Text Ads for Developers

A minimalist ad format built for developer tools, AI products, and text-based interfaces.

What are text ads?

A text ad is the simplest possible ad unit: a short line of text (up to 60 characters), a URL, and an optional sponsor name. No images, no animations, no popups, no auto-playing video, no layout shifts. It is a single, lightweight line of text that conveys a message and links to a destination.

Text ads are not new — Google's first ads were text-only. But the format is experiencing a resurgence because of where software is heading. As more applications adopt conversational UIs, streaming outputs, and minimal interfaces, the need for an ad format that matches this simplicity has grown.

Why developer tools and AI products need text ads

Developer tools share a common trait: they are text-heavy, information-dense, and built for focus. Whether it is an AI chatbot, a coding assistant, a terminal-based tool, or a data analysis dashboard — the primary content is text. Traditional banner ads and rich media ads clash with these interfaces.

Text ads solve this by matching the format of the surrounding content. A text ad in a chat interface looks like part of the conversation. A text ad in a terminal looks like standard output. The ad does not interrupt — it coexists.

How the Revme API works

Revme serves ads through a straightforward REST API. No client-side JavaScript injection is required. Your backend or frontend calls the API, receives a plain JSON response, and renders the ad text however you choose.

1. Your app sends a GET request to /api/v1/ads with your API key and optional user context.
2. The server returns a JSON object with the ad text, URL, sponsor name, and a unique ad ID.
3. Your app renders the text in its UI — as HTML, terminal output, or any format you choose.
4. Track impressions and clicks via /ads/:adId/impression and /ads/:adId/click. Both are fire-and-forget.

The server also returns a nextPollMs value, telling your app when to fetch the next ad. Ad frequency is controlled server-side — you do not need to manage timers or rotation logic.

Server-side targeting explained

Unlike traditional ad networks that rely on browser cookies and client-side tracking, Revme performs all targeting on the server:

• Language — The lang parameter. Match ads to the user's preferred language.
• Country — Derived from the request IP on the server side. No geolocation API needed.
• Timezone — The tz parameter. Schedule ads for specific time windows.

Because all of this happens server-side, nothing runs in the user's browser. No cookies, no fingerprinting, no third-party trackers. The request carries only the API key and optional context — nothing personally identifiable.

SDK integration

If you prefer a ready-made integration, the Revme SDK handles the entire lifecycle:

npm install @revme/sdk

import { AdModule } from '@revme/sdk'

const ads = new AdModule({ apiKey: 'ad_live_your_key' })

await ads.init((ad) => {
  if (ad) {
    console.log(`${ad.sponsor}: ${ad.text}`)
  }
})

The SDK works in any JavaScript environment — browser, Node.js, browser extensions, and React Native web views.

Use cases

• AI chatbots — Display a text ad after each AI response.
• Developer documentation — A text line at the top or bottom of a docs page.
• CLI tools — Text output is the native format. A text ad is indistinguishable.
• Browser extensions — Sidebars and panels are space-constrained. Text ads fit.
• Streaming APIs — Append a text ad to a streaming response payload.