Share of voice
Fast track (Summarised definition)
Share of voice measures brand presence relative to competitors across advertising, social media, and organic channels. Critical for marketers to understand competitive positioning, identify investment opportunities, and optimise budget allocation. Particularly valuable for tracking performance in local markets against domestic and international competitors.
Full lap (Full definition)
Share of voice (SOV) measures a brand's presence relative to competitors across various marketing channels, including paid advertising, organic search, social media, and traditional media. For marketers, tracking share of voice provides crucial competitive intelligence and helps optimise budget allocation across different channels and markets.
In paid advertising, share of voice represents the percentage of available impressions a brand captures compared to competitors bidding on similar keywords. Businesses can use this metric to identify opportunities for increased investment or markets where competitors are dominating. Google Ads provides auction insights showing impression share data for competitive analysis.
Social media share of voice measures brand mentions, engagement, and conversation volume relative to competitors. This becomes particularly valuable for brands competing in crowded markets, helping identify trending topics, sentiment shifts, and opportunities for increased engagement. Tools like Brandwatch and Sprout Social provide comprehensive share of voice reporting across multiple social platforms.
Traditional media share of voice tracks coverage in newspapers, radio, television, and online publications. For brands seeking national coverage, understanding which competitors receive the most media attention helps inform PR strategies and identify media relations opportunities.
Organic search share of voice measures visibility for target keywords, helping businesses understand their SEO performance relative to competitors and prioritise optimisation efforts. This metric helps identify keyword gaps, content opportunities, and areas where competitive positioning could be improved.
Share of voice analysis should consider both quantity and quality of mentions, including sentiment analysis and engagement rates. Effective share of voice strategies involve regular monitoring, competitive benchmarking, and strategic adjustments to increase brand visibility and market presence while maintaining cost efficiency across all marketing channels.