Key takeaways
- Excess share of voice is SOV minus market share.
- Spend needed = target share × rival spend ÷ (1 - target share).
- Treat the growth link as a guide.
Work out your position
If rivals spend $80,000 a month and you spend $20,000, your share of voice is 20%. If your market share is 15%, your excess share of voice is 5 points.
Price the target
To reach 25% share of voice against the same rivals, you need 0.25 × 80,000 ÷ 0.75 = $26,667 a month. That is $6,667 more than now.
Why concentration helps
Lanchester's square law describes how a larger force gains a disproportionate edge when it can concentrate. In marketing, focusing on fewer channels or audiences can give a small spender a larger local share of voice.
Free tool / Military strategy
Share of Voice Planner How much spend to take share from a bigger rival?
Questions about Paid Media Math
Where do I get competitor spend?
Ad intelligence tools and category reports give estimates. Treat them as rough.
Is share of voice the same as reach?
No. It compares spend, and reach counts people exposed.
Key terms
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