# What is Frequency?

What is Frequency? The average number of times each unique visitor saw the ad. High frequency causes ad fatigue.

## How it works in practice

Frequency: below 3 means you haven't built familiarity. 3-7 is the sweet spot. Above 10, people start ignoring you.

## Related metrics

- Reach — Frequency = Impressions / Reach
- Ad Fatigue — a result of high frequency
- CPM — CPM rises when frequency is high
- Creative Refresh — the fix for high frequency

## Common misconception

'High frequency means they'll remember us.' Studies show that beyond 7 exposures, brand sentiment declines. People feel 'chased.'

## How to fix it

Frequency above 8 and CTR dropping? (1) new creative, (2) expand the audience, (3) set a frequency cap in Meta, (4) take a 2-week break from that audience.

## Real-world example

A running shoe store: frequency hit 12. CTR dropped from 2.1% to 0.6%. 4 new creatives plus a cap of 5 brought CTR back to 1.8% within 3 weeks.

## Where to start

Set a frequency cap from day one. In Meta: Ad Set → Frequency Cap.

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Category: Marketing · From the [Jimmy OS KPI Glossary](https://jimmy-os.com/glossary/kpi.md) · Source page: https://jimmy-os.com/glossary/kpi/frequency