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2 min read
“Can you prove the ROI on this investment?”
A simple question that can be a comms person's worst nightmare. We all know the wins in PR and marketing are often softer outcomes - brand building and reputation shaping - things that don’t always show up on a quarterly dashboard. And yet, the pressure to demonstrate value is always there.
One of the most effective, tangible metrics I’ve found (and report on regularly for clients) is Share of Voice (SOV). Put simply, it shows how much of the media conversation your brand owns compared to competitors. It’s a way to benchmark performance in a crowded market (which tech is), and it provides directional insight into how well your comms activity is landing.
How to track your share of voice
SOV isn’t just about counting headlines. A good PR consultancy knows how to break it down by sector, topic, and sentiment - tracking not only the volume but the quality of coverage. For example, if your competitor is dominating coverage because of a crisis, that’s not a win, and a good comms partner will flag that nuance.
But if your brand is driving expert commentary, securing high-impact thought leadership, and earning recognition in tier-one publications, your SOV growth is telling a story worth paying attention to. It can be tracked monthly, quarterly, or annually, giving you both short-term insights and a long-term view of brand-building progress over time.
Here’s the Share of Voice growth one of our cybersecurity clients achieved - jumping from 16% to 82% in just six months of working with us. And this can be attributed to a well-researched, consistent PR strategy in a (very) crowded market.
A boardroom KPI
CMOs and Heads of Comms often tell me they want a way to see how they’re performing in context - something that shows movement against their peers. That’s where SOV really shines. It’s a blend of media intelligence and competitor benchmarking, and when used well, it helps build the narrative internally around why your PR work matters.
It’s a metric that earns its place in the boardroom, especially when speaking with revenue officers or other C-suite stakeholders who gravitate toward harder ROI metrics. By showing growth in visibility in comparison to competitors, it becomes a meaningful proof point that PR isn’t just busywork.
The bottom line
So no, not everything in comms can (or should) be tied to strict ROI. But when someone asks you that dreaded question, having a strong SOV story in your back pocket can make all the difference.
SOV is one of the clearest ways we show value for our clients. A metric that not only demonstrates performance but sparks the right conversations at the top table. When used well, SOV can help shape your brand’s place in the market.
Curious what your Share of Voice looks like?
We can benchmark your brand against competitors and give you a clear picture of where you stand, and where you can grow. Let’s talk.
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