In plain English
What does share of voice mean?
Share of voice (SOV) measures how much of the total media, social, or advertising conversation in a category belongs to one brand versus its competitors, usually expressed as a percentage. It's a comparative metric, so a company can increase total coverage yet still lose share of voice if competitors grow faster.
PR teams use SOV to gauge competitive standing over time and to justify investment, since raw mention counts alone don't show whether a brand is gaining or losing ground relative to the market.
Example
Acme held 22% share of voice in warehouse robotics coverage last quarter, up from 15% after its funding announcement.
Use it well
Three practical tips
- 01
Define the competitive set clearly before calculating SOV.
- 02
Track SOV over consistent time periods to spot real trends versus noise.
- 03
Pair SOV with sentiment data since quantity of coverage isn't the same as favorability.
Knowledge check
Did it stick?
Why is share of voice considered a comparative metric?
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