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It\u2019s been said that brands that are talked about more than their actual market share will maintain a positive growth trajectory. \u2018Share of voice\u2019 is your brand\u2019s percentage of visibility, while\u00a0\u2018share of market\u2019 is the brand\u2019s units sold. But how does this appear\u00a0in practice?<\/p>\n
The Nielsen\u00a0Share of Voice Insight study indicates that for every 10 points your SOV exceeds your SOM, your business will grow by 0.5% every year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Giants like Coca-Cola and Unilever continually invest in market channels to maintain ESoV, or Excessive Share of Voice. Ford and Toyota align their ad budgets with the market aspirations they have, measuring their SOV against their direct competitors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Starbucks uses digital platforms and social influencers to capture conversation dominance over more local chains, creating a digital sound of voice instead of physical visibility. For example, in other sectors,\u00a0players who find the best bingo offer at Paddy Power do so because the company markets them\u00a0well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adding branding to each promotion, whether it\u2019s free spins or the chance to spin a prize wheel, increases SOV while actively pushing SOM, ensuring the company maintains ownership in the current market. In technology and SaaS, the same trend is also evident. Salesforce and HubSpot push organic and paid efforts to capitalise on digital search, which pushes AI visibility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Market data shows a link between business performance and conversation dominance. Nike secured 94.4% of SOV, for example, while Reebok captured 5.6%. Brands that aim for 30% tend to\u00a0show a strong presence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Apple is another example. They capture roughly 50% SoV during their launch windows, which allows them to maintain premium pricing power. The Android and Apple debate is largely due to the fact that both companies maintain a 50% share, but if Apple increased their numbers, then this would tip the SoM in their favour.<\/p>\n
Interestingly, modern marketing isn\u2019t just about directly getting more sales. It\u2019s about maintaining visibility, something that a lot of corporate chains put a big focus on.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Big food chains like McDonald\u2019s continually advertise their offerings and new releases, even though most people drive past their company and iconic gold arch logo every day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The need to market isn\u2019t necessarily there, as the companies are well-known and gain a lot of business from their convenient positioning in bustling community hubs. The reason they continue to market is to stay present in people\u2019s minds and to reinforce their brand, staying relevant with their SoV.<\/p>\n
McDonald\u2019s currently has a 21.4% share of the UK fast-food market, and by comparison, other brands like Burger King hold a 1.16% share. The brand doesn\u2019t market as aggressively as McDonald\u2019s\u00a0and therefore\u00a0has a lower SoV.<\/p>\n
Brands that capitalise on this in 2026-2027 will experience more success. Trends like this also indicate that basing market spend on profitability alone isn\u2019t a solid strategy anymore. Although market spend should be based on a company\u2019s budget, accounting for the total SoV is just as important as accounting for how much profit is being made from each advertisement launched, especially in competitive markets.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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