Share of Voice (SOV): Definition, Examples, and Tips for Marketers
Share of Voice (SOV) measures the percentage of total conversations or impressions your brand captures compared to competitors across channels. It shows how visible and influential you are in social media, influencer marketing, ads, and more. Tracking SOV helps you understand your market position and optimize your strategy.
What Is Share of Voice?
Share of Voice (SOV) tracks your brand’s share of total conversations or impressions in a given market compared to competitors. It’s expressed as a percentage, showing how much of the audience’s attention you command across social media, advertising, influencer partnerships, and other channels.
Why Share of Voice Matters
Knowing your SOV helps you gauge brand visibility and influence. High SOV often correlates with market share growth, brand recall, and increased customer trust. Brands that consistently maintain a higher SOV than competitors tend to see better campaign ROI and stronger loyalty. On the flip side, low SOV can signal underfunded campaigns, under-communication, or misaligned channel strategies.
How to Calculate Share of Voice
At its core, SOV = (Your brand mentions or impressions / Total mentions or impressions in your market) × 100
Example: If there are 10,000 total hashtag mentions of running shoes on Instagram this month, and your brand has 2,000 of them, your social media SOV is 20%.
Variations:
- Mention-based SOV: Counts direct name or hashtag mentions.
- Impressions-based SOV: Uses ad or post impressions to gauge exposure.
Share of Voice in Influencer Marketing
In influencer marketing, SOV highlights which creators drive the most buzz for your brand. Suppose you partner with five influencers and track hashtag usage or tag mentions. If Influencer A’s content generates 500 mentions and the combined total across all partners is 2,500, Influencer A holds a 20% SOV within your campaign. This insight helps you invest more in high-performing creators and refine collaboration strategies.
Common Misconceptions
- SOV is only about ad spend: While budget is important, earned and organic mentions count just as much.
- Bigger SOV guarantees success: A high SOV with low engagement or negative sentiment won’t drive growth.
- One-size-fits-all goal: Realistic SOV benchmarks vary by channel—what works for paid search may not suit TikTok.
Practical Tips to Boost Your SOV
- Collaborate with micro-influencers: They often deliver higher engagement and authentic endorsements.
- Leverage user-generated content: Encourage customers to share photos and reviews with branded hashtags.
- Diversify channels: Mix paid ads, organic social posts, email, and influencer content to maximize reach.
- Track consistently: Use social listening and analytics tools to monitor mentions and impressions in real time.
- Optimize your creatives: Test headlines, visuals, and calls-to-action to stand out in crowded feeds.
By focusing on Share of Voice, you can fine-tune your marketing mix, spot gaps in your presence, and allocate resources where they’ll really move the needle. Start tracking your SOV today to see how you stack up against the competition and drive meaningful growth.
