sales-advertserve

What this skill does

# AdvertServe Platform Help

## Step 1 — Gather context

If `references/learnings.md` exists, read it first for accumulated platform knowledge.

1. **What are you trying to do?**
   - A) Set up AdvertServe to serve ads on my website
   - B) Serve ads in my email newsletter
   - C) Manage campaigns and advertisers via the API
   - D) Configure targeting (geo, keyword, weather, contextual)
   - E) Set up header bidding with Prebid.js
   - F) Compare AdvertServe to other ad servers

2. **Your role?**
   - A) Publisher (monetizing my own site/newsletter)
   - B) Advertiser (placing ads on publisher sites)
   - C) Ad agency (managing multiple clients)
   - D) Ad network operator

3. **Current plan**: 45-day free trial or paid ($299/mo base)?

Skip-ahead rule: if the user's prompt already contains enough context, skip to Step 2.

## Step 2 — Route or answer directly

| If the question is about... | Route to... |
|---|---|
| Newsletter monetization strategy (subscriptions, pricing models) | `/sales-newsletter [question]` |
| Programmatic/RTB ad serving | `/sales-epom [question]` or `/sales-adbutler [question]` |
| Self-serve advertiser portal | `/sales-adbutler [question]` |
| Direct-sold ad management for local publishers | `/sales-broadstreet [question]` |
| Free self-hosted ad server | `/sales-revive [question]` |
| Email deliverability (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) | `/sales-deliverability [question]` |

If the question is AdvertServe-specific, continue to Step 3.

## Step 3 — AdvertServe platform reference

**Read `references/platform-guide.md`** for the full platform reference — capabilities, pricing, email ad setup, API overview, integration recipes, code examples.

Answer the user's question using only the relevant section. Don't dump the full reference.

## Step 4 — Actionable guidance

Focus on the user's specific situation:

- **Publisher getting started**: Create zones (Banner/Text/VAST Video/Dynamic), create campaigns with media, assign campaigns to zones via tiers (1-100 priority), generate ad tags via Code Wizard, paste into your site. Ads rotate automatically.
- **Email newsletter ads**: Use the Code Wizard to generate "E-mail" code (Banner type). This produces a static `<a>` + `<img>` tag (no JavaScript). Paste into your ESP template. Image-only creatives — no HTML5 or rich media in email.
- **API automation**: Enable API in Settings > Basic > API. Get your secret key. Make HTTP GET/POST requests to `/servlet/control/api/{module}/{action}` with the `secret` parameter. Responses in JSON (`output=json`) or XML (default).
- **Choosing AdvertServe vs alternatives**: AdvertServe is best for mid-to-large publishers wanting a feature-rich hosted ad server with video, header bidding, and white-label. For budget hosting, use AdSpeed ($9.95/mo). For self-hosted free, use Revive. For self-serve portal, use AdButler.

If you discover a gotcha, workaround, or tip not covered in `references/learnings.md`, append it there.

## Gotchas

> *Best-effort from research — review these, especially items about integration gotchas that may be outdated.*

1. **Email ads must use the E-mail code format** — the Code Wizard generates JavaScript tags by default. For newsletters, explicitly select the "E-mail" code type to get static IMG tags. JavaScript won't render in email clients.
2. **Image format restrictions** — code-based images are not accepted. Creatives must be JPEG, GIF, or PNG files. If a client provides HTML5 or code-based images, you'll need to convert them.
3. **Click tags can be confusing** — understanding how to use tracking pixels and click tags has a learning curve. Use the Code Wizard's generated tags rather than building manually.
4. **API documentation is technical** — the docs assume familiarity with HTTP APIs and programming. Non-technical users should use the web dashboard instead.
5. **No webhooks** — AdvertServe has no webhook or push notification system. You must poll the API for changes.

## Related skills

- `/sales-newsletter` — Newsletter monetization strategy (paid subscriptions, sponsorships, ad sales, pricing)
- `/sales-adbutler` — AdButler full-stack ad server (self-serve portal, email ad zones, REST API + MCP)
- `/sales-broadstreet` — Broadstreet ad manager for local/B2B publishers (newsletter ad zones, sponsored content, WordPress plugin)
- `/sales-epom` — Epom hosted ad server + white-label DSP (API included, RTB free for publishers)
- `/sales-revive` — Revive Adserver free open-source self-hosted ad server (email zones, XML-RPC API)
- `/sales-adspeed` — AdSpeed affordable hosted ad server (email newsletter zones, REST API, from $9.95/mo)
- `/sales-adplugg` — AdPlugg budget ad server (free-$79/mo, WordPress/Ghost plugins, email ad tags)
- `/sales-adglare` — AdGlare cloud-based ad server (display/native/VAST video/CTV, REST API v2)
- `/sales-kevel` — Kevel API-first ad server infrastructure (build custom ad platforms, Decision API)
- `/sales-deliverability` — Email deliverability strategy (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, warmup)
- `/sales-do` — Not sure which skill to use? The router matches any sales objective to the right skill. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-do`

## Examples

### Example 1: Setting up email newsletter ads
**User says**: "I want to serve ads in my newsletter using AdvertServe. How do I set it up?"
**Skill does**: Walks through creating a Banner zone, uploading image creatives, linking campaigns to the zone, using the Code Wizard to generate E-mail code (not JavaScript), and pasting the static IMG tag into the ESP template
**Result**: User has newsletter ads serving with proper click tracking via static tags

### Example 2: Automating ad management via the API
**User says**: "How do I use the AdvertServe API to create zones and pull reports?"
**Skill does**: Shows API setup (Settings > Basic > API), secret key auth, demonstrates `/servlet/control/api/zones/create` and `/servlet/control/api/reports/general/summary` endpoints with cURL examples, explains JSON output option
**Result**: User has working API integration for automated zone management and reporting

### Example 3: Choosing between ad servers
**User says**: "I'm a publisher with 5M monthly impressions. Should I use AdvertServe, AdButler, or Epom?"
**Skill does**: Compares all three: AdvertServe ($449/mo for 5M, feature-rich, header bidding, white-label), AdButler ($682/mo, self-serve portal, MCP, programmatic SSP), Epom ($250/mo, white-label DSP, RTB included). Recommends based on whether the publisher needs header bidding (AdvertServe), self-serve portal (AdButler), or white-label DSP (Epom).
**Result**: User picks the right ad server for their needs and budget

## Troubleshooting

### Ads not showing on site
**Symptom**: Zone ad tags placed on the page but no ads appear
**Cause**: No active campaigns assigned to the zone, campaign scheduling dates not started, or ad blocker interfering
**Solution**: Check the zone has campaigns assigned at active tiers (1-100). Verify campaign scheduling includes today. Test with ad blockers disabled. Check the Code Wizard generated the correct code type (JavaScript for web, not E-mail).

### Email ad tags not rendering
**Symptom**: Newsletter ads show broken images or nothing
**Cause**: Used JavaScript or IFRAME code instead of E-mail code format
**Solution**: In the Code Wizard, select "E-mail" under the Banner module. This generates a static `<a href>` + `<img src>` tag that works in all email clients. JavaScript and IFRAME tags will not render in email.

### API authentication failing
**Symptom**: API requests return 500 error with authentication message
**Cause**: Missing or incorrect `secret` parameter, or API not enabled
**Solution**: Enable API in Settings > Basic > API. Copy the secret key. Pass it as the `secret` parameter in every private API request. Use HTTPS. Configure IP firewall if needed.