Reach vs. Impressions

Trevor Reid
Sep 9, 2025
1 min read

What’s the Difference?

99% of the time when I ask local business owners if they know what impressions are… they don’t. And honestly, that’s not their fault. Advertisers love to throw around intimidating terms like impressions because it sounds confusing.

Here’s the simple breakdown:

Reach = the number of unique people who see your ad.

Impressions = the total number of times your ad is displayed (even if the same person sees it multiple times).

Impressions matter because they measure frequency — how often your message is being reinforced. Marketing is about repetition, and impressions show if your brand is really sticking.

Now, here’s the kicker

Traditional marketing (print, TV, radio) can’t accurately measure impressions. Their “analytics” are just predictions, based on circulation, estimated viewers, or listenership surveys. In other words… you’re trusting guesses.

With digital campaigns, you stop leaving money on the counter:

Track ROI down to the penny

Know your reach, impressions, frequency, clicks, calls, add-to-carts, purchases, and more

Tailor campaigns to YOUR business goals

Don’t waste marketing dollars on guesswork. Take control.