterra, Amazon) to extract pains, outcomes, language

  • Scan pros/cons and “what problem does this solve?” sections

  • Pull verbatims to mirror customer language in headlines and CTAs

• Quick surveys and 1:1 interviews (10–15 conversations)

  • Ask: What triggered your search? What did you try? What “good” looks like? What would make this a must-bookmark resource?

  • Validate channels: Where do you research and whom do you trust?

Turn insights into a messaging brief Create a one-page brief you can hand to any writer or stakeholder:

• Primary pains: Top 3 jobs + constraints

• Desired outcomes: Definitions of success in readers’ words

• Success metrics: What they measure or care about (time saved, fewer errors, revenue impact)

• Favored channels: Where they discover and return (search, Reddit, newsletter, YouTube)

• Content angles: Formats that resonate (checklists, teardown posts, templates, benchmarks)

• Language to copy/paste: 5–10 verbatims from reviews/interviews

How BlogBowl helps BlogBowl accelerates research and execution:

• Auto-research suggests related entities and keywords from SERPs and communities

• Topic recommendations align to your personas and JTBDs

• Built-in analytics show which posts drive engaged sessions, internal link CTR, and newsletter growth - so you can validate fast

Walkthrough: mapping intent, listening, and mining reviews

Build Topical Authority: A Keyword Strategy Built for Google and AI Search

Why topical authority wins Chasing isolated keywords leads to thin authority, fragmented internal links, and volatile rankings. In 2025, entity SEO and semantic relationships matter more than ever. Search systems (and AI Overviews) reward coherent clusters that signal depth, trust, and coverage across a topic. The result: more stable rankings, better crawl coverage, and higher odds of being cited by LLM answers.

Create a topical map

• Choose 3–5 pillars (core themes)

  • Pick themes that align with your ICPs and revenue drivers (e.g., “SEO for SaaS,” “Content Analytics,” “Email + Distribution,” “Content Ops & AI”)

• Define cluster support posts per pillar

  • Long-tail and questions: “how to measure engaged sessions in GA4,” “SEO vs SEM for SaaS”

  • How‑tos and frameworks: templates, checklists, calculators, teardown posts

  • Comparisons and alternatives: “[Tool] vs [Tool],” “best [category] for [ICP]”

• Map internal links intentionally

  • Hub → spokes: The hub page introduces the topic, defines entities, and links to every spoke

  • Spoke ↔ spoke: Cross-link related subtopics to reinforce entity relationships and user pathways

  • Add contextual anchors that match intent, not just exact-match keywords

Prioritize by intent and business impact

• Bottom/mid-funnel first: Comparisons, “best for,” pricing, implementation, troubleshooting - these bring qualified traffic and conversions

• Then layer top-of-funnel guides that feed your clusters and newsletter growth

• Score opportunities by search intent, SERP shape, difficulty, and expected revenue impact

2025 lens: optimize for AI Overviews and LLM answers

• Provide concise, accurate definitions above the fold

• Add scannable FAQs and “People Also Ask” phrased questions

• Cite credible sources and include first‑hand insights, screenshots, benchmarks, and original viewpoints

• Use schema (FAQ, HowTo, Product, Review) where relevant to improve machine understanding

Content velocity plan

• Aim for steady > sporadic: e.g., 2–3 high-quality posts per week in active clusters

• Batch briefs, writing, and internal link updates by pillar

• Refresh aging spokes quarterly to maintain freshness signals and protect rankings

How BlogBowl helps

• AI-generated briefs aligned to entities, intent, and your personas

• Daily content suggestions and drafts to maintain consistent velocity

• Automatic internal linking that connects hubs and spokes with intent-matched anchors

• Entity-aware keyword research that discovers clusters, questions, and comparisons designed to grow blog traffic and strengthen blog popularity across your niche

Create Irresistibly Helpful Content That Earns Clicks and Shares

Format for scanners and depth readers

• Compelling headline and value-packed intro (promise + preview): Lead with a concrete benefit and set expectations for outcomes.

• Clear H2/H3s, jump links, checklists, scannable bullets: Make it impossible not to find the answer fast.

• Evidence: data points, expert quotes, examples, and original visuals that replace screenshots where possible.

E‑E‑A‑T: demonstrate first-hand experience

• First-hand tests and results: Share your setup, methodology, and outcomes.

• Author credibility: Add a short bio with relevant expertise, links to talks, and published research.

• Source quality: Cite primary sources, show dates, and include conflict-of-interest notes when relevant.

On-page SEO hygiene

• Map primary/secondary keywords and entities; mirror search intent early.

• Add FAQ schema, and use descriptive, intent-aligned anchor text for internal links.

• Optimize images (alt text, compression, dimensions) and ensure accessibility (contrast, ARIA where needed, captioning for media).

Multimedia that matters

• One quality video per post max: Focus on a tight walkthrough or demo.

• Step-by-step diagrams: Replace heavy screenshots with lightweight visuals.

• Light-weight embeds: Load on interaction where possible; avoid bloated widgets.

How BlogBowl helps

• AI-enhanced outlines: Generate drafts that align with intent and entities.

• Unique AI images: Auto-create diagrams and illustrations tailored to your content.

• Automatic embeds and internal links: BlogBowl inserts relevant media and connects related posts to boost engagement and discoverability.

Multiply Traffic With On‑Site SEO: Internal Linking, UX, and Performance

Internal linking rules of thumb

• Every new post links to 3–5 related posts (mix hub/spoke): Add 1–2 links to pillar hubs and 2–3 to complementary spokes that deepen the journey.

• Refresh old posts to link to new assets: When you publish, edit 2–3 legacy posts to point to the new piece.

• Use descriptive anchors; avoid orphan pages: Replace “click here” with intent-aligned anchors (e.g., “pricing breakdown,” “setup guide,” “X vs Y comparison”). Audit for orphan pages monthly.

UX that reduces bounce and boosts engagement

• Clean navigation: 5–7 primary items max; group the rest in footer.

• Readable typography: 16–18px base, 1.5–1.8 line-height, strong contrast.

• Ad restraint: Favor viewability over density; avoid layout shifts (CLS).

• Helpful related modules: Inline “further reading,” end-of-post related posts, and sidebar quick-jumps to increase pages/session.

Performance and Core Web Vitals

• Images: Compress, modern formats (WebP/AVIF), responsive sizes, lazy-load below the fold.

• Caching/CDN: Use edge caching; serve assets via a CDN to reduce TTFB and INP.

• Scripts & embeds: Defer non-critical JS, load embeds on interaction, remove unused code. Ship fast pages first - then enhance.

Structured data to strengthen context

• Article for posts; HowTo for step-by-steps; FAQ for Q&A blocks; Breadcrumbs for site structure.

• Use schema to clarify entities, improve eligibility for rich results, and support AI Overviews.

How BlogBowl helps

• Auto internal-link suggestions and safe link insertion across hubs/spokes with intent-aligned anchors.

• Fast, SEO-optimized templates tuned for Core Web Vitals, with image optimization and lightweight components built in.

Distribution Engine: Get Traffic to Your Blog Across Channels

Owned channels: the reliable engine

• Newsletter: Send a value-first summary (1–2 takeaways + CTA) within 24–48 hours of publishing. Add a PS linking related posts to increase pages/session and grow blog popularity with repeat visits.

• RSS: Keep feeds public; many power users and aggregators still follow. Offer an RSS-to-email digest for subscribers who prefer a weekly wrap.

• Product and in‑app surfaces: Promote new or relevant posts in your changelog, help center, announcement bar, and contextual in‑app tips (e.g., show a “setup guide” post after a user triggers a related feature).

• Community channels: Share to user Slack/Discord, private Facebook groups, and customer forums. Lead with the problem solved, not just the headline, and invite questions to increase engagement.

Earned distribution: credibility and compounding reach

• Guest posts: Pitch complementary topics to non-competing blogs; include a landing-page CTA for measurable signups.

• Podcast tours: Prepare 3 story angles + 5 teachable moments per episode; include a content upgrade link in show notes to get traffic to your blog that converts.

• Partner swaps: Exchange newsletter placements or social shout-outs with aligned brands; keep it editorial, not salesy.

• PR and expert quotes: Submit 2–3 high-signal pitches weekly (HARO/Connectively, journalist call-outs, industry publications). Ship quotable statistics and frameworks, not generic blurbs.

Social (high-signal networks)

• LinkedIn carousels: Convert each pillar into a 7–10 slide story (problem → process → outcome → CTA). Native post, link in the first comment; reply fast for early velocity.

• X threads: Hook, 5–7 insights, 1 practical example, 1 CTA. Pin the thread for the week and retweet with context 48 hours later.

• Niche communities: Share to the 2–3 that consistently deliver (e.g., subreddits, Indie Hackers, specialized forums). Follow community rules and add a short TL;DR to respect readers’ time.

Repurposing playbook (from one pillar, 6 assets)

• 1 LinkedIn carousel (story + framework)

• 1 X thread (takeaways + mini case)

• 1 slide deck (speaker-ready)

• 1 short video (60–90s walkthrough or tip)

• 1 checklist PDF (lead magnet or content upgrade)

• 1 community post (problem-focused version with TL;DR and screenshots/diagrams)

Backlinks that compound

• Original data: Run lightweight surveys or analyze anonymized usage/benchmarks. Publish clear methods and share charts people want to cite.

• Tools/templates: Launch calculators, checklists, or templates with an embed/link-back snippet.

• Expert roundups: Invite 10–15 practitioners for one question. Give them easy share assets and link back to their sites.

• Ethical exchanges: Contextual, value-first mentions with editorial relevance. Avoid link farms and irrelevant swaps.

Weekly promotion checklist (≤45 minutes)

• 10 min: Send newsletter snippet with 1–2 takeaways + CTA; schedule a weekly digest slot.

• 8 min: Post LinkedIn carousel (+ comment with link) and an X thread; add UTMs.

• 10 min: Share a TL;DR to 2 niche communities; answer 1–2 comments each.

• 7 min: Pitch 2 expert quote opportunities (or reply to journalist requests) with a concise stat/framework.

• 5 min: Add the post to 2–3 relevant internal modules (related posts, hub pages); insert 3 internal links from older posts.

• 5 min: Log results in your promo tracker (clicks, saves, comments) to spot which channels grow blog traffic most efficiently.

How BlogBowl helps

• Built‑in newsletter: Draft, personalize, and send post summaries from the same dashboard; track open/click blog stats without extra setup.

• Automatic backlink exchange: Discover relevant, ethical link opportunities and request swaps directly - no cold outreach chaos.

• Smart internal promotions: Auto-insert related posts, hub links, and cross‑blog recommendations to keep your blog audience clicking and returning.

Convert and Retain: Email, Community, and Reader Loyalty

Lead magnets that match intent

• Align offers to post intent: checklists for how‑tos, templates for planning posts, calculators for ROI/pricing content.

• Landing pages that convert: one promise, one CTA. Add 3–5 benefit bullets, social proof, and a visual of the asset. Keep nav off-page to reduce leaks.

Newsletter cadence

• Weekly value-first digest: 2–3 insights, 1 actionable tip, and highlights of new/updated posts.

• Keep a consistent send day/time; add a “What’s next” teaser to train opens and return visits.

Lifecycle flows

• Welcome series (3–5 emails): set expectations, deliver the promised asset, share your best foundational posts, and invite replies.

• Topic onboarding: auto‑tag by download or click; send a mini-series tailored to the reader’s interest.

• Re‑engagement: detect inactivity and send a helpful “catch-up” edition; allow easy snooze or topic switch.

• Product-led content: integrate feature education, use cases, and case studies - light touch, value-first.

Community mechanics

• Thoughtful comments: ask a follow-up question; acknowledge specifics to build rapport.

• AMAs and office hours: invite readers to submit questions; publish recap posts for SEO value.

• Reader spotlights: feature wins and workflows; link back and provide share graphics.

• UGC: invite templates, examples, or benchmarks; curate the best into roundups.

How BlogBowl helps

• Integrated newsletter and segmentation: Build lists, tag by interest, and personalize content from one dashboard.

• Automated post‑to‑email: Turn new posts into digest-ready emails with summaries, images, and CTAs - no extra tooling.

• SEO tie‑in: As returning visitors rise from email and community, engagement signals (engaged sessions, time on page, internal CTR) reinforce quality and relevance that improve search performance.

Measure What Matters: Blog Stats, Dashboards, and Attribution

Acquisition: what’s bringing qualified readers

• Channel mix: Organic, Direct, Referral, Social, Email. Track non‑brand vs brand to understand true discovery and grow blog traffic reliably.

• SERP intelligence: Average position, CTR, impressions, featured snippets, and AI citations (where your content gets referenced in AI Overviews/LLM answers).

• Query and page mapping: Which queries and landing pages attract the most engaged sessions.

Engagement: proof your content is working

• Engaged sessions and average engagement time (post‑level and cluster‑level)

• Scroll depth and internal link CTR (hub → spoke and spoke ↔ spoke)

• CTR from SERP and on-page CTAs

• Conversion intent signals: copy interactions, calculator/tool usage, video completion

Retention: build a loyal blog audience

• % Returning users, DAU/WAU/MAU ratios, and cohort retention by week/month

• Subscriber growth and churn by topic; newsletter click‑to‑site rate

• Repeat pageviews per user and time between visits

Revenue/impact: tie content to outcomes

• Conversions by content type (how‑tos, comparisons, case studies, benchmarks)

• Assisted conversions from blog paths vs last‑click conversions

• Attribution comparison: use GA4 Data‑Driven Attribution for planning; sanity‑check with last‑click for finance-friendly reporting

Build a one‑look dashboard (weekly)

• 6 tiles:

  1. Organic sessions (non‑brand) + average position

  2. SERP CTR and featured snippets/AI citations

  3. Engaged sessions + average engagement time

  4. Internal link CTR + scroll depth (top 20 posts)

  5. Returning users % + cohort retention

  6. Conversions and assisted conversions by content type

• Notes field (wins, issues, next tests): 3 bullets each week - what moved, why, what’s next.

KPI Map

How BlogBowl helps

• Out‑of‑the‑box dashboards: Track the blog stats that matter - engaged sessions, internal link CTR, newsletter growth, and conversions - without custom plumbing.

• Topic‑cluster insights: View performance by pillar/cluster to double down on what compounds visibility and popularity.

• Attribution assist: See content‑to‑signup paths and assisted conversions so you can invest in posts that move readers from discovery to action.

Optimize Continuously: Refreshes, Experiments, and Growth Sprints

The 80/20 content refresh framework

• Identify the top 20% of pages driving 80% of outcomes (organic sessions, engaged sessions, conversions).

• Refresh these monthly with:

  • New sections to cover emerging subtopics and entities

  • FAQs based on People Also Ask and support tickets

  • Updated visuals/diagrams and fresh examples

  • Better internal links (hub → spoke and spoke ↔ spoke)

  • Speed/accessibility fixes (compress images, improve headings, captions/alt text)

• Quarterly: run a deeper refresh on top clusters (hub + 5–10 spokes) to reinforce topical authority and protect rankings.

Experiment backlog (continuous) Turn ideas into testable hypotheses with clear success metrics:

• Titles: “If we add benefit-driven language (+ power entity), SERP CTR will rise by 10%.”

• Intros: “If we front-load the answer and show outcomes within 100 words, engagement rate will rise by 8%.”

• CTAs: “If we switch to an intent-matched lead magnet, post→signup rate will increase by 20%.”

• Layouts: “If we add jump links, checklists, and inline ‘related’ modules, scroll depth will rise by 10%.”

• Related links: “If we add 3 context-aligned internal links above the fold, pages/session will increase by 12%.”

• Lead magnets: “If we test calculator vs checklist on comparison posts, conversion rate will improve by 25%.”

• Tech: “If we lazy-load embeds and defer non-critical JS, INP improves and exits drop by 5%.”

Sprint cadence (2–4 weeks)

• Plan (Day 1–2): Pick one cluster and 3–5 experiments; define KPIs and guardrails.

• Ship (Week 1): Implement refreshes, publish new posts, apply internal links, deploy schema.

• Measure (Week 2+): Track leading indicators (SERP CTR, engaged sessions, scroll depth) and lagging outcomes (signups, assisted conversions).

• Learn (End of sprint): Archive results in a testing log (hypothesis, setup, impact, notes).

• Scale (Next sprint): Roll out winners across similar posts; retire underperformers; queue follow-up tests.

When to prune To increase overall blog popularity and topical authority:

• Consolidate overlapping articles into a definitive guide; 301 redirect the weaker pages.

• Redirect thin/underperforming posts (0–10 clicks/mo for 90 days, no backlinks) to stronger, relevant URLs.

• De-index low-value pages (tag archives, paginated cruft) if they dilute crawl budget.

• Preserve link equity: map redirects carefully, update internal links, and keep canonical logic clean.

What to monitor every sprint

• Discovery: Non‑brand organic sessions, impressions, average position (Search Console)

• Engagement: Engaged sessions, average engagement time, scroll depth, internal link CTR (GA4/BlogBowl)

• Conversion: Post→signup, assisted conversions, lead magnet take‑rate (GA4/BlogBowl)

• Experience: INP, LCP, CLS on refreshed posts (Core Web Vitals)

• Coverage: Crawl stats, indexation, new snippet/AI Overview citations (Search Console)

How BlogBowl helps

• Automated refresh suggestions: Identifies aging posts and surfaces entity gaps, PAA questions, and internal link opportunities.

• Internal linking boosts: Suggests and inserts intent‑aligned links across hubs/spokes to lift pages/session and rankings.

• Performance alerts: Flags drops in engagement or Core Web Vitals, and recommends quick fixes.

• Sprint-friendly workflow: AI-generated briefs, daily content drafts, and built‑in analytics shorten the loop from idea → impact - so you can grow blog traffic faster with fewer moving parts.

Conclusion: Make Blog Popularity Effortless With BlogBowl

Here’s the playbook you just built: identify and validate your target blog audience, build topical authority with smart clusters, ship irresistibly helpful content, distribute across owned/earned/social channels, convert readers to email, measure the blog stats that matter, and iterate in focused sprints. This is how you reliably grow blog traffic and turn it into durable blog popularity.

Why now: AI-assisted publishing and analytics compress months of work into days - without sacrificing quality. With entity-aware keyword research, automated internal linking, and built-in measurement, you can get traffic to your blog faster, prove what works sooner, and re‑invest where impact compounds.

Your next step is simple: launch or migrate your blog on BlogBowl. You’ll get fast, SEO‑optimized templates, AI‑powered content and images, internal linking automation, a built‑in newsletter, and end‑to‑end analytics - so you can focus on strategy, storytelling, and your readers.

Ready to build a blog your audience returns to - and that search (and AI) can’t ignore?

Start building a popular blog today at https://www.blogbowl.io - launch in under 60 seconds.