Share of Voice in Audio Advertising: Why It's Important

A brand’s share of voice, also known as SOV, has become synonymous with influence, digital presence, and overall visibility, but what exactly is it? SOV is an important marketing metric, especially for advertisers. In digital audio, it can be used to determine how well your brand is heard, known, and recognized by listeners—and whether or not it stands out from the competition.

Let’s explore the definition of SOV, why it’s an important measurement to track, and how partners like SiriusXM Media can help you increase your SOV and drive more impactful ads. 

What Is Share of Voice (SOV)? 

Let’s start with the basics. SOV is a metric that quantifies a brand’s presence in comparison to others in the same market and industry. Essentially, it refers to how much market exposure a brand gets versus the competition. How does digital audio stack up? Digital audio has a higher SOV compared to AM/FM thanks to its shorter ad breaks and incentive-based ad formats, like rewarded ads.

Rewarded and video ads are premium ad options, both of which are available with the SiriusXM Streaming Network, where we offer a 100% share of voice so your brand message stands out amid the noise. As you can probably tell, the higher the SOV, the better. 

While you might already be thinking of the dollar signs, SOV isn’t solely limited to large brands with big budgets. No matter your brand size, you can get started with a small investment via AudioGo, our self-serve advertising partner. Or, enhance your SOV with these additional solutions: You can use adtech solutions like dynamic ad insertion (DAI), lean into the power of podcasts, or mix up your ad placements across platforms and devices. 

As always, don’t forget to keep testing and optimizing. Once you launch your campaign, we recommend seeing how your SOV influences the metrics you’re prioritizing. 

Why Is SOV Important? 

Improving your SOV is an investment that pays itself off in more ways than one. From enhancing brand visibility to building strong connections with your audience, here are several reasons why SOV is an important consideration for any advertiser. 

Higher Ad Receptivity 

When your business has a higher SOV, your ads are more likely to be noticed by listeners. With advantages like fewer competing voices and more brand exposure, a high SOV leads to ads that aren’t just heard but remembered. 

An Ad Experience That Keeps Listeners Coming Back 

An increased SOV usually means fewer ads overall, which creates a more enjoyable experience for listeners. This, in turn, increases the likelihood that they’ll continue using the platform and hear your brand again. What’s more, your message will be associated with a positive listening experience, which can boost brand loyalty. 

More Brand Awareness and Ad Recall 

SOV enhances ad frequency, helping your business create a path for higher brand awareness and ad recall. For example, someone who has heard your ad for flavored seltzer a few times in the past week is more likely to say, “Hey, I know this product; let me give it a try” during their next grocery store visit. 

Need to be convinced by the hard numbers? Not only do our video ads get 100% SOV, but they also have high viewability rates. Since the delivery of our video ads are interaction-based, brands can achieve a viewability rate between 80% and 90%.

A Competitive Advantage

If you achieve a high SOV, your business gets an incredible competitive advantage in the market. When you dominate the audio space, you can outshine your competitors and position yourself as a thought leader in the eyes of your audience. This, in return, builds customer loyalty and creates long-term marketing success. Just look at how Pandora stands out in the market—we dominate ad-supported listening at 13%, which is 4.3x more than iHeart’s and 1.1x more than Spotify’s.

Why Does Digital Audio Have a Larger SOV than Radio?

You may be trying to decide which basket to put your advertising budget in—digital audio or AM/FM radio. The truth is that digital audio has been a favorite choice of many advertisers for multiple reasons. That’s because digital audio boasts a much larger SOV. 

Reduced Ad-Time-per-Hour 

Ad breaks on AM/FM radio are frequent and often result in commercial-fatigued listeners changing the station. Not the best outcome if you want your ad to be noticed. However, thanks to multiple factors, digital audio minimizes this pain point.

Generally, digital audio platforms have fewer and shorter ad breaks compared to AM/FM radio, which we refer to as reduced ad-time-per-hour. This is one of the reasons your audience stays to hear what you have to say. Additionally, every ad stands out without getting lost in dozens of disparate messages, while consumers are more likely to feel positively about your brand. 

We know how important it is for ads to get their turn in the spotlight. That's why our ad-supported platforms, from Pandora to SoundCloud, have 50% less commercial time per hour than traditional AM/FM radio. And that’s not all. Streaming audio offers rewarded ads, an incentive-based approach that offers periods of ad-free listening in exchange for ad interactions. It’s a win-win for advertisers and listeners alike. 

Larger Audience  

How often have you listened to radio over the years? AM/FM listenership has declined by 32% since 2015. By contrast, digital audio is more popular than ever, delivering four hours and 29 minutes daily to reach your target consumers. Whether they’re Gen Z, diverse, or between the ages of 18 and 34, they all prefer digital audio.

What’s more, a larger audience isn’t only about the sheer number of listeners, it’s also about how much time they spend with audio content. Users spend 59% more time with this medium than non-audio listeners.  

Targeting Accuracy 

A large SOV is great, but a large SOV with those who are interested in your product is even better. Brands want to be known and involved in a conversation with their target audience, not just everyone on the airwaves. Meet advanced targeting capabilities—solutions at which digital audio beats AM/FM hands down.

Digital audio ads can target consumers in many ways, ensuring your message reaches the right people at the right time. You can target based on demographics, listeners’ behavior, preferences, location, and more (many of which are impossible to do with traditional radio ads). And a message that’s created just for your listeners is less likely to go unnoticed and ignored.

Greater Community 

Digital audio boasts a highly receptive and engaged crowd, and they tend to consider this channel to be incredibly authentic. Leveraging the relationship between fan-favorite content creators and listeners is seamless, especially as omnichannel consumption continues ascending, fostering a sense of community and belonging. 

This increased loyalty and engagement provides a perfect setting for your brand’s message and increases the likelihood that listeners will respond positively to your ads. 

Boost Your Brand’s SOV with SiriusXM Media 

Now you know—SOV is important for businesses of all sizes and industries. By growing your SOV, you can propel your brand to new heights and boost your marketing efforts.

As a partner, we offer a unique opportunity for brands to reach a 100% SOV and listeners who are logged in 100% of the time. Your ad can find your target audience in an uncluttered environment, with the full focus on your message.

Ready to up your SOV and see the difference it can make for your campaign goals? Let’s talk.

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