How often your ad appears in front of a user can impact the success of your campaign. That’s why calculating the effective frequency is important to achieve brand recall and recognition. Read this glossary page to discover how to calculate the effective frequency for your campaign.
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Effective frequency is the number of times a certain advertisement needs to be presented to a particular user to achieve the intended response. The goal of the effective frequency metric is to determine the optimal number of exposures needed for an advertisement or campaign.
There is a popular concept in marketing that advertisements require a number of repetitions to get the message through to the viewer. How many times should an ad be repeated to be effective? This is the idea behind calculating the effective frequency.
Finding the right frequency is important because too little exposure will not achieve the desired results, leading to wasted budget. Contrarily, too much exposure can lead to the viewers disengaging from the ads.
Finding the ideal ad frequency ensures your message will stand out and be remembered. Consistent exposure to a brand message can also create familiarity with the brand and build trust. Repeating the ad can also help nurture leads and move customers along in the funnel.
Frequency is calculated by dividing the total number of impressions by the number of unique users reached.
Effective frequency = Total number of impressions / Number of unique users reached
Example: Let’s say your total number of impressions is 500,000, and your campaign reached 100,000 unique users. 500,000/100,000 = 5. This means each user was exposed to the ad an average of 5 times
Many marketers follow a common rule of showing a user an ad three times per purchase cycle. However, this rule doesn’t work in all cases. That’s why you should compute the effective frequency for each case. There are certain factors to consider:
The size of the market, for instance. If your message is directed to a small audience, the viewers can tire of the ad faster than a large audience. You should also consider the average purchase cycle.
Products that are consumed more often need to be promoted often, too. Ad campaign duration can also impact the ideal frequency. Longer campaigns need to be promoted more sparingly than high-impact, short campaigns.
The effectiveness of ad frequency depends on several factors, starting with accurate audience segmentation. Next, understanding who you’re trying to reach will guide your choice of channels, as well as the message you want to convey. Having your campaign objectives clear also increases the frequency and effectiveness.
Broaden your reach by using multiple channels. Expand beyond web banners to increase the number of users who can see your ad. For example, you can include social media, CTV, streaming, or traditional channels like TV and print.
Avoiding ad fatigue is critical. To achieve that, first be sure to create a memorable message.
