Reach and Frequency in Advertising: DefinitionDefined.
Reach is how many unique people see an ad; frequency is how often they see it. Together they define the exposure profile of any advertising campaign.
- 500,000+ locations
- AAM-audited delivery
- English, Spanish + 15 more languages
- Fully managed
Reach and frequency
Reach is the number of unique people who see an advertisement; frequency is the average number of times each person sees it. Together they describe the exposure profile of a campaign — its breadth (reach) and its depth (frequency) — and the balance between them is one of the central decisions in media planning.
High reach with low frequency spreads a message widely but shallowly; high frequency with lower reach concentrates repeated exposure on a smaller audience. For behavior-change campaigns — public health, substance use prevention, enrollment — frequency usually matters more than raw reach, because changing behavior requires sustained, repeated exposure. A common place-based mistake is spreading a buy too thin across many venues at low frequency; concentrating the buy on fewer venues at higher frequency typically produces more measurable effect.
Related terms: impressions
Pair it with
Public health
Campaigns for health departments and nonprofits.
Explore public health →Point of care
Waiting rooms, exam rooms and HCP lounges.
Explore point of care →Pharmacies
Counter, shelf and screen, at pickup.
Explore pharmacies →Community centers
Rec centers, gyms and youth sports.
Explore community centers →DOOH
Digital screens across every venue type.
Explore DOOH →