For many years, marketers have regarded market share as the ultimate measure of a business’s progress. More pie means more win. It is clear, measurable, and instantly understood by funders, boards, and the C-suite.

In today’s marketing environment, however, an obsession with market share can be both a strength and a weakness. Pursuing it blindly risks prioritising numbers over sustainable growth. Ignoring it entirely can mean missing valuable insights about your competitive positioning. The truth is that market share still matters, but you should only view it as part of a broader, long-term strategy.

The Rise of Market Share as King

Market share became important because it shows competitive health at a glance. If your share is rising, you are gaining customers from competitors, which makes your position as a leader in your area stronger and allows you to benefit from economies of scale. For many companies, it also helps them deal with investors and serves as a shorthand for “brand strength.”

However, things go wrong when you see market share as an end goal rather than as a result of a well-thought-out plan.

The Risks of Chasing Share Alone

When brands become obsessed with market share, they can make short-term moves that will not work in the long run.

• Price wars cause weak profits.
• Overextending into areas that are not profitable just to get more business.
• Forgetting about brand building to get quick wins.

The irony is that getting a bigger share of the market can hurt your business and bottom line in the long run.

Read Also: More market share, more problems? rethinking the growth game

Market Share in the Long-Term Growth Equation

For long-term progress, the goal isn’t to get the biggest piece at all costs; you should instead make the pie bigger and your slice more useful.

That means you should look at market share along with other metrics:

• Brand equity: Does your part come from loyal customers or short-term deals?
• Profitability: Is it worth it to keep each customer for a long time?
• Category growth: Are you going into a field that is shrinking?
• Customer lifetime value (CLV): Does your share lead to long-term relationships?

Reframing the Metric: A New Perspective

The right question to ask yourself is: “How do we create a brand, product, and experience that naturally brings in and keeps a bigger share of customers over time while still making money?”

This new perspective changes market share from a singular goal to a positive side effect of providing long-term worth.

Market share is not a monster that some make it out to be, nor is it a hero. It is a compass point, not a destination. When you combine it with profitability, brand health, and customer loyalty, it can be an effective predictor of long-term success.

Chasing a bigger share just for the sake of it is like running faster on a treadmill. But growing strategically? That is how you win the race and remain in it.

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