Showing your ad too many times to the same user is a double waste - you burn through budget on someone who's clearly not interested, and you create negative associations with your brand. Frequency capping solves this problem by limiting ad exposure per user.

What is Frequency Capping?

Frequency capping limits how many times a single user sees your ad within a specified time period. It's a fundamental tool for balancing reach, engagement, and user experience.

PopTrade offers two types of caps:

Impression Cap - Maximum number of ad impressions per user
Session Cap - Maximum number of browsing sessions where your ad appears

Why Frequency Capping Matters

For Campaign Performance

Prevents budget waste - Stop spending on users who won't convert
Increases unique reach - Spread budget across more potential customers
Improves CTR - Fresh audiences click more than fatigued ones
Better attribution - Cleaner data when users aren't over-exposed

For User Experience

Reduces annoyance - Nobody likes seeing the same ad 50 times
Protects brand perception - Aggressive frequency creates negative associations
Respects user intent - If they didn't click after 5 views, they're not interested

Setting Up Frequency Caps in PopTrade

Navigate to your campaign's "Traffic Controls" section and configure:

Impression-Based Caps

Frequency Cap Value - Number of impressions (e.g., 3)
Frequency Cap Period - Time window: per hour, per day, or per week

Session-Based Caps

Session Cap Value - Number of sessions
Session Cap Period - Time window for counting sessions

Recommended Settings by Campaign Type

Brand Awareness Campaigns

Goal is visibility and recall, so higher frequency is acceptable:

Recommended: 5-7 impressions per day
Max weekly: 20-25 impressions
Reasoning: Brand recall requires multiple exposures

Direct Response / CPA Campaigns

Goal is immediate action, so tighter caps work better:

Recommended: 2-3 impressions per day
Max weekly: 10-12 impressions
Reasoning: If they didn't convert in 3 views, more won't help

Retargeting Campaigns

Users already know your brand, moderate frequency keeps you top-of-mind:

Recommended: 3-5 impressions per day
Max weekly: 15-20 impressions
Reasoning: Balance between reminder and annoyance

High-Value / Considered Purchases

Longer decision cycles need sustained presence:

Recommended: 2-3 impressions per day
Max weekly: 12-15 impressions
Duration: Run for 2-4 weeks to cover decision period

How to Find Your Optimal Frequency

Start conservative - Begin with 3/day cap
Monitor performance curves - Check conversion rates at different frequency levels
Find the inflection point - Where additional impressions stop driving conversions
Set cap just below that point - Leave some buffer

Advanced: Per-Placement Caps

Publishers can also set their own frequency caps on placements. When both advertiser and publisher have caps, PopTrade respects the stricter of the two. This dual-layer approach ensures quality across the network.

Frequency Capping vs Session Capping

Impression Cap	Session Cap
Counts every ad view	Counts visits to publisher sites
Better for brand recall	Better for avoiding repetition
More granular control	More user-focused approach

Signs Your Frequency is Wrong

Cap Too Loose (need to tighten)

CTR declining over time
Rising CPAs with same creative
User complaints to publishers

Cap Too Tight (can loosen)

Not spending full budget
Limited reach despite available inventory
Conversion data suggests users need more touchpoints

Proper frequency capping is one of the easiest wins in campaign optimization. Set it once, and you'll immediately improve both efficiency and user experience.

Frequency Capping: Balance Reach and User Experience