Frequency in Advertising is the average number of times an individual user is exposed to a specific ad over a campaign period. It helps marketers understand how repetitive their messaging is to a target audience.
Frequency in Advertising is calculated by dividing total ad impressions by the total number of unique users reached during the campaign.
If your campaign generates 100,000 impressions and reaches 25,000 unique users, your average frequency is 4. Each user saw the ad four times on average.
A good ad frequency is typically between 3 and 7 exposures per user, depending on campaign goals. This range reinforces the message without overwhelming the viewer.
A frequency above 10 can indicate audience fatigue and wasted ad spend, while a frequency of 1 or 2 may not provide enough exposure for message retention.
Limit the number of times an ad is shown to a user to prevent burnout and keep your message fresh.
Use variations in visuals and messaging to maintain user interest and reduce the feeling of repetition.
Track engagement and conversion rates as frequency increases to find the sweet spot where results peak before drop-off.
