Average Frequency (Freq)
Average Frequency measures how many times the same person was served your ad.
Divide impressions by reach. That is Frequency: how often the same person sees your ad. It matters because repetition is where budgets quietly burn. Too low, the message never lands. Too high, you pay to annoy people who already got it.
Signal Type
Metric Role
Metric Type
The Formula
Worked example
Benchmarks and interpretation
Where the number actually comes from
When to use it
Common Mistakes
In the REACT framework
Frequency sits in the Reach phase, balancing memory against fatigue. Rising frequency with flat reach means your targeting ran out of new people. That is the cue to widen the audience or cap exposure, not spend more.
Related metrics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Average Frequency?
Average Frequency measures how many times the same person was served your ad. It shows where repetition stops building memory and starts burning budget.
How do you calculate Average Frequency?
Use the formula: Frequency = Impressions ÷ Reach. Keep both inputs in the same reporting period and avoid mixing users, sessions, events, or customers unless the formula calls for it.
What data do you need for Freq?
You need reach and served impressions, pulled from the relevant connected sources and computed for the same period.
What mistakes should you avoid with Freq?
Avoid reading frequency without reach growth, letting retargeting pools run uncapped, and assuming more exposures always help. Past saturation, they cost twice: in money and in goodwill.
When should marketers use Freq?
Use Frequency when deciding whether to widen the audience or cap exposure. Rising frequency with flat reach is the signal: your targeting has run out of new people, and more spend will only re-serve the same ones.
What is a good Freq?
The right level depends on message complexity and cycle length, but the pattern to watch is universal: response falling while frequency climbs means you have passed saturation.
Sources and methodology. Freq formula and definition derive from standard marketing analytics practice and platform reporting conventions. REACTIQ360 harmonises source data from Ad and platform APIs, Campaign taxonomy, Harmonisation layer and applies a consistent same-period computation methodology.
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