Share of Voice
The percentage of total media coverage or conversation in an industry that is attributed to a specific brand compared to competitors.
Definition
Share of voice (SOV) in PR measures the proportion of media coverage, mentions, or conversations that a brand captures relative to its competitors within a defined market or topic area. It answers the question: "Of all the media attention in our industry, how much focuses on us?"
SOV is calculated by dividing a brand's total mentions or coverage by the total mentions for all tracked competitors over a defined period. It can be measured across all media or segmented by channel (social media SOV, news media SOV, broadcast SOV) for more granular insights.
Why It Matters
Share of voice is one of the most meaningful metrics for evaluating PR effectiveness because it provides competitive context. A brand might celebrate 100 media mentions in a quarter, but if competitors received 500 mentions each, that number looks very different than if competitors only received 50.
Research consistently shows a correlation between share of voice and market share — brands that maintain SOV above their market share tend to grow, while those with SOV below their market share tend to decline. This relationship makes SOV a strategic planning tool, not just a reporting metric.
Examples in Practice
A media analysis reveals that Brand A holds 35% share of voice in the sustainable fashion conversation while their market share is 20%, indicating strong growth potential driven by positive media positioning.
A PR agency sets a quarterly goal to increase their client's SOV from 15% to 25% in their industry vertical, focusing pitching efforts on the publications and topics where competitors currently dominate.
A crisis communication team monitors real-time SOV during a product recall, tracking whether their proactive messaging is successfully maintaining their share of the conversation against competitor commentary.