Frequency
Frequency is the average number of times each person in your audience saw the ad, calculated as impressions divided by reach. It is the mechanical driver of creative fatigue: performance decays as a function of exposure, and frequency is the exposure.
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Why it matters
Frequency is the one fatigue signal you can act on before it costs anything, because it is arithmetic rather than a lagging result. Above about 3 on a prospecting audience most accounts see hook rate soften; above 5 the decline is usually obvious in cost per result.
The rate at which frequency accumulates is budget divided by audience size, which is why a small B2B audience at a modest budget fatigues faster than a broad consumer audience at a large one.
How to apply it
| Frequency | Typical state | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 | Healthy | Leave it running |
| 2 to 3 | Approaching saturation | Prepare the next set |
| 3 to 5 | Fatigue in progress | Rotate creative now |
| Over 5 | Saturated | Replace the set, consider audience expansion |
- Watch frequency per creative, not only per campaign.
- Refresh on the frequency reading rather than on the cost per result.
- If frequency climbs fast, the audience is too small for the budget, not just tired of the ad.
What people get wrong
- Reading frequency at the campaign level, which hides a single ad that has been over-served.
- Treating a frequency cap as a fix. It slows delivery rather than refreshing the creative.
- Expanding the audience to reduce frequency and calling it a creative solution. It buys about a week.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good ad frequency?
Under 2 is comfortable and 2 to 3 is the zone where you should already be producing the next creative set. Above 3, hook rate is usually already declining.
Does frequency cause ad fatigue?
Frequency is the exposure that causes it. Fatigue is the performance effect; frequency is the measurable input, which is why it works as an early warning.
Should I use a frequency cap?
It can help pace delivery, but it does not solve the underlying problem, which is that you need more distinct creatives in rotation.