Ad Fatigue
Ad fatigue is the decline in performance that happens when an audience sees the same ad too many times. CTR drops, CPMs and CPAs rise, and engagement falls as people tune the creative out.
Also called: Creative fatigueFormula
Ad fatigue ≈ rising frequency → falling CTR / rising CPAExample
A high-performing video ad's CTR halves over three weeks as frequency climbs to 6 — a classic fatigue signal telling you to refresh the creative.
Why it matters
Fatigue quietly erodes ROAS on otherwise good campaigns. Watching frequency and CTR trends, and rotating fresh creative, keeps performance from decaying.
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FAQ
How do I know if my ads are fatigued?
Look for rising frequency paired with falling CTR and rising CPA on the same creative over time — that combination is the tell.
How do I fix ad fatigue?
Refresh creative, expand the audience or reach, add frequency caps, and rotate multiple ad variants so no single one over-saturates.