About Share of Search
Share of Search (SoS) has emerged as a critical metric for assessing brand visibility, consumer interest, and competitive positioning. Defined as the percentage of total search queries a brand captures within its industry, SoS provides actionable insights into market dynamics, often correlating with 83% of a brand's market share.
What is Share of Search?
Share of Search represents the proportion of search queries a brand captures within its competitive landscape. Unlike traditional metrics such as impressions or clicks, SoS focuses on organic consumer interest, making it a powerful indicator of brand health and market positioning.
This metric has proven particularly valuable because it reflects genuine consumer intent and interest, providing insights that correlate strongly with actual market performance and future business outcomes.
Origins and Key Contributors
The term "Share of Search" gained prominence through the work of Les Binet, a leading marketing effectiveness researcher, who in 2020 demonstrated its predictive relationship with market share. Binet's analysis of automotive, energy, and mobile phone industries revealed that shifts in SoS often precede changes in market share by weeks or months.
Concurrently, James Hankins of Vizer Consulting expanded these findings in a 2021 study for the IPA, showing that SoS accounts for up to 83% of market share variance across diverse sectors. While Binet pioneered the metric's application, Hankins' cross-industry validation cemented its credibility as a strategic tool.
Calculating Share of Search
Share of Search = (Brand's Search Volume / Total Search Volume for Relevant Keywords) × 100%
For example, if "Brand A" receives 50,000 monthly searches for "wireless headphones" while the entire category generates 200,000 searches, Brand A's SoS is 25%.
Step-by-Step Implementation
Keyword Identification
Compile a list of industry-specific keywords, including brand names, product categories or generic terms.
Data Collection
Input them in the form where we extract search volume metrics using Google keyword search volume data.
Competitor Benchmarking
We aggregate search volumes for all competitors in beautiful charts to establish the category's total search activity. You can analyze the volumes and also trends in time and download them.
Analysis and Tracking
Come back and analyze SoS periodically to identify trends, seasonal fluctuations, or campaign impacts. You can also use the Share of Search Results page to see the search volume and trends of only one keyword as well (and it does not have to be a brand).
Conclusion
Share of Search has transcended its origins as an SEO metric to become a cornerstone of modern marketing strategy. By bridging the gap between consumer intent and market outcomes, it offers unparalleled insights into brand health and competitive dynamics.
As search ecosystems evolve, continuous refinement of SoS methodologies will ensure its relevance in an increasingly data-driven marketplace. By embracing Share of Search as both a diagnostic and strategic tool, organizations can navigate the complexities of digital consumer behavior with greater precision and foresight.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Share of Search?
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Share of Search (SoS) is the percentage of total search queries a brand captures within its industry. It reflects genuine consumer intent and correlates with 83% of a brand's market share.
How do you calculate Share of Search?
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Share of Search = (Brand's Search Volume / Total Search Volume for Relevant Keywords) x 100%. For example, if Brand A receives 50,000 monthly searches while the entire category generates 200,000 searches, Brand A's SoS is 25%.
Who created the Share of Search metric?
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Les Binet pioneered Share of Search in 2020, demonstrating its predictive relationship with market share. James Hankins of Vizer Consulting expanded these findings in a 2021 IPA study, showing SoS accounts for up to 83% of market share variance.
Why is Share of Search important for marketing?
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Share of Search is a leading indicator of market share - changes in SoS often precede changes in market share by weeks or months. It measures genuine consumer interest through search behavior, making it more reliable than traditional awareness metrics.
What data do I need to calculate Share of Search?
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You need search volume data for your brand and your competitors within the same category. Google keyword search volume data is the most common source. Our free tool automates data collection - just enter brand names and country.
How often should I track Share of Search?
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Monthly tracking is recommended for most brands to identify trends, seasonal fluctuations, and campaign impacts. Quarterly reviews are useful for strategic planning. Our tool supports monthly, quarterly, and yearly granularity.
Can Share of Search be used for non-brand keywords?
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Yes. While SoS is primarily used for brand comparisons, you can also track individual keywords, product categories, or generic terms to understand search demand and trends over time.
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