What is Share of search?
Share of search is your visibility for a set of keywords compared with competitors, often measured as the percentage of clicks, impressions or brand searches your business gets in a market.
There are two common versions. Organic share of voice measures how much of the potential traffic for a keyword set you capture based on rankings. Brand share of search compares searches for your brand name with searches for competitor brands.
Brand share of search has been linked by marketing researchers to future market share, making it a useful early indicator of brand health.
How to calculate share of search
The metric was popularised by Les Binet, who found it often predicts future market share. Use the same time period and market for every brand you compare.
Share of search = (your brand searches / total brand searches in your category) x 100 Example: Your brand 2,400 searches; four competitors 9,600 combined 2,400 / 12,000 = 0.20 -> 20% share of search
Share of search vs share of voice
| Metric | Measures | Data source |
|---|---|---|
| Share of search | How often people search for your brand vs competitors | Google Trends, keyword tools |
| SEO share of voice | How visible you are across a keyword set | Rank trackers |
| AI share of voice | How often AI tools mention you vs competitors | AI visibility tracking tools |
How to grow share of search
Build brand awareness
PR, partnerships, events and content all lead people to search your name.
Earn reviews and word of mouth
Recommendations turn into branded searches.
Appear in AI answers
Mentions in AI tools drive people to look you up.
Track it monthly
Watch trends against competitors rather than single months.
Share of search example
| Brand | Monthly brand searches | Share of search |
|---|---|---|
| Brand A | 12,000 | 48% |
| Brand B | 8,000 | 32% |
| Brand C | 5,000 | 20% |
A rising share often comes before market share growth, which is why marketers track it over time.
Share of search for local markets
Local businesses can measure share of search by comparing brand searches for themselves and nearby competitors in Google Trends or keyword tools, filtered to their region. Rising local brand searches often follow strong reviews, local PR and a well run Google Business Profile.
What share of search shows
Share of search is your brand's share of all branded searches in your category. If people search for your brand 3,000 times a month and for your three main competitors 7,000 times in total, your share is 30 percent. Marketers use it as a leading indicator of brand demand, since changes in search interest often reflect changes in awareness and preference.
It is different from share of voice, which measures visibility in search results for a set of keywords.
Measuring share of search
- 1List your brand and main competitors.
- 2Collect monthly branded search volumes.
- 3Calculate each brand's share of the total.
- 4Track the trend over months.
- 5Compare with marketing activity and sales.
Share of search uses
Campaign impact
See if brand campaigns lift search interest.
Competitor tracking
Spot rivals gaining awareness.
Market planning
Identify regions where your brand is weaker.
Share of search checklist
- 1Competitor set defined.
- 2Monthly brand volumes collected.
- 3Share calculated.
- 4Trends compared with campaigns.
- 5Reviewed quarterly.
Share of search limits
Brand names that are common words or shared with other companies can distort volumes. Filter carefully and use brand plus category terms where needed.
Why Share of search matters for SEO
Share of search shows progress relative to competitors, which raw traffic alone does not. Traffic can rise while you still lose ground.
It also helps set realistic goals and spot where competitors are gaining.
How Share of search works
Measuring share of search follows three steps.
Pick the keyword set
Choose the keywords that represent your market, such as all service and location terms.
Measure visibility
Use a rank tracker to calculate visibility or share of voice for you and competitors.
Compare brand searches
Use Google Trends or keyword tools to compare brand search volumes.
A pet insurer tracks 300 market keywords. Its share of voice rises from 6 to 14 percent in a year, while the market leader drops from 31 to 26 percent, showing real gains beyond traffic numbers.
Share of search checklist
- ✓Define a stable keyword set for your market
- ✓Track the same competitors over time
- ✓Use visibility weighted by search volume
- ✓Compare brand search trends quarterly
- ✓Report share alongside leads and revenue
- ✓Update the keyword set yearly
Common Share of search mistakes
Changing keyword sets often
Moving targets make trends meaningless.
Tracking too few keywords
Small sets give unreliable results.
Ignoring SERP features
AI Overviews and maps change how clicks are shared.
Confusing share with success
Share should still link to business outcomes.
Related SEO terms
Share of search FAQs
What is share of search?
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Your search visibility or brand search volume compared with competitors.
Is share of search a good KPI?
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Yes, alongside traffic, leads and revenue.
Does share of search predict market share?
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Research suggests brand share of search often tracks market share over time.
What affects share of search?
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Advertising, PR, word of mouth, seasonality and product launches all change how often people search for a brand.
Is share of search useful for B2B?
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Yes, though volumes are smaller. Trends still show changes in awareness.
How does share of search relate to SEO?
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SEO can lift brand awareness, but share of search mostly reflects overall marketing and reputation.
Should share of search include misspellings?
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Yes. Include common misspellings and brand variations for a fuller picture.
How is share of voice calculated?
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Usually by weighting rankings by search volume and expected click through rate.
What tools measure share of voice?
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Semrush, Ahrefs, SE Ranking and similar rank trackers.
How often should I measure it?
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Monthly or quarterly.
Can small businesses use share of search?
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Yes. Compare brand search volume with two or three local competitors using Google Trends or Keyword Planner.
Can SEO improve share of search?
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Indirectly. Strong content and visibility build awareness, which can raise branded searches over time.
Can share of search drop while sales grow?
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It can, for example when growth comes from channels that do not drive searches, such as marketplaces.
Is share of search useful for local brands?
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Yes, by comparing branded search volumes in your city or region with local competitors.