What this is
This guide explains how frequency caps work in Propensity Display Network (PDN) campaigns and provides best practices for configuring and managing them.
Frequency caps help control how often ads are shown to the same contact within a campaign.
Proper frequency cap settings can help balance:
- Campaign visibility
- Audience saturation
- Delivery pacing
- Ad fatigue prevention
When to use this
Use this guide when:
- Configuring PDN campaign settings
- Launching a new PDN Play
- Troubleshooting limited delivery or pacing issues
- Adjusting campaign exposure levels
- Managing audience saturation across campaigns
What is a frequency cap?
A frequency cap limits how many times an ad can be shown to the same contact within a defined time period.
Frequency caps are designed to:
- Reduce overexposure
- Prevent ad fatigue
- Improve the user experience
- Help distribute impressions more evenly across an audience
Default frequency cap behavior
By default, Propensity applies a frequency cap of:
- 10 impressions per day per campaign per contact
This means:
- A single contact can receive up to 10 impressions per day within an individual campaign
If a contact is included in multiple campaigns, the total number of impressions may be higher.
For example:
- If a contact is included in 5 campaigns, they could potentially receive up to 50 impressions per day across those campaigns.
Configuring frequency caps in PDN Plays
Frequency caps can be adjusted at the individual PDN Play level. You can edit it by going to the Launch tab -> View Channel -> Launch -> Frequency Cap
Important:
- Frequency caps can be configured before launch
- Frequency caps can also be changed after a Play is live
How frequency caps impact delivery
Frequency caps directly impact campaign pacing and delivery.
If caps are too restrictive:
- Delivery may slow down
- Campaign pacing may become inconsistent
- Smaller audiences may struggle to spend budget efficiently
- Available impression opportunities may become limited
This is especially important for:
- Smaller buying circles
- Narrow audiences
- Highly targeted campaigns
Best practices
Consider audience size when setting caps
Audience size directly impacts how frequency caps affect delivery.
For smaller audiences:
- Restrictive caps may limit available impression opportunities more quickly
- Campaign pacing may become inconsistent sooner
For larger audiences:
- Delivery is generally more flexible because more impression opportunities are available
When working with narrow or highly targeted audiences, avoid overly aggressive caps at launch.
Start with broader caps
Avoid setting overly restrictive caps at launch.
A more flexible starting point generally helps campaigns:
- Deliver more consistently
- Reach audiences more effectively
- Maintain healthier pacing
The default configuration is often a good starting point for most campaigns.
Monitor impressions per contact
After launch, monitor reporting metrics such as:
- Impressions per contact
- Delivery pacing
- Engagement trends
These metrics can help determine whether exposure levels are too low, balanced, or overly repetitive.
Adjust based on campaign performance
Frequency caps should be adjusted based on:
- Audience size
- Campaign goals
- Engagement performance
- Delivery consistency
For example:
- Smaller audiences may require more flexible caps
- Broader awareness campaigns may tolerate higher exposure
- Highly engaged audiences may support more frequent impressions
Balance visibility and fatigue
The goal of frequency caps is not simply to maximize impressions.
Effective campaigns balance:
- Repeated visibility
- Audience reach
- User experience
- Ad fatigue prevention
Too few impressions may reduce campaign impact, while excessive repetition may reduce engagement over time.
Important considerations
- Frequency caps apply at the campaign level
- Contacts included in multiple campaigns may receive impressions across each campaign
- Restrictive caps can negatively impact delivery and pacing
- Frequency caps for PDN Plays must be configured before launch
- Third-party platforms may apply additional frequency limitations outside of Propensity settings