As online advertisers, we often strive for maximum exposure for our ads to reach a wider audience. However, there is a risk of overexposure of an ad which may lead to ad fatigue or spamming the target audience. Frequency capping is an ad exposure control strategy that aims to limit the number of times a specific ad is shown to a user within a specific period.
Frequency capping sets a limit on the number of times an ad can be shown to a user during a particular campaign, ad group or network. This means that if the cap limit is set at three impressions per day, the user will see the same ad no more than three times within 24 hours.
Frequency capping helps advertisers avoid overexposure of their ads and prevents spamming their audience with repetitive messages. This strategy also allows for better reach across various audiences by allocating budgets more effectively and avoiding over-investment in redundant impressions.
Frequency capping is done using an impression capping strategy that limits the number of impressions an ad can show to one user. Ad delivery pacing strategies like time-based pacing help distribute impressions evenly across various users and avoid exhausting inventory too quickly. Ad rotation also helps evenly distribute impressions among several ads in the same campaign.
Frequency capping should be used in situations where there is high traffic or when targeting broad audiences. It can also be used when targeting small, high-value audiences to ensure that they are not annoyed by repetitive ads.
Both advertisers and customers benefit from frequency capping. Advertisers can better manage their budgets and optimize ROI while customers are not spammed with repetitive or irrelevant ads.
To set up frequency capping, you need to choose the number of impressions per user per day, week, or month. You also need to select the time interval for the capping and select which ad groups or campaigns will have the frequency cap limit.
Some best practices for frequency capping include setting a reasonable limit on the number of impressions per user, selecting the right time intervals to apply the cap and tracking ad performance metrics to adjust frequency capping limits accordingly.
“Frequency Capping 101: What It Is and Why It Matters.” Criteo, www.criteo.com/insights/frequency-capping-101-what-it-is-and-why-it-matters/.
“Advertising Terms Glossary.” Google Ads Help, Google, support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9029.
Klosowski, Thorin. “What Is Frequency Capping and Why Should I Use It?” AdEspresso, 10 Dec. 2018, adespresso.com/blog/frequency-capping/.
“Frequency Capping.” Marin Software, 2021, www.marinsoftware.com/resources/glossary/frequency-capping.
Junaidy, Abhishek. “How to Implement Frequency Capping in Your PPC Campaigns.” Social Media Today, 27 Mar. 2020, www.socialmediatoday.com/news/how-to-implement-frequency-capping-in-your-ppc-campaigns/574534/.
