Table of Contents
Overview
Frequency capping controls how often users see specific ads, providing a better user experience and optimizing ad performance. This document outlines how to implement and manage frequency caps effectively.
Understanding Frequency Capping
Frequency capping restricts the number of times a specific ad appears to individual users. The system identifies users through:
| Web traffic | Cookie ID (bidRequest.user.buyeruserID) | Device ID |
| In-app traffic | Mobile device ID (device.ifa) | Not applicable |
Enhanced frequency capping also supports identification via:
- IP Address
- IDFV
- Proprietary customer IDs
- Cross-device IDs
Frequency Cap Configuration
Maximum frequency cap duration is 30 days (2,592,000 seconds).
Frequency caps use two key parameters:
- Count (N): Maximum number of ad impressions
- Duration (M): Time period in hours, days, or weeks
For example: "2 impressions per day" means a user can see an ad twice within a rolling 24-hour period.
Implementation Levels
Frequency caps can be set at different levels with distinct outcomes:
Line Item Level (Recommended)
Each line item has its own independent frequency cap, allowing for more granular control.
Campaign Level
The cap applies across all line items within the campaign, limiting the total number of impressions from any line item in the campaign.
Combined Campaign and Line Item Level
When both levels have caps, the campaign-level cap takes precedence and overrides line item caps.
Implementation Comparison
This table illustrates how different implementations affect ad delivery for a single Campaign (A) with three Line Items (1, 2, 3), when a user makes 6 ad requests in one day and matches all targeting criteria:
| Campaign Level | 2 TOTAL from any line item | User sees at most 2 ads total from any combination of Line Items 1, 2, or 3 |
| Line Item Level | 2 PER LINE ITEM (up to 6 total) | User sees each Line Item up to 2 times (potentially 6 total ads) |
| Campaign AND Line Item | 2 TOTAL from any line item | Campaign cap overrides line item caps; user sees at most 2 ads total |
Best Practices
- Implement at the line item level for most precise control
- When using enhanced frequency capping at multiple levels, use consistent ID types
- Consider user experience when setting frequency values and durations
Enhanced Frequency Capping
The platform supports frequency capping based on multiple identifiers beyond the default platform cookie ID (for web environments) or device ID (used in mobile apps, mobile web where cookies are unavailable, and Connected TV environments). Additional supported identifiers include:
Full (non-truncated) IP Address
Customer ID
Cross Device Identifiers (e.g., Person ID, Household ID)
These identifiers are either directly read from or mapped via the bid request. The platform also supports a fallback mechanism, allowing the use of multiple IDs to ensure frequency capping continuity.
IP Address-Based Frequency Capping
To enable frequency capping using IP addresses, the functionality must first be activated for the associated Buzz Key by a Customer Success Manager.
Once enabled, a new setting called Frequency Cap ID Type becomes available at both the Campaign and Line Item levels. The available options include:
Standard
IP Address
Standard with Fallback
Customer ID with Fallback
Person ID
Person ID with Fallback
Household ID
Household ID with Fallback
Customer ID-Based Frequency Capping
For customers who pass a proprietary user ID within the bid request (commonly applicable to exchanges or media companies with RTB control), the platform supports frequency capping based on these Customer IDs.
Activation of this feature requires coordination with a Customer Success Manager.
Once enabled, the following Frequency Cap ID Types will be available:
Customer ID
Customer ID with Fallback
Cross Device-Based Frequency Capping
Cross Device frequency capping enables targeting at the user or household level across devices. Activation requires engagement with a Customer Success Manager.
Once enabled, the following options become available under Frequency Cap ID Type:
Person ID
Person ID with Fallback
Household ID
Household ID with Fallback
Supported Vendors:
LiveRamp
FreeWheel ID Network
If both vendors are enabled for a Buzz Key, a dropdown will appear to select the preferred "Person / Household Vendor." If only one vendor is active, the platform will default to that vendor.
Cost Consideration:
A $0.05 CPM fee applies when a Cross Device ID (from LiveRamp or FreeWheel ID Network) is actively used for frequency capping. For fallback configurations, the fee is only charged if the Cross Device ID is actually used.
Frequency Cap Consistency Across Campaigns and Line Items
When applying frequency caps at both the Campaign and Line Item levels, the Frequency Cap ID Type must match across both entities. However, if a frequency cap is not set at the Campaign level, individual Line Items within the campaign may use different ID Types independently.
| Standard | This is the default option and uses the platform's web cookie OR the in-app device ID OR the Connected TV ID. | Generally covers most use cases. |
| IP Address | This frequency caps on the IP address included in the bid request. The platform only frequency caps on full IP addresses. If an IP address in a bid request is truncated for any reason (e.g. specific exchanges, no GDPR consent) then it will lack the precision required, and that impression will not be bid on for line items/campaigns with this type of frequency cap applied. |
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| Standard with Fallback | This frequency caps on the platform's cookie ID/device ID when present and falls back to IP address when the ID is not present. In mobile app, if device ID and IP address are not present, it falls back to using IDFV. |
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| Customer ID or Customer ID with Fallback | This uses the auction-provided customer ID when present and on a bid request, and falls back to the Standard option when customer ID is not present. In mobile app, if device ID and IP address are not present, it falls back to using IDFV. | Customers who are buying-their-own-supply and have their own proprietary user ID. Publisher Networks or alliances who have a unified ID across their network and can request their partner SSPs to send through their User ID in the bid request. |
| Person ID or Person ID with Fallback | This uses the person ID mapped through the chosen cross device vendor. If using the fallback option, the frequency cap reverts to identifiers in the following order: Bito or MAID → IP address → IDFV in cases where the LiveRamp or FreeWheel ID Network person ID is not present. | For customers that want to frequency cap across a user’s various devices. |
| Household ID or Household ID with Fallback | This uses the household ID mapped through the chosen cross device vendor. If using the fallback option, the frequency cap reverts to identifiers in the following order: Bito or MAID → IP address → IDFV in cases where the LiveRamp or FreeWheel ID Network household ID is not present. | For customers that want to frequency cap across devices in a household. |