Definition
Frequency saturation is the point where additional impressions stop increasing conversions and start wasting spend.
Formula
Saturation signal = rising frequency + flat or declining conversion rate
How to use it
- Monitor frequency by segment; retargeting saturates faster than prospecting.
- Use frequency caps or creative rotation to avoid waste.
Common mistakes
- Using one global cap across very different audience sizes.
- Ignoring post-click conversion rate when judging saturation.
Why this matters
This term matters because it affects how you interpret performance and make budget decisions. If you use inconsistent definitions or windows, ROAS/CPA can look "better" while profit gets worse.
Practical checklist
- Write a 1-line definition for "Frequency Saturation" that your team will use consistently.
- Keep the time window consistent (weekly/monthly/quarterly) when comparing trends.
- Segment results (channel/plan/cohort) before drawing big conclusions from blended averages.
- Sanity-check with a related calculator from the same category on MetricKit.
- Read the related guide (e.g., Frequency and creative fatigue: diagnose performance decay and fix it) for context and common pitfalls.
Where to use this on MetricKit
Calculators
- Paid Ads Funnel Calculator: Model CPM -> CTR -> CVR to estimate CPC, CPA, ROAS, and profit per 1,000 impressions (with margin and variable costs).
- ROI Calculator: Calculate Return on Investment (ROI) for a campaign or project.
- Incrementality Lift Calculator: Estimate incremental conversions, incremental ROAS, and incremental profit from a holdout test.
- Marginal ROAS Calculator: Estimate diminishing returns and find the profit-maximizing ad spend from a simple response curve.
- Target CPA from LTV Calculator: Translate LTV and contribution margin into a target CPA (and break-even CPA) for paid acquisition.
Guides
- Frequency and creative fatigue: diagnose performance decay and fix it: Learn how frequency, reach, and impressions interact with CTR/CVR, when to cap frequency, and how to refresh creatives without tanking learning.
- Paid ads measurement hub: ROAS, MER, marginal ROAS, and incrementality: A practical hub for paid ads measurement: connect ROAS to profit, use MER for top-down truth, watch marginal ROAS for scale, and validate incrementality with holdouts.