Monetizing Your Text Line (United States)

Your text line shouldn’t be a cost centre. When it’s set up properly, it becomes a reliable sales asset that delivers year-round sponsor value without using airtime or adding work for your team.

Text messaging is also one of the most regulated marketing channels. Sponsored messages that feel promotional can lead to filtering, campaign shutdowns, or fines. In more serious cases, service can be suspended with little warning.

Throughout this article, we’ll use Text Groove FM (TG FM) as our example station, along with a simple Green Light, Yellow Light, Red Light approach to help you gut check messaging quickly.

• Green Light
  Safe, approved patterns we recommend using regularly.
  
  

• Yellow Light
  Allowed with caution. These can work, but should be monitored for deliverability.
  
  

• Red Light
  Not allowed on a station-owned text line. These patterns are likely to be filtered, blocked, or cause compliance issues. See the note at the bottom of the article if a sponsor wants their own dedicated text line.

If you’re ever on the fence, send us a note at support@textgroove.com. We’re broadcast nerds who love clean deliverability and making your life easier. For anything legal, we recommend consulting your legal team.


The Core Rules that Drive Everything
Your station must be unmistakably clear

• Your station name appears in the message and as the sender
• Messages should sound like they come from the station, not the sponsor

Sponsors support the experience, they don’t sell through it

Sponsorship is fine. Advertising through a station text line isn’t.

• Sponsors can:

  • Be acknowledged

  • Be thanked

  • Be linked in a neutral, informational way
    
    

• Sponsors can't:

  • Ask listeners to buy, order, visit, book, sign up, download, or claim

  • Push deals, tickets, coupons, or urgency

  • Sound like the sender of the message
    
    

Filtering happens upstream

Filtering happens upstream when the aggregator or carrier feels like your message content is promotional or forbidden. 

Filtering is not always a sign you did something wrong. Carriers can block compliant messages due to shifting spam patterns, sudden volume changes, or link reputation issues.

If messages are not delivering, flag it quickly. Carriers troubleshoot based on very recent activity, so early heads ups make a big difference.

Using links in messages

Links are super powerful. They tell carriers a lot about what a message is trying to do. And if you ask us, you should almost always be cross promoting listeners back to your own world, like your website, stream, events, and contests.

Use the guidance below to choose links that support your message without putting delivery at risk.

Green Light

Link points to a station branded page OR Text Groove in-platform URL shortener - these links can reference the sponsor

Yellow Light

Link points to a sponsor domain with no client-based call to action. Monitor deliverability closely.

Red Light

Public URL shorteners like Bitly or TinyURL

Any call to action tied to the sponsor

What Works: Green Light Examples

Use these formulas to build copy.

Green Light

Use these patterns by default.

• Station led messaging that clearly comes from your station

• Sponsor credited as “powered by” or “sponsored by”

• Optional conversational language 

• No promotional or sales language

• Station branded URL or Text Groove's URL Shortener, if you include a link
  
  

The Grey Area: Yellow Light Examples

These patterns aren’t asking listeners to do anything, but they can still impact deliverability over time.

Yellow Light
Watch for copy that feels salesy when repeated at scale, or any drop in delivery. If listeners report missing texts, loop us in so we can help guide next steps.

• Station led messaging

• Sponsor credited as “powered by” or “sponsored by”

• No promotional or sales language

• Sponsor domain link only

• No client based call to action
  
  

Where to Draw the Line: Red Light Examples

Red Light

These patterns cross the line for a station-owned text line and are likely to be filtered, blocked, or suspended.

• Calls to action like buy, order, visit, book, sign up, download, or claim

• Deals, discounts, coupons, or urgency

• Public URL shorteners

• Sponsor acting like the sender

Crossing the line can lead to carrier filtering or blocking. Repeated issues can trigger campaign or number suspension, and fines may apply depending on the violation and volume.

Quick note: we can help with best practices and carrier-friendly wording, but we’re not lawyers. We always recommend checking in with your legal team for campaign and sponsorship approvals.

If a sponsor wants promotional texting with calls to action, discounts, or direct sales messaging, they should run it on their own dedicated text line with the right compliance setup. See more information below. 

A Note for your Sales Team

Texting works best when it’s sold as listener infrastructure, not an ad unit.

Sponsorship through the station text line delivers brand presence and alignment. Promotion lives on air, online, and at events. That separation keeps messaging compliant, deliverability high, and sponsorships easier to renew.

If a client wants their own promotional texting program, reach out to our team to talk through pricing and setup options.

Need a hand? We’ve got you. Reach out anytime at support@textgroove.com.