For a short direct-response flight on social, an average frequency of 2 to 4 per week is the working range; performance usually degrades past 4 to 6. For brand campaigns on video and CTV, 3 to 5 exposures over the campaign per household is a common planning target. There is no single right number; the right frequency is the point at which the next exposure stops adding response.
What moves it
Frequency rises as audiences shrink and budgets grow, and it is invisible across platforms unless a panel or identity graph deduplicates it. Watch CTR and cost per result against frequency in the same report; where one turns, cap the other.
Run your own numbers with the Reach and frequency calculator.
Agency Echelon. "What is a good ad frequency?" Agency Echelon Reference, reviewed September 2026. https://agencyechelon.com/reference/questions/what-is-a-good-frequency/