Compliance

SMS compliance basics

You do not need to become a legal expert to text fans more responsibly. You do need a few simple habits: clear opt-ins, relevant messages, and immediate respect for opt-outs.

Review Messaging Compliance See compliance and consent

Core value

What keeps musician texting healthier from the start

Clear permission comes first

The whole channel works better when fans clearly asked to hear from you.

Relevance protects trust

Compliance is not only about rules. It is also about messages feeling expected and useful.

Opt-outs need to be respected immediately

If a fan says stop, the relationship changes right there.

Start here

Only text people who clearly opted in

The basic principle is simple: text the fans who clearly asked to hear from you. That can happen through a signup form, a website widget, a show signup, or another clear join path.

  • Use clear consent-based signups
  • Do not rely on vague assumptions
  • Keep the source of the opt-in understandable

Match the message

Send the kind of update the fan expected

If someone joined for show alerts, random unrelated blasts will feel worse. Relevance matters because it is part of what keeps the channel from feeling spammy in the first place.

  • Keep messages aligned with why fans joined
  • Use segmentation when the audience should differ
  • Do not treat the list like one generic bucket

STOP means stop

Respect opt-outs immediately

Fans should always be able to opt out, and when they do, that choice needs to be honored right away. This is one of the simplest and most important trust rules in the entire channel.

  • Do not message opted-out fans again without a proper new opt-in
  • Treat unsubscribe handling as part of the system, not an edge case
  • Protect the long-term health of the list

Healthy habits

Compliance basics overlap with good messaging habits

A lot of the practical advice already lines up: clearer signup intent, more relevant sends, smarter timing, and fewer random blasts. That is why How to Stay Compliant and Avoid Looking Spammy is the best deeper read after this page.

  • Clear intent at signup
  • Relevant sends instead of random volume
  • Respect for the fan relationship over time

What this page is not

This is the starter version, not the full policy

This page is here to keep new users oriented. The full legal and platform policy still belongs on the actual Messaging Compliance page, where it already exists.

  • Use this guide for the practical basics
  • Use the policy page for the full rules and definitions
  • Use the feature page for product-level compliance context

FAQ

Questions artists ask about basic SMS compliance

What is the simplest compliance rule to remember?

Only text fans who clearly opted in and respect opt-outs immediately.

Is compliance only about legal policy?

No. It is also about healthy fan messaging habits like relevance, clarity, and trust.

Can I text old contacts if I am not sure how they joined?

If the opt-in is unclear, do not treat the list as safe for texting.

Where should I go for the full policy details?

Use the Messaging Compliance page for the full policy and platform rules.

Next guides

Keep the setup moving

Related features

Features that help with this

Start here

Start with these Groupie pages

From the blog

More to help you decide

Read more musician texting guides

Protect the channel

Keep the direct line to fans useful enough that they want to stay in it.

Groupie’s compliance story is strongest when artists combine clear signups, relevant sends, and immediate respect for opt-outs.

Review Messaging Compliance Read the full compliance policy