What Is Share of Voice and Why It Matters for Your Brand

Introduction: The Loudest Brand Wins (But Not Without Strategy)

Imagine you’re at a party. Dozens of brands are talking. Some whisper. Some shout. But only a few get listened to. Share of Voice (SOV) tells you how loud your brand sounds in that room , especially on platforms like Instagram where attention spans are short and competition is fierce.

And here’s the thing: brands with the highest SOV often lead in sales, too.

In this blog, we’ll break down:

• What Share of Voice means on Instagram and why it matters
• How to calculate your SOV with real formulas and examples
• The tools (including Deepsolv) that help track and grow it
• Real-life brands dominating Instagram through high SOV
• Practical strategies to boost your share of the conversation

This is more than just a vanity metric- it’s a mirror into your brand’s influence.

What Is Share of Voice (SOV) on Social Media?

Share of Voice (SOV) is the percentage of conversation your brand owns within your industry. On Instagram, this can mean:

• How often your brand is mentioned (@mentions)
• How many times your hashtag is used
• How frequently users tag you in photos or comments
• How much engagement your content receives compared to competitors

Real Example:

Duolingo doesn’t just post- they own the conversation around language learning. They combine humorous Reels, meme-style posts, and trend jacking to go viral. Their owl mascot has become a recurring pop culture character, leading to hundreds of user tags, brand mentions, and organic shares. Their content strategy has resulted in a dominant share of the online language-learning space.

Why Instagram Share of Voice Matters

A high SOV doesn’t just mean visibility- it signals trust, credibility, and relevance.

• More people talking about you = greater brand awareness
• You get algorithmic favor (Instagram pushes popular content)
• You become part of the cultural conversation

Strategic Value:

SOV is a litmus test: if your share is low, your content likely isn’t resonating. If it’s rising, you’re hitting the right notes. Brands with high SOV:

• Are top-of-mind in their category
• Drive better ROI on campaigns

Set trends, rather than follow them

And on platforms like Instagram, where India and the US alone host over 500M users combined, grabbing SOV means grabbing real attention.

How to Calculate Share of Voice on Instagram

Use this formula:

Your Brand’s SOV (%) = (Your Mentions / Total Mentions in Category) x 100

For hashtags:

Branded Hashtag SOV = (Your Hashtag Uses / Total Relevant Hashtags Used) x 100

Example Calculation:

Instagram Metrics That Contribute to SOV

To track SOV, focus on these:

• @Mentions in posts, comments, and Stories
• Branded hashtag usage (#YourBrand)
• Engagement metrics (likes, comments, shares)
• Post impressions and reach

Pro Tip:

With Deepsolv’s analytics dashboard, brands can:

• Track comment volume and classify sentiment
• View your brand's detailed metrics
• Analyze branded hashtags and campaign performance

That means not only do you see your voice, but how loud everyone else is, too.

Real Brand Example: Valentino vs Michael Kors

In 2015, Valentino tripled its posting volume on Instagram and saw its SOV soar- being mentioned 10 million times more than Michael Kors. The secret? Posting consistently and tagging influencers in over 70% of posts. This aggressive content strategy earned Valentino the highest Instagram SOV in the luxury fashion segment that year.

How Deepsolv Helps Brands Scale Their Voice

If your caption hooks someone, their comment or DM is an invitation and this is where most brands drop the ball.

Deepsolv bridges this gap:

• Automated, branded replies to comments and DMs — matched to your caption’s context and brand’s unique voice
• Smart segmentation — re-target people who already engaged with your account before
• Faster response, higher conversions

💬 If someone replies “Is this available in blue?”- Deepsolv replies in seconds in your brand tone, then nudges them later when blue’s back in stock.

You grow voice and drive sales.

Strategies to Increase Your Share of Voice

1. Post Share-Worthy Content

Whether it's educational, emotional, or entertaining- content that people want to reshare builds your voice.

2. Use Trending Hashtags

Jumping on relevant trends gets you into bigger conversations.

3. Collaborate With Influencers

Tap into trusted voices. Influencer mentions = more SOV.

4. Run Hashtag Campaigns

Get users to post with your brand hashtag, then amplify it.

5. Engage Actively

Reply to comments, comment on related posts, DM responders- Deepsolv can handle this at scale.

6. Monitor Competitors

Use manual tracking and third-party tools to reverse-engineer what’s working for your competitors.

Tools to Track Share of Voice on Instagram

Final Take: Be the Brand That’s Heard

Instagram is crowded. If you’re not tracking your share of voice, you’re marketing in the dark.

Tools like Deepsolv don’t just show you what’s working- they make you louder by automating replies, retargeting engaged users, and decoding your competitor’s content.

Ready to grow your Instagram presence? Book a free strategy call with Deepsolv and find out how much of the conversation you can actually own.