Share of Voice

In a crowded market, success is not just about having the best product - it's about being heard. Share of Voice (SOV) is a key marketing concept that measures your brand's share of the total exposure or discussion in a market, compared to your competitors. A low Share of Voice means you risk becoming invisible.

Understanding and strategically working on increasing your SOV is crucial to building a strong brand. Here we explain what it means, how to measure it and how the right leadership can strengthen your brand's voice.

Why is Share of Voice so important?

Share of Voice is more than just a measure of visibility; it has a direct link to business performance. Research shows a strong correlation between a company's Share of Voice and its market share. A company that has a higher SOV than its market share tends to grow. Working with SOV is therefore important to:

  • Building brand awareness: The more your brand is seen and heard, the more potential customers will know about you.

  • Strengthen market position: A high SOV signals leadership and authority in your industry.

  • Driving long-term growth: Investing in “owning” the discussion in the market is an investment in future market share.

How to measure Share of Voice?

Traditionally, SOV was measured by comparing advertising spend. In today's digital landscape, it is more complex and can be measured in multiple ways:

  1. Organic visibility (SEO): How often your brand appears in search results for keywords compared to competitors.

  2. Social media: The share of mentions of your brand on social platforms compared to competitors.

  3. Paid advertising (PPC): Your share of total ad impressions for relevant keywords.

  4. Media monitoring: How often you are mentioned in the trade press and news media compared to your competitors.

Then one can interim Marketing Manager increase is Share of Voice

Increasing your Share of Voice is a strategic and long-term effort that requires a clear plan and consistent implementation. If you feel that your brand is not being heard enough, a interim Marketing Manager be the perfect catalyst to turn things around.

An experienced interim manager from Interim Search adds the strategic height and operational drive required:

  • Strategic analysis and planning: They can quickly analyze your current SOV, identify the main channels and competitors, and design a concrete strategy to increase your visibility.

  • Expertise in channel strategy: They have the experience to know which channels (SEO, content, PR, social media, etc.) are most effective for your industry and budget.

  • Focus on implementation: The Interim Manager's job is to put the strategy into action - leading the team and agencies to create and distribute content that builds visibility and engagement.

  • Immediate start: Instead of waiting, you can have a strategic market leader in place within 48 hours, ready to immediately start working on strengthening your brand's voice.

Frequently asked questions about Share of Voice

Is it expensive to increase your Share of Voice?

Not necessarily. While a high ad budget can buy visibility (paid SOV), strategic content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) can build strong organic SOV, which is often more sustainable and cost-effective.

How do I know which competitors to measure against?

Start with your direct competitors - those offering a similar product to the same target audience. But also look at “indirect” competitors - those who solve the same problem for the customer, but with a different type of solution.

What is a good Share of Voice to aim for?

A good rule of thumb is that your Share of Voice should be higher than your current market share if you want to grow. If your market share is 10%, you should aim for an SOV of 15% or more to create growth momentum.

Do you need help? Contact us for a free discussion on how we can support you.