diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/WebSocketMessage.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/WebSocketMessage.java
index 66afe78b313..128e5d5484d 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/WebSocketMessage.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/WebSocketMessage.java
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.web.reactive.socket;
 
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+
 import org.springframework.core.io.buffer.DataBuffer;
+import org.springframework.core.io.buffer.DataBufferUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;
 
@@ -34,9 +37,17 @@ public class WebSocketMessage {
 
 
 	/**
-	 * Private constructor. See static factory methods.
+	 * Constructor for a WebSocketMessage. To create, see factory methods:
+	 * <ul>
+	 * <li>{@link WebSocketSession#textMessage}
+	 * <li>{@link WebSocketSession#binaryMessage}
+	 * <li>{@link WebSocketSession#pingMessage}
+	 * <li>{@link WebSocketSession#pongMessage}
+	 * </ul>
+	 * <p>Alternatively use {@link WebSocketSession#bufferFactory()} to create
+	 * the payload and then invoke this constructor.
 	 */
-	private WebSocketMessage(Type type, DataBuffer payload) {
+	public WebSocketMessage(Type type, DataBuffer payload) {
 		Assert.notNull(type, "'type' must not be null");
 		Assert.notNull(payload, "'payload' must not be null");
 		this.type = type;
@@ -58,6 +69,42 @@ public class WebSocketMessage {
 		return this.payload;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Return the message payload as UTF-8 text. This is a useful for text
+	 * WebSocket messages.
+	 */
+	public String getPayloadAsText() {
+		byte[] bytes = new byte[this.payload.readableByteCount()];
+		this.payload.read(bytes);
+		return new String(bytes, StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Retain the data buffer for the message payload, which is useful on
+	 * runtimes with pooled buffers, e.g. Netty. A shortcut for:
+	 * <pre>
+	 * DataBuffer payload = message.getPayload();
+	 * DataBufferUtils.retain(payload);
+	 * </pre>
+	 * @see DataBufferUtils#retain(DataBuffer)
+	 */
+	public void retainPayload() {
+		DataBufferUtils.retain(this.payload);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Release the data buffer for the message payload, which is useful on
+	 * runtimes with pooled buffers, e.g. Netty. This is a shortcut for:
+	 * <pre>
+	 * DataBuffer payload = message.getPayload();
+	 * DataBufferUtils.release(payload);
+	 * </pre>
+	 * @see DataBufferUtils#release(DataBuffer)
+	 */
+	public void releasePayload() {
+		DataBufferUtils.release(this.payload);
+	}
+
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean equals(Object other) {
@@ -78,42 +125,6 @@ public class WebSocketMessage {
 	}
 
 
-	/**
-	 * Factory method to create a text WebSocket message.
-	 */
-	public static WebSocketMessage text(DataBuffer payload) {
-		return create(Type.TEXT, payload);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Factory method to create a binary WebSocket message.
-	 */
-	public static WebSocketMessage binary(DataBuffer payload) {
-		return create(Type.BINARY, payload);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Factory method to create a ping WebSocket message.
-	 */
-	public static WebSocketMessage ping(DataBuffer payload) {
-		return create(Type.PING, payload);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Factory method to create a pong WebSocket message.
-	 */
-	public static WebSocketMessage pong(DataBuffer payload) {
-		return create(Type.PONG, payload);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Factory method to create a WebSocket message of the given type.
-	 */
-	public static WebSocketMessage create(Type type, DataBuffer payload) {
-		return new WebSocketMessage(type, payload);
-	}
-
-
 	/**
 	 * WebSocket message types.
 	 */
diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/WebSocketSession.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/WebSocketSession.java
index 860fe3caa02..5f8720cb183 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/WebSocketSession.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/WebSocketSession.java
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@
 package org.springframework.web.reactive.socket;
 
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.util.function.Function;
 
 import org.reactivestreams.Publisher;
 import reactor.core.publisher.Flux;
 import reactor.core.publisher.Mono;
 
+import org.springframework.core.io.buffer.DataBuffer;
 import org.springframework.core.io.buffer.DataBufferFactory;
 
 /**
@@ -58,6 +60,30 @@ public interface WebSocketSession {
 	 */
 	Mono<Void> send(Publisher<WebSocketMessage> messages);
 
+	/**
+	 * Factory method to create a text {@link WebSocketMessage} using the
+	 * {@link #bufferFactory()} for the session.
+	 */
+	WebSocketMessage textMessage(String payload);
+
+	/**
+	 * Factory method to create a binary WebSocketMessage using the
+	 * {@link #bufferFactory()} for the session.
+	 */
+	WebSocketMessage binaryMessage(Function<DataBufferFactory, DataBuffer> payloadFactory);
+
+	/**
+	 * Factory method to create a ping WebSocketMessage using the
+	 * {@link #bufferFactory()} for the session.
+	 */
+	WebSocketMessage pingMessage(Function<DataBufferFactory, DataBuffer> payloadFactory);
+
+	/**
+	 * Factory method to create a pong WebSocketMessage using the
+	 * {@link #bufferFactory()} for the session.
+	 */
+	WebSocketMessage pongMessage(Function<DataBufferFactory, DataBuffer> payloadFactory);
+
 	/**
 	 * Close the WebSocket session with {@link CloseStatus#NORMAL}.
 	 */
diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/JettyWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/JettyWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java
index 58a8f9b2626..540ec8eac7b 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/JettyWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/JettyWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java
@@ -101,15 +101,15 @@ public class JettyWebSocketHandlerAdapter extends WebSocketHandlerAdapterSupport
 		if (Type.TEXT.equals(type)) {
 			byte[] bytes = ((String) message).getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
 			DataBuffer buffer = getBufferFactory().wrap(bytes);
-			return WebSocketMessage.create(Type.TEXT, buffer);
+			return new WebSocketMessage(Type.TEXT, buffer);
 		}
 		else if (Type.BINARY.equals(type)) {
 			DataBuffer buffer = getBufferFactory().wrap((ByteBuffer) message);
-			return WebSocketMessage.create(Type.BINARY, buffer);
+			return new WebSocketMessage(Type.BINARY, buffer);
 		}
 		else if (Type.PONG.equals(type)) {
 			DataBuffer buffer = getBufferFactory().wrap((ByteBuffer) message);
-			return WebSocketMessage.create(Type.PONG, buffer);
+			return new WebSocketMessage(Type.PONG, buffer);
 		}
 		else {
 			throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unexpected message type: " + message);
diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/NettyWebSocketSessionSupport.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/NettyWebSocketSessionSupport.java
index 031cd34e053..b4a75823389 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/NettyWebSocketSessionSupport.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/NettyWebSocketSessionSupport.java
@@ -78,12 +78,12 @@ public abstract class NettyWebSocketSessionSupport<T> extends WebSocketSessionSu
 		Class<?> frameType = frames.get(0).getClass();
 		if (frames.size() == 1) {
 			NettyDataBuffer buffer = bufferFactory().wrap(frames.get(0).content());
-			return WebSocketMessage.create(MESSAGE_TYPES.get(frameType), buffer);
+			return new WebSocketMessage(MESSAGE_TYPES.get(frameType), buffer);
 		}
 		return frames.stream()
 				.map(socketFrame -> bufferFactory().wrap(socketFrame.content()))
 				.reduce(NettyDataBuffer::write)
-				.map(buffer -> WebSocketMessage.create(MESSAGE_TYPES.get(frameType), buffer))
+				.map(buffer -> new WebSocketMessage(MESSAGE_TYPES.get(frameType), buffer))
 				.get();
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/TomcatWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/TomcatWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java
index 36ba805a27f..cd1af4728ad 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/TomcatWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/TomcatWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java
@@ -90,15 +90,15 @@ public class TomcatWebSocketHandlerAdapter extends WebSocketHandlerAdapterSuppor
 		private <T> WebSocketMessage toMessage(T message) {
 			if (message instanceof String) {
 				byte[] bytes = ((String) message).getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
-				return WebSocketMessage.create(Type.TEXT, getBufferFactory().wrap(bytes));
+				return new WebSocketMessage(Type.TEXT, getBufferFactory().wrap(bytes));
 			}
 			else if (message instanceof ByteBuffer) {
 				DataBuffer buffer = getBufferFactory().wrap((ByteBuffer) message);
-				return WebSocketMessage.create(Type.BINARY, buffer);
+				return new WebSocketMessage(Type.BINARY, buffer);
 			}
 			else if (message instanceof PongMessage) {
 				DataBuffer buffer = getBufferFactory().wrap(((PongMessage) message).getApplicationData());
-				return WebSocketMessage.create(Type.PONG, buffer);
+				return new WebSocketMessage(Type.PONG, buffer);
 			}
 			else {
 				throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unexpected message type: " + message);
diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/UndertowWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/UndertowWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java
index c594ccffc13..691c4395b0b 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/UndertowWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/UndertowWebSocketHandlerAdapter.java
@@ -102,15 +102,15 @@ public class UndertowWebSocketHandlerAdapter extends WebSocketHandlerAdapterSupp
 		private <T> WebSocketMessage toMessage(Type type, T message) {
 			if (Type.TEXT.equals(type)) {
 				byte[] bytes = ((String) message).getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
-				return WebSocketMessage.create(Type.TEXT, getBufferFactory().wrap(bytes));
+				return new WebSocketMessage(Type.TEXT, getBufferFactory().wrap(bytes));
 			}
 			else if (Type.BINARY.equals(type)) {
 				DataBuffer buffer = getBufferFactory().allocateBuffer().write((ByteBuffer[]) message);
-				return WebSocketMessage.create(Type.BINARY, buffer);
+				return new WebSocketMessage(Type.BINARY, buffer);
 			}
 			else if (Type.PONG.equals(type)) {
 				DataBuffer buffer = getBufferFactory().allocateBuffer().write((ByteBuffer[]) message);
-				return WebSocketMessage.create(Type.PONG, buffer);
+				return new WebSocketMessage(Type.PONG, buffer);
 			}
 			else {
 				throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unexpected message type: " + message);
diff --git a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/WebSocketSessionSupport.java b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/WebSocketSessionSupport.java
index 33a5a3529c2..b50dc7257c7 100644
--- a/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/WebSocketSessionSupport.java
+++ b/spring-web-reactive/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/reactive/socket/adapter/WebSocketSessionSupport.java
@@ -17,14 +17,18 @@
 package org.springframework.web.reactive.socket.adapter;
 
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+import java.util.function.Function;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import reactor.core.publisher.Mono;
 
+import org.springframework.core.io.buffer.DataBuffer;
 import org.springframework.core.io.buffer.DataBufferFactory;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.web.reactive.socket.CloseStatus;
+import org.springframework.web.reactive.socket.WebSocketMessage;
 import org.springframework.web.reactive.socket.WebSocketSession;
 
 /**
@@ -87,6 +91,30 @@ public abstract class WebSocketSessionSupport<T> implements WebSocketSession {
 		return this.bufferFactory;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public WebSocketMessage textMessage(String payload) {
+		byte[] bytes = payload.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+		DataBuffer buffer = bufferFactory().wrap(bytes);
+		return new WebSocketMessage(WebSocketMessage.Type.TEXT, buffer);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public WebSocketMessage binaryMessage(Function<DataBufferFactory, DataBuffer> payloadFactory) {
+		DataBuffer payload = payloadFactory.apply(bufferFactory());
+		return new WebSocketMessage(WebSocketMessage.Type.BINARY, payload);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public WebSocketMessage pingMessage(Function<DataBufferFactory, DataBuffer> payloadFactory) {
+		DataBuffer payload = payloadFactory.apply(bufferFactory());
+		return new WebSocketMessage(WebSocketMessage.Type.PING, payload);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public WebSocketMessage pongMessage(Function<DataBufferFactory, DataBuffer> payloadFactory) {
+		DataBuffer payload = payloadFactory.apply(bufferFactory());
+		return new WebSocketMessage(WebSocketMessage.Type.PONG, payload);
+	}
 
 	@Override
 	public final Mono<Void> close(CloseStatus status) {