What is meant by reach in advertising?

Reach in advertising is defined as the total number of unique individuals who are exposed to an advertisement at least once within a specified time frame. This metric is crucial for understanding the breadth of an advertising campaign and its potential to create brand awareness. Reach differs from impressions, which quantify the total number of times an ad is displayed, regardless of whether the same person sees the ad multiple times.

By focusing on reach, advertisers gain insights into how many different people have had the opportunity to see their message, guiding strategies for targeting and penetration in specific demographics or geographical areas. This understanding allows marketers to assess the effectiveness of their campaigns in spreading awareness rather than just engagement.

In contrast to other metrics, such as those that measure interactions or revenue, reach serves as an essential indicator of the campaign's potential audience size and is foundational in evaluating the overall impact of advertising efforts.