Why 2x Ad Frequency Delivered 4x Better Brand Lift
This controlled experiment across two markets demonstrates that ad frequency is a critical driver of brand lift effectiveness, particularly for consideration metrics that correlate with sales intent.
The Test
A home improvement brand ran identical YouTube campaigns in two markets with different audience sizes (3M vs 6M users), resulting in dramatically different frequency levels while controlling for all other variables.
Results at a Glance
- Market 1 (smaller audience, 7x monthly frequency): +4 pts brand awareness, +4 pts consideration
- Market 2 (larger audience, 3.7x monthly frequency): +2.5 pts brand awareness, +1 pt consideration
- Key Insight: Higher frequency delivered 4x stronger consideration lift despite identical spend and creative
TL;DR
- Frequency Threshold: Minimum 3 impressions/month for basic brand lift; 6+ impressions for strong consideration impact
- Budget Allocation: Smaller, high-quality audiences often outperform larger audiences at same budget levels
- Creative Strategy: Lifestyle content drives strongest lift, with product demos providing valuable support
- Campaign Structure: Reach-optimized campaigns recommended to achieve frequency targets beyond 3x monthly
Background: Testing Frequency Impact on Brand Lift
We created a campaign to reach consumers and educate them on a client’s product and services. An advertising strategy was developed with the goal of driving lift in brand metrics.
As part of the strategy, YouTube Ads were run promoting the product directly as well as educating on their core marketing offers. To better understand the effectiveness of the channel, brand lift studies were run in both markets during the duration of the test.
The findings of this case study highlight the importance of ad frequency in driving brand awareness and consideration.
The Approach: Two Markets, Four Campaigns
The experiment was designed to run in two distinct markets and test the impact of audience size on overall brand lift. Markets chosen had a roughly 2x difference in audience size.
Campaign Structure
Two YouTube campaigns were set up in each market with the exact same configurations to minimize confounding variables.
| Market 1 (Audience: 3M users) | Market 2 (Audience: 6M users) |
|---|---|
| Reach Campaign: In-market targeting, $500/day Conversion Campaign: In-market targeting, $1000/day | Reach Campaign: In-market targeting, $500/day Conversion Campaign: In-market targeting, $1000/day |
Creative Approach
Ads run in each market were also the same, though ad delivery did vary slightly per preference in each market. Creatives aligned with topics including:
- Lifestyle/Brand
- Product Demo
- Benefits/Features
Creatives were a mix of 15s, 30s, and 45s videos, mostly in horizontal aspect ratios (16:9). Several vertical aspect ratios (9:16) were also included for delivery efficiency.
Brand Lift Study Setup
Brand lift studies were run measuring Brand Awareness lift and Consideration lift over the duration of the test with two campaigns in each study.
| Market 1 | Market 2 |
|---|---|
| Brand Awareness & Consideration Reach & Conversion Campaign | Brand Awareness & Consideration Reach & Conversion Campaign |
The studies were run over a 2-month duration, one month after the start of the campaigns.
The Analysis: 2x Higher Frequency Delivered in Market 1
Post-test analysis revealed similar performance metrics from both campaigns. Learn about what KPIs to measure for Youtube Ads.
Delivery Performance
Reach and frequency revealed an almost 2x increase in average impressions per user in market 1.
| Market 1 | Market 2 |
|---|---|
| Impressions: 11M Reach (In-Market): 1.9M Avg Monthly Frequency: 7 | Impressions: 11M Reach (In-Market): 3M Avg Monthly Frequency: 3.7 |
Market 2’s larger population led to a larger in-market audience and subsequently lower average frequency.
Creative Performance
Creative delivery did not vary significantly in either market, focused on lifestyle ads due to their shorter length and stronger engagement.
| % Served | |
|---|---|
| Market 1 | Market 2 |
| Lifestyle: 53% served Product Demo: 32% served Benefits/Features: 15% served | Lifestyle: 51% served Product Demo: 35% served Benefits/Features: 14% served |
While lifestyle creative resonated more strongly, product demos and benefits/features served as strong supporting messages.
Video Performance
Video performance also did not fluctuate between markets, with only a slight variation in average watch time and cost per view.
| Market 1 | Market 2 |
|---|---|
| Cost per view: $0.05 Avg Watch Time: 15 seconds | Cost per View: $0.05 Avg Watch Time: 14 seconds |
Analysis of all these metrics show that most variables were controlled for except frequency, limiting confounding variables in the test results.
The Results: 2x Higher Lift in the Smaller Market
After more than 47,000 survey responses were collected, results were analyzed. The difference in brand lift shows the impact of higher frequency.
The test reached greater than 90% significance in both awareness and consideration.
Overall Results
| Market 1 | Market 2 |
|---|---|
| +4 pts Brand Awareness +4 pts Consideration | +2.5 pts Brand Awareness +1 pts Consideration |
Despite lower frequency, Market 2 saw comparative lift in brand awareness. This shows that brand impact is achievable at lower frequencies but more in brand recognition.
Brand consideration (a stronger intent signal) is more significantly effected by higher frequency. Its this brand metric that moves the needle in sales.
Creative Results
Understanding what creative drives lift is integral to an effective YouTube Ads strategy (and advertising strategy overall). Being memorable is one part staying true to a brand image/ethos and one part prolonged exposure.
The creative topics showed similar variance in lift as their impression delivery.
| Market 1 | Market 2 |
| Lifestyle: +4 pts Awareness, +4 pts Consideration | Lifestyle: +2.5 pts Awareness, +2 pts Consideration |
| Product Demo: 3 pts Awareness, 2.5 pts Consideration | Product Demo: 1 pts Awareness, 1.5 pts Consideration |
| Features/Benefits: 1 pt Awareness, 1 pt Consideration | Features/Benefits: No lift in either brand metric |
Brand lift was measured as the average of all creatives in each of the content topic categories.
Interestingly, YouTube’s prioritization of creatives align with those that drive the strongest lift. This could be due in part to how often they are delivered, but may also be a signal used to optimize video delivery.
The Takeaway: Frequency Matters in Driving Brand Lift
Repetition matters…repetition matters…repetition…get it?
In today’s overstimulated world where we are bombarded with thousands of ads on a daily basis, it takes consistency to breakthrough.
Guidelines when running awareness ads:
- Aim for at least 3 impressions per user per month for some brand lift.
- Higher brand lift in intent-based metrics benefits from 6+ impressions per month.
- Smaller market sizes are best for higher impact unless budget is high.
For YouTube Ads, running a conversion-optimized campaign will typically max out at ~3 average frequency per month. Using a reach model with video sequencing is an effective way to guarantee higher frequency.
Just make sure the audience you’re targeting is high quality as user signals are not taken into account when optimizing for reach.
The Caveats: What To Do Better Next Time
While this experiment was a success, there are areas for improvement.
- Timing: Two months showed lift but not sustained impact post-test. A 6-month test would provide better perspective.
- Metrics: Purchase Intent would better measure sales impact than Consideration.
- Audience Size: 1-2 million user audiences would have been more optimal than 3-6 million for testing frequency impact.
Conclusion: Top of Funnel Is Important, But Verify Impact
Most advertisers disregard top of funnel awareness tactics because they are hard to tie back to revenue. However, some of the greatest impact can be driven through sustained awareness.
Impact of Awareness Media
To do so, platforms like YouTube Ads where its possible to reach 1,000 users for the cost of 2 clicks are particularly effective. Brand lift studies offer the potential to measure this impact scientifically – something that is not guaranteed in advertising.
Brand lift studies not only provide insight into campaign impact, they are valuable tools for:
- Optimizing creative messaging,
- Measuring optimal ad delivery
- Building audience profiles
Beyond brand lift, there are a host of metrics to measure for Youtube Ads to ensure successful campaigns.
Looking Forward
The question isn’t whether to invest in brand awareness, but how to structure it. Ultimately it comes down to trust, but verify results. If brand lift studies are too costly, use geo-targeted tests to measure lift in bottom line metrics.
In an environment where consumers encounter thousands of daily ad impressions, breakthrough requires sustained presence. This study proves that with proper frequency management and measurement, top-of-funnel campaigns can deliver both brand impact and business results.
