What is AI share of voice?
Share of voice (SOV) measures how much of the conversation about your category includes your brand.
If someone asks AI "What are the best CRM tools?" and you're mentioned in 30% of responses while competitors average 40%, your SOV is below market average.
SOV combines visibility (are you mentioned?) with prominence (how prominently?).
How VectorGap calculates SOV
We query AI systems with category-level questions and track:
Mention rate - Percentage of relevant queries where you appear
Position score - First mention scores higher than later mentions
Context weight - Recommendation > neutral mention > negative mention
Your SOV score combines these into a single percentage representing your category presence.
SOV benchmarks by market position
Typical SOV ranges by company type:
Category leader: 40-60% SOV - mentioned in most category discussions
Strong competitor: 20-40% SOV - frequently mentioned but not dominant
Growing player: 10-20% SOV - present but not prominent
New entrant: 0-10% SOV - minimal presence, establishment phase
Compare your SOV to actual market share for strategic insight.
SOV vs market share
SOV and market share often diverge:
SOV > Market share: Your brand awareness exceeds conversion. Opportunity to close the gap.
SOV < Market share: You're underrepresented in AI. Risk of losing future customers.
SOV ≈ Market share: Equilibrium. Maintain through ongoing optimization.
The most strategic position is SOV slightly above market share - you're capturing mindshare that can convert to market share.
Tracking SOV over time
SOV changes gradually. Track:
Monthly SOV snapshots - Baseline measurement
Per-provider breakdown - Different AI systems have different SOV
Category vs. feature queries - You might dominate feature discussions but not category
Competitive SOV changes - If your SOV drops, who gained?
Trend matters more than absolute numbers.
Improving share of voice
SOV improvement requires consistent effort:
Content authority - Create definitive resources in your category
Entity clarity - Make sure AI correctly identifies your category placement
Consistent presence - Regular content updates keep you in training data
Authoritative mentions - Get cited by respected sources in your space
Improvement timeline: 3-6 months to see meaningful SOV changes.