Glossary · Paid mediaTOFU
Reach
The short answer
Reach is the number of unique people who saw your ad at least once. Impressions count every time an ad is shown — including repeat views by the same person. If 2 lakh people each saw your ad 2.5 times on average, reach is 2 lakh and impressions are 5 lakh.
Reach tells you how many potential customers you've touched. Frequency tells you how often.
Reach vs impressions
- Impressions — total ad displays
- Reach — unique people
- Frequency — impressions ÷ reach
Growing impressions without growing reach means you're showing the same ads to the same people more often.
When reach matters most
- New product launches and category creation
- Brand campaigns where memory is the goal
- Top-of-funnel prospecting to fill retargeting pools
- Events and sales with a short window
Reach, impressions and frequency
| Metric | Example |
|---|---|
| Impressions | 300,000 |
| Reach | 100,000 |
| Frequency | 3.0 |
Growing reach in the right audience builds future demand; growing frequency among the same people risks fatigue. See frequency.
Reach in practice
A video campaign reaches 2 lakh unique people with 6 lakh impressions — a frequency of 3.
Using reach well
- Plan reach for launches and awareness
- Pair it with frequency control
- Measure lift, not just reach
Common reach mistakes
- Buying reach without frequency control
- Measuring reach without lift
- Reaching the wrong audience cheaply
Frequently asked questions
Is reach deduplicated across platforms?
No. Meta reach and YouTube reach are measured separately, and the same person can be counted in both.
Should we buy reach or conversions?
For performance, optimise for conversions. For launches and brand building, reach objectives with frequency caps are often more efficient.
Is reach measured across devices?
Platforms estimate unique people across devices when users are logged in, but reach across different platforms isn't deduplicated.
Should we buy reach campaigns?
For launches and brand awareness, yes — with frequency caps and clear measurement of lift.
What's the difference between reach and impressions?
Reach counts unique people; impressions count total views.
Is reach important for performance marketing?
Yes — reaching new people feeds future demand, even when it isn't measured by last click.
Related terms
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