sales-epom

What this skill does

# Epom 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 Epom Ad Server to serve ads on my website or newsletter
   - B) Configure the white-label DSP for programmatic buying
   - C) Integrate via the REST API (campaigns, analytics, targeting)
   - D) Troubleshoot ad delivery, targeting, or reporting issues
   - E) Compare Epom to other ad servers (AdButler, Kevel, GAM)
   - F) Set up the RTB/SSP module to sell inventory programmatically

2. **Which product are you using?**
   - A) Epom Ad Server (publisher/network — managing your own inventory)
   - B) Epom DSP (advertiser — buying programmatic traffic)
   - C) Both (white-label ad server + DSP stack)

3. **Current setup** (if applicable): monthly impressions, current ad server, direct vs programmatic split

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]` |
| Sponsorship marketplace (finding sponsors) | `/sales-paved [question]` or `/sales-hecto [question]` |
| Sponsor intelligence (brands that sponsor newsletters) | `/sales-sponsorgap [question]` |
| Building a custom ad platform from scratch (API-first) | `/sales-kevel [question]` |
| Email deliverability (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) | `/sales-deliverability [question]` |
| Managed ad server with self-serve portal and MCP | `/sales-adbutler [question]` |

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

## Step 3 — Epom platform reference

**Read `references/platform-guide.md`** for the full platform reference — capabilities, pricing, data model, integration recipes, code examples.

**Read `references/epom-api-reference.md`** for API endpoint details, authentication, and working 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 advertisers, campaigns, and banners. Set up zones on your site or newsletter. Configure targeting rules. Start with direct-sold campaigns, then add RTB for backfill.
- **Email newsletters**: Create zones for email placement — image-only ads. Generate ad tags and paste into your ESP template. Monitor impressions via Analytics API.
- **White-label DSP**: Start with Light plan ($250/mo or 5% spend). Connect SSPs, set up audience targeting with Lotame data, configure bidding autopilot. Brand the interface with your domain and logo.
- **API integration**: API is included on all plans (no add-on fee). Auth uses username + hash + timestamp. Use the Analytics API for custom dashboards, Campaign API for automation, Targeting API for rule management.
- **Choosing Epom vs alternatives**: Epom includes API, RTB, white-labeling, and support on all plans (competitors charge extra). Best for mid-market publishers/networks wanting customization. For API-first custom builds, use Kevel. For managed self-serve portal with MCP, use AdButler. For free/open-source, use Revive Adserver.

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 plan-gated features and integration gotchas that may be outdated.*

1. **UI is complex for newcomers** — the admin console has 800+ features and can feel overwhelming. Ask Epom support for a guided setup session (included on all plans) to identify which features matter for your use case.
2. **Auth uses HMAC, not Bearer tokens** — API auth requires `username`, `hash` (HMAC signature), and `timestamp` in request parameters. Not a simple API key — see the API reference for the signing pattern.
3. **DSP minimum spend** — while the Light plan starts at $250/mo, Epom recommends $2,000+/mo ad spend for optimal programmatic results. Below that, you won't get enough data for auto-optimization.
4. **Email ads are image-only** — like all ad servers, email zones only support image creatives (no HTML/JS). Gmail caches images across recipients — append unique subscriber IDs to image URLs.
5. **14-day trial caps at 30M impressions** — generous for testing but verify your production volume fits your plan before trial ends.
6. **White-label requires premium package** — basic ad server plans don't include full white-labeling. Confirm your plan tier includes branding customization.

## Related skills

- `/sales-newsletter` — Newsletter monetization strategy (paid subscriptions, sponsorships, ad sales, pricing)
- `/sales-adbutler` — AdButler full-stack ad server (managed dashboard, self-serve portal, email ad zones, REST API + MCP)
- `/sales-kevel` — Kevel API-first ad server infrastructure (build custom ad platforms, Decision API)
- `/sales-admailr` — Admailr programmatic email ad server (automated ad insertion, CPM+CPC, no setup)
- `/sales-passendo` — Passendo email ad server + SSP (programmatic exchange, direct-sold campaigns)
- `/sales-postapex` — PostApex newsletter ad network (500+ publishers, CPC, free for publishers)
- `/sales-buysellads` — BuySellAds contextual advertising marketplace (managed ad sales, Carbon Ads)
- `/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: Publisher setting up ad server
**User says**: "I run a niche tech blog with 2M monthly pageviews. How do I set up Epom to serve display ads?"
**Skill does**: Walks through creating a publisher account, setting up zones for different ad placements (header, sidebar, in-content), creating advertisers and campaigns with CPM pricing, configuring geo and device targeting, and enabling the RTB module for programmatic backfill
**Result**: User has Epom ad server running with direct-sold campaigns and programmatic demand

### Example 2: API integration for automated reporting
**User says**: "How do I pull campaign analytics from Epom's API into my custom dashboard?"
**Skill does**: Shows the Analytics API endpoint with HMAC auth, required parameters (date range, metrics, filters), response format with 40+ metrics, and a working cURL + Python example
**Result**: User has working API scripts to pull ad performance data programmatically

### Example 3: Choosing between ad servers
**User says**: "Should I use Epom, AdButler, or Kevel for my ad network? I have 10M monthly impressions."
**Skill does**: Compares all three: Epom ($224/mo for 10M, API+RTB+white-label included, 40+ metrics), AdButler ($682/mo for 10M, API is paid add-on, self-serve portal), Kevel (custom pricing, API-only, requires engineering). Notes Epom includes features that competitors charge extra for.
**Result**: User has a clear comparison with pricing and feature trade-offs for their scale

## Troubleshooting

### Complex UI — don't know where to start
**Symptom**: Admin console feels overwhelming with too many features and menus
**Cause**: Epom has 800+ customizable features designed for ad networks — most publishers don't need all of them
**Solution**: Contact Epom support (included on all plans, <24hr reply) for a guided setup session. Focus on: Advertisers > Campaigns > Banners > Zones. Ignore the DSP, RTB, and advanced targeting modules until you need them.

### API auth errors (401/403)
**Symptom**: API calls return 401 Unauthorized or 403 Forbidden
**Cause**: HMAC signature computed incorrectly, timestamp drift, or insufficient permissions
**Solution**: Verify your hash computation: `hash = HMAC-SHA256(timestamp, password)`. Ensure the timestamp is current (within 5 minutes). Check that your account role has API access permis