What is Share of Voice and How to Measure it Accurately?

How much of the market conversation does your brand actually own? Studies show that brands with a higher Share of Voice (SOV) can boost their market share—gaining up to 0.5% for every 10% increase in SOV. Understanding what is share of voice can give you the insights needed to outshine the competition and strengthen your brand’s position. 

In today’s fast-moving digital world, visibility is everything. SOV tells you how often people talk about your brand versus your competitors. The bigger your SOV, the stronger your influence. More visibility means more brand awareness, higher engagement, and a competitive edge. If you want to stay ahead, you need to know your numbers—and how to improve them.

In this guide, we’ll break down what SOV is, why it matters, and how you can measure and grow it. Ready to amplify your brand’s presence? Let’s dive in!

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What is Share of Voice?

Share of Voice (SOV) is a key marketing metric that measures a brand’s presence in the marketplace relative to its competitors. Traditionally, SOV referred to a brand’s share of advertising within a specific industry, often calculated based on media spending. However, in the digital age, the concept has expanded to encompass all brand mentions, including social media presence, organic search visibility, paid advertising, and other digital marketing channels.

With the rise of digital marketing, tracking SOV has never been easier. Here’s how it’s evolved:

• Social Media Buzz: How often people mention your brand versus competitors on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
• Search Visibility:  Where your brand ranks on search engines compared to others.
• Paid Ads Presence: How much space your brand takes up in online advertising.
• Online Mentions: How often your brand appears in news articles, blogs, and discussions.

Understanding what is Share of Voice helps you see if your marketing efforts are paying off. The best part? You can track it in real-time using social listening tools, SEO analytics, and competitive benchmarking.

[Must Read: The Cost of Low Online Visibility on Multi-Location Brands]

Why is Share of Voice Important?

A higher SOV means your brand is leading industry conversations, strengthening brand awareness, and building trust. When consumers frequently encounter your brand in discussions, advertisements, and social media, it enhances your credibility and positions you as an authority in your field.

SOV also has a direct link to market share and customer engagement. Brands that dominate conversations tend to attract more customers. A strong presence in industry discussions, social media interactions, and advertising increases the likelihood of converting prospects into loyal customers. Additionally, a high SOV encourages audience interaction, fosters trust, and reinforces brand credibility.

Tracking SOV helps brands refine their marketing strategies by:

• Evaluating the effectiveness of marketing efforts
• Identifying gaps in brand visibility
• Optimizing content strategies and refining messaging
• Determining the best platforms and content types to engage target audiences

By understanding what is Share of Voice and leveraging it, brands can stay competitive, enhance their influence, and drive long-term growth in their industry.

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How to Measure Share of Voice Accurately

To calculate Share of Voice, use the following formula:

Share of Voice = (Your Brand Metrics / Total Market Metrics) x 100

This formula helps determine the percentage of conversations, impressions, or market engagement your brand commands compared to competitors. The calculation varies based on different marketing channels:

Social Media Share of Voice

Social media SOV measures how frequently your brand is mentioned compared to competitors. To track it:

• Monitor brand mentions using social listening tools.
• Compare the number of brand mentions to the total market mentions.
• Evaluate engagement rates, including likes, shares, and comments.

SEO Share of Voice

SEO SOV analyzes your brand’s organic search visibility:

• Track keyword rankings and compare them to competitors.
• Assess the percentage of organic traffic your site receives versus the market total.

Paid Advertising Share of Voice

Paid advertising SOV determines your brand’s ad presence:

• Compare your ad impressions, clicks, or total ad spend to competitors.
• Use Google Ads and social media ad managers to analyze visibility.
• Assess cost-per-click (CPC) and share of ad placements.

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PR and Media Coverage Share of Voice

Media SOV measures your brand’s visibility in news articles and industry publications:

• Track press mentions and media coverage.
• Compare the volume of media exposure to competitors.

By keeping a close eye on SOV across these channels, brands can see where they shine and where they need to step up. The more share of voice you have, the more market influence you gain—leading to better brand awareness, engagement, and, ultimately, more sales.

Vista Social as a Tool to Measure Share of Voice

Vista Social is an advanced social media management platform equipped with robust analytics and listening tools to help brands measure and enhance their Share of Voice effectively. Here are the features that make Vista Social stand out:

• Advanced Social Media Listening and Analytics: Tracks brand mentions, keywords, and industry trends across multiple platforms.
• Tracks Brand Mentions, Engagement, and Sentiment: Monitors public sentiment and audience engagement to assess brand perception.
• Provides Actionable Insights to Improve Visibility: Data-driven recommendations help brands optimize content strategies and enhance market presence.
• Easy-to-Use Dashboard for Monitoring Share of Voice Across Platforms: A centralized hub for tracking key metrics and competitor performance.
• Employee Advocacy Features to Amplify Brand Reach: Encourages team members to share and promote brand content, increasing organic visibility and influence.

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[Must Read: Social Listening Made Simple: How to Use It for Brand Growth] 

[Must Read: Social Media Sentiment Analysis: A Comprehensive Guide] 

Strategies to Improve Your Share of Voice

Here are some effective strategies to boost your brand’s visibility and ensure a greater Share of Voice in your industry:

Enhance Social Media Engagement

One of the most effective ways to increase your Share of Voice is by fostering engagement on social media platforms. To achieve this:

• Post interactive content such as polls, quizzes, and live videos.
• Actively respond to comments and messages to encourage conversations.
• Encourage user-generated content (UGC) to create a sense of community and trust around your brand.

[Must Read: Interactive Content Trends for 2025: Polls, Quizzes, and AR Experiences]

[Must Read: How to Leverage User-Generated Content Effectively]

Optimize Content for SEO

Improving your search engine rankings can significantly boost your brand’s visibility. Here’s how:

• Conduct keyword research to identify high-impact terms.
• Optimize on-page elements like meta descriptions, headers, and alt texts.
• Create high-quality, valuable content that aligns with user search intent.
• Build authoritative backlinks to strengthen your domain authority.

[Must Read: Social Media SEO: Top Social Media Strategies to Boost SEO]

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Tap Into Trends Strategically

Leveraging trending topics can help your brand stay relevant and increase visibility. To do this effectively:

• Monitor industry trends and conversations using social listening tools.
• Create timely and relevant content that ties into current events.
• Use trending hashtags and keywords to expand your reach on social media.

[Must Read: 20 Social Media Predictions in 2025: Key Trends for Marketing]

Partner with Influencers

Influencer collaborations can enhance credibility and extend your reach. Consider these steps:

• Identify influencers who align with your brand values and audience.
• Develop authentic partnerships for organic and sponsored content.
• Utilize influencer-generated content across different marketing channels.

[Must Read: The Impact of Virtual Influencers on Social Media Marketing]

Invest in Paid Advertising

Paid advertising can quickly amplify your brand’s Share of Voice by targeting the right audience. Key approaches include:

• Running PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns on search engines and social media.
• Using retargeting ads to reach potential customers who have interacted with your brand.
• Experimenting with different ad formats, such as video, carousel, and display ads.

Leverage Employee Advocacy

Your employees can be powerful brand advocates who help increase visibility. Encourage them to:

• Share company updates, insights, and success stories on social media.
• Engage in discussions related to your industry.
• Participate in branded campaigns or initiatives to enhance reach.

[Must Read: What is Employee Advocacy and Its Impact on Business] 

Strengthen Brand Advocacy

Loyal customers and influencers can amplify your brand’s presence. Foster brand advocacy by:

• Providing exceptional customer experiences that encourage organic word-of-mouth.
• Creating referral programs to incentivize sharing.
• Highlighting user testimonials and case studies to build trust.

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Take Charge of Your Brand’s Voice

Understanding what is Share of Voice (SOV) and measuring it, helps you see where your brand stands in the market and how to stay ahead of competitors. It reveals how much people are talking about your brand, how engaged your audience is, and how strong your influence is in your industry.

Vista Social makes it easy to monitor and improve your SOV. With real-time analytics, competitor tracking, and simple reports, you can see your brand’s impact across different platforms and fine-tune your strategy for better visibility and growth.

Don’t let your brand get lost in the noise. Start measuring your Share of Voice today and take control of your market presence!

P.S. If you’re new here, Vista Social is a powerful all-in-one social media management platform tailored for marketing agencies, freelancers, and social media managers. Our platform provides advanced tools to boost collaboration, streamline workflows, and elevate social media marketing success.

Sign up for your  Vista Social account now to explore our features and take your social media strategy to the next level!

FAQs on What is Share of Voice

What is the difference between Share of Voice and Market Share?

While SOV measures brand visibility in marketing and media, market share refers to a brand’s actual sales percentage within an industry. A high SOV can lead to increased market share over time.

Can small businesses compete with larger brands in Share of Voice?

Yes, small businesses can carve out a niche by focusing on specific audience segments, leveraging organic engagement, and optimizing content for search engines and social media.

How often should you measure Share of Voice?

Brands should track SOV regularly—monthly or quarterly—to monitor trends, assess campaign effectiveness, and adjust strategies accordingly.

Can negative publicity increase Share of Voice?

Yes, even negative mentions contribute to SOV. However, while high SOV is desirable, maintaining a positive brand reputation is crucial to long-term success.