Share of search (SoS) is the proportion of all brand-name searches in your market that point out your model. To search out it, depend what number of occasions individuals searched in your model title, add up the searches for each competing model, then divide your quantity by that complete and multiply by 100.
For instance, let’s say your model will get 20,000 searches in a month, and your three fundamental rivals get 15,000, 10,000, and 5,000 searches, respectively. The full branded search quantity in your class is 50,000. To calculate your share of search:
20,000 ÷ 50,000 × 100 = 40%
As a result of SoS displays actual search habits, it provides you fast suggestions on model consciousness—a lot quicker than surveys or gross sales reviews.
In case your share of search rises, curiosity in your model might be rising and will quickly flip into a better market share. If it falls, rivals are gaining floor, so you could want to regulate your message or content material earlier than gross sales slip. Checking this metric each month or quarter will provide help to spot developments early.
These are comparable metrics that may simply be confused, particularly as a result of all of them measure aggressive visibility, however in very completely different contexts.
- Classical Share of Voice (SoV) tells you the way a lot paid-media publicity you’re shopping for versus rivals.
- Natural SoV reveals how a lot of the natural search visitors you win in your key phrase set.
- Share of Search reveals how typically individuals seek for your model title in contrast with rivals—an early sign of name demand.
Right here’s a extra detailed comparability to make clear the variations:
| Facet | Classical Share of Voice | Natural Share of Voice | Share of Search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core query | How loud is our paid media in contrast with rivals? | How seen is our web site in natural SERPs on a key phrase set? | How salient is our model in customers’ search behaviour? |
| What’s measured | % of complete promoting impressions, spend, or GRPs your model captures | % of complete natural clicks/visitors your web site receives throughout tracked key phrases | % of all branded‑search queries within the class that point out your model |
| Major knowledge supply | Media-buying logs, Nielsen/Comscore, advert‑server reviews | Rating & CTR fashions (e.g., Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker) | Google Tendencies or key phrase analysis instruments like Ahrefs’ Key phrases Explorer |
| Calculation | Model advert impressions ÷ complete market impressions (or spend) | Web site Explorer: your est. visitors ÷ sum of visitors of you + rivals; Rank Tracker: your clicks ÷ complete clicks throughout SERP outcomes for tracked key phrases | Model’s search quantity ÷ complete branded‑search quantity for competitor set |
| Replace cadence | Weekly – month-to-month (advert knowledge lag) | Day by day – weekly (relies on rank‑verify schedule) | Month-to-month – quarterly (smooths model‑search noise) |
| Key strengths | Price range benchmarking & media‑combine planning; covers all paid channels | Granular, key phrase‑stage diagnostics; captures search engine marketing/content material wins & losses rapidly | Main indicator of market‑share shifts; tied to actual demand, not spend |
| Important limitations | Publicity ≠ consideration; typically lagging/pattern‑primarily based knowledge | Solely natural Google outcomes; wants nicely‑chosen key phrase basket | Works greatest for distinctive model names; doesn’t clarify why demand modified |
| Typical homeowners | Model & media planners | search engine marketing and content material groups | CMOs, model & insights groups |
Tip
Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker robotically calculates natural share of voice for your entire goal key phrases.
It additionally calculates Share of Site visitors Worth (SoTV)—the share of your goal’s natural search visitors worth in comparison with the entire natural search visitors worth for all tracked key phrases.
What’s extra, you may observe the progress of accelerating your natural share of search utilizing the historic knowledge.
First, you could get the information on branded search quantity. For this, you should use a device like Ahrefs’ Key phrases Explorer.
- Enter your model title within the search field. Select one nation at a time.
- Go to the matching phrases report.
- Observe down the numbers: SV (search quantity for all key phrases containing your model title within the chosen nation), and GSV (search quantity for all key phrases containing your model title in all 217 international locations from Ahrefs’ database).
Repeat the identical steps in your rivals and key areas.
Lastly, add all volumes collectively, divide your model’s quantity, and multiply by 100. The quickest strategy to crunch the numbers and visualize outcomes is by utilizing an LLM like ChatGPT.
For model names that might imply various things (like “Apple” or “Delta”), you should use Ahrefs’ Dad or mum Matter characteristic to filter out unrelated searches. This helps you focus solely on the subjects which might be clearly about your model. When you’ve narrowed it down, you may export the related knowledge to calculate your SoS extra precisely.
The SoS proportion alone solely tells you the way a lot curiosity you get. To actually decide model energy in search, you may pair it with different associated metrics.
Class penetration
This metric tells you the way your brand-name searches stack up towards complete searches for the entire product class.
If most individuals already looking for you continue to make up solely a small slice of all class queries, your model is well-known to present followers however nonetheless hidden from the broader market.
By watching each branded and generic searches collectively over time, you may see whether or not you’re reaching new audiences past your present base and the way you stack up towards rivals.
You’ll be able to calculate it like this:
Class penetration (%) = (Branded search quantity ÷ Whole class search quantity) × 100
For instance, let’s say you’re within the challenge administration house. If:
- Your model will get 90K branded searches/month.
- Whole month-to-month searches for all associated key phrases (together with rivals and generic phrases like “challenge administration instruments”) is 1.5M.
Then:
Class penetration = (90,000 ÷ 1,500,000) × 100 = 6%
This tells you that 6% of all curiosity in your class goes to your model. In case you’re seeing excessive branded search quantity however your class penetration is low, it means you’re well-known amongst present customers, however have restricted attain past your base.
In Ahrefs, go to Web site Explorer > Overview, add rivals, and verify the Common branded vs. non-branded natural visitors part. From there, add up branded searches throughout rivals to get the class complete.
Momentum
Momentum seems at how your model’s search quantity rises or falls every month and stacks that development towards your rivals.
Quicker progress means you’re gaining consideration; slower progress means others are pulling forward. By lining these shifts up with the dates your campaigns started, you may see which promotions really lifted your visibility.
For example, within the chart beneath, you may see how rapidly Monday.com started to realize momentum in branded search in 2022. They’re on trajectory to meet up with Asana.
To quantify momentum:
Momentum = % change in branded search quantity over a interval
Suppose:
- Your branded search visitors went from 80K to 100K during the last 6 months = 25% progress.
- A competitor went from 50K to 90K = 80% progress.
Regardless that you could have extra complete quantity, they’ve extra momentum. This helps you determine rising challengers early.
Conversion-oriented intent
Even when your general branded search quantity is small, rating nicely for high-intent queries can nonetheless drive gross sales. Including this layer to your share-of-search monitoring turns it right into a sensible device, letting you see model beneficial properties, rising rivals, or slipping demand sooner.
To measure this, use:
Excessive-intent visitors ratio = Site visitors from industrial/transactional queries ÷ Whole visitors
Let’s say Ahrefs reveals:
- Whole natural visitors = 200K
- Site visitors from industrial + transactional intent key phrases = 40K
Then:
Excessive-intent visitors ratio = 40,000 ÷ 200,000 = 20%
A excessive ratio right here means you’re not simply attracting consciousness—you’re attracting potential consumers.
In Ahrefs, use Web site Explorer >Overview > Natural key phrases by intent to see visitors breakdown by intent. You can even evaluate this throughout manufacturers to see who’s capturing demand.
You can even use Ahrefs to match key phrase intent between your model and rivals. In the identical Overview report, you may visualize this on a chart, exhibiting how a lot of every model’s key phrase footprint targets informational, navigational, industrial, or transactional intent.
Share of Search in Google’s AI Solutions
As Google strikes towards AI-powered search outcomes, the best way individuals seek for manufacturers may begin to change. With AI giving immediate summaries on the search web page, customers may get solutions quicker, with out absolutely typing a branded question or clicking by to an internet site.
If you wish to see how typically Google recommends your model vs your rivals, check out Ahrefs’ Model Radar. Merely enter your and your rivals’ model names, and set the mode to AI overviews.
This may present you what number of occasions your model has been talked about in comparison with rivals and calculate your share over all mentions.
Listed here are 4 concepts for utilizing SoS knowledge in your advertising and marketing technique.
Validate strategic path early
Share of search helps verify whether or not your model technique is resonating. In case you enter a brand new market and see an uptick in branded searches earlier than gross sales seem, it’s an indication that persons are paying consideration and your positioning is working. It acts as an early pulse verify on market match.
Monitor marketing campaign momentum
Search curiosity builds throughout a number of touchpoints. Manufacturers that mix wide-reach campaigns (like TV or social) with helpful content material typically see compounding progress in branded search quantity.
By monitoring this over a number of weeks or months, you may see how briskly your viewers responds and modify your messaging cadence accordingly.
Spot aggressive shifts early
Evaluating your share of search development with rivals over time reveals who’s gaining or dropping visibility, particularly round seasonal occasions or product launches. This helps you reply to market modifications earlier than they have an effect on click on share, visitors, or engagement.
Observe long-term model influence
Share of search might be very helpful for measuring the influence of brand-building campaigns. You’ll be able to observe modifications in branded search quantity in your personal area to see how consciousness shifts over time, however the true perception comes from evaluating that development towards your rivals.
This helps you perceive whether or not the elevate you’re seeing is actually market-moving or simply a part of a broader class development. In case your SoS rises whereas others stay flat or decline, it’s a robust sign that your marketing campaign had a significant influence on model visibility.
In order for you extra individuals Googling your model, you could present up in the precise locations earlier than they even assume to look.
Which means getting talked about in trusted articles, opinions, and on-line communities the place potential clients are already hanging out. Let’s take a look at just a few examples.
Run campaigns that spark branded searches
Run campaigns that stick in individuals’s minds. Whether or not it’s a cool product drop, a collaboration with an influencer, or a narrative within the media, give them a motive to look you up later.
For instance, when Duolingo introduced the demise of the Duolingo mascot throughout a viral marketing campaign in February 2025, the search quantity for the time period “duolingo” peaked to a brand new all-time excessive, and so did the branded visitors to the location (see charts beneath).
Discover competitor mentions utilizing backlinks
Have a look at the place your rivals are talked about on-line and goal to get your model featured in those self same locations. This can be a confirmed strategy to construct consciousness in the precise context, so when persons are prepared to look, your model is already on their radar.
A method to do that is by following backlinks to your rivals. Right here’s the way it works in Ahrefs’ Web site Explorer.
- Enter your competitor’s URL.
- Go to the Backlinks report.
- Enter the phrase “device” within the Ref. web page URL filter.
- Set the mode to Group by comparable and kind the pages by Web page visitors (to point out the pages with probably the most natural visitors first).
Open referring pages and see if you will get angle to pitch your product.
Discover competitor mentions utilizing model mentions in AI overviews
One other efficient strategy to discover high-profile model mentions is to make use of Ahrefs’ Model Radar.
- Click on on the Filter dataset button and set the market scope to AI overviews that don’t comprise your model title, and Key phrase doesn’t comprise [your competitors].
- Plug in your rivals within the subsequent part and set the mode to AI overviews.
Now, take a look at the key phrases the place Google recommends your rivals however not your model. These are the subjects the place you’re being ignored of the dialog. Attempt to get your merchandise or model talked about on those self same pages. This might imply pitching your product to the writer, providing professional enter, or creating content material that’s much more useful.
Create content material for non-branded searches
After all, you don’t have to attend for others to say your model. You’ll be able to take the lead by focusing on non-branded key phrases that relate to your viewers’s issues. Then, place your model as the answer instantly inside that content material.
To do that successfully, you’ll want strong key phrase analysis to search out the precise phrases and subjects. We’ve received a full information on how to try this, so you can begin creating content material that not solely ranks but additionally earns consideration in your model.
For instance, I wouldn’t naturally hyperlink a advertising and marketing analytics model like PostHog with the time period “search engine marketing for startups.” However because of a pointy, well-written article on the subject, they now rank within the high 10 for that key phrase. By doing this, they’ve expanded their attain, boosted model consciousness, and launched their product in a extremely related context.
Monitor missed model point out alternatives
And if you wish to keep on high of what’s occurring, instruments like Ahrefs Alerts are excellent for conserving your finger on the heartbeat. You’ll be able to set them as much as monitor the net for pages that point out your rivals however not your model. This helps you see potential hyperlink or point out alternatives you is likely to be lacking out on.
You can even add filters, like Area Score or estimated visitors, to focus solely on high-quality websites (these may provide you with an even bigger search engine marketing increase).
Optimize your branded search expertise
Final however not least, when somebody does look you up, be certain that your web site is prepared: clear pages for issues like returns, pricing, or assist, and straightforward navigation that helps them discover what they’re in search of quick. An inventory of your branded key phrases will provide help to with that.
Merely go to Ahrefs’ Web site Explorer, open the Natural key phrases report, and plug in your model title. Then see if the probably motive behind the key phrase matches the web page that ranks for it.
Whereas the share of search is a robust strategy to gauge model curiosity and spot early shifts in market visibility, it’s vital to know its limitations.
- It’s a directional metric, not a exact one—knowledge might be affected by device sampling, algorithm modifications, or noise.
- Model title ambiguity can skew outcomes, particularly for generic or multi-meaning names, so branded phrases should be vetted fastidiously.
- Not each branded search displays shopping for intent; some could also be for assist or normal data, so it helps to section queries.
- It’s additionally not splendid for all manufacturers—smaller manufacturers might lack quantity, whereas bigger ones can face knowledge dilution throughout merchandise or areas.
- Exterior components also can trigger sudden spikes or drops unrelated to precise advertising and marketing efforts, like information, seasonality, or viral occasions.
- SoS in all probability shouldn’t be utilized in isolation—combining it with different metrics like direct visitors, social mentions, and gross sales knowledge provides a extra full image.
Lastly, keep in mind that third-party instruments have limits in accuracy and protection, so at all times cross-check the place doable.
Last ideas
No metric is flawless and share of search has its quirks. However it’s one of many few methods to peek contained in the minds of potential clients at scale. Observe it, cross-check it, and mix it with what you already know. Over time, it’ll provide help to perceive not simply how your model is performing, however why.
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