YouTube Verification: How to Get a Grey Checkmark for Your Channel

Getting a YouTube verification badge is massively important for anyone who wants to make money from this video sharing platform.

But it’s not easy to get that little grey checkmark (and maintain it). Maybe you’ve already tried to get your YouTube channel verified, and you were rejected. Maybe you earned it, and not long after, you lost it without knowing why. Or maybe you just don’t know where to start.

It might take some time, but it’s definitely possible. And it’s worth it. This post will show you exactly what you need to do to become verified on YouTube.

First, let’s talk about some basics.

What is YouTube verification?

A YouTube verification badge is a grey checkmark or a grey music note shown next to the channel name of a YouTube creator or a YouTube artist, respectively.

Now, check out your YouTube channel. If you don’t see either of these checkmarks, your channel isn’t verified.

This verification badge indicates credibility. It tells the world that your YouTube channel is run by a real human being, an established creator, or an authenticated brand/organization.

Two things to keep in mind:

• No exclusive features. Being verified on YouTube doesn’t mean you’ll get access to any exclusive features or perks or awards. As said earlier, it just gives you or your brand legitimacy. In other words, YouTube viewers will likely trust your channel the first time they see your video on the feed.

• Prevents stolen traffic. Being verified on YouTube prevents copycats or impersonators from stealing any traffic that should go to your channel.

Note: In September 2019, YouTube announced a new design for channel verification. It said a grey background would replace the existing grey checkmark. However, until now, the new badge hasn’t been rolled out. We’ll keep you updated when the change is made.

A YouTube verification badge and YouTube account verification: Are they the same?

The answer is a loud No! They’re two different things.

YouTube account verification

Like other social media platforms, YouTube asks you to verify your account by adding a phone number the first time you create an account. This lets YouTube know you’re a real human, not a bot trying to spam the site.

By verifying your account, you’ll be given a facility to upload videos over 15 minutes long, add custom thumbnails, live stream, and appeal content ID claims.

That’s a vital step to create a valid channel. Anyone who wants to monetize their YouTube channel should verify their account.

YouTube verification badge

When it comes to getting a YouTube verification badge, it’s a bit different. And this is what we’re referring to from the beginning to the end of this post. It’s a badge of authenticity, as YouTube said:

If a channel is verified, it’s the official channel of a creator, artist, company, or public figure. Verified channels help distinguish official channels from other channels with similar names on YouTube.

With a phone number, you can verify your YouTube account in a second. But it takes time and effort to get a verification badge because you need to achieve all the set benchmarks. Keep reading to find out what the benchmarks are.

Why get verified on YouTube?

On almost all social media platforms, verification gives a profile an additional advantage. It confirms two things; first, the person who owns that account is who they claim to be. Second, and two, the person is serious about sharing social content. You’re considerate towards what you’ll say and how you appear on the network.

Any inauthentic tactics to grow views or subscribers will backfire sooner or later. It’s because YouTube no longer verifies a channel solely based on the number of followers.

Besides, getting a verification badge helps protect your channel from being confused with other “fake” channels on YouTube. Their channels have the same as yours, but because your channel is verified by YouTube, your followers can find you, and potential audiences can identify you as a trusted brand.

Understand YouTube verification requirements

Previously, if your channel gained over 100,000 subscribers, you could quickly get a verification badge. However, many people think of a YouTube verification badge as a way of content endorsement, not identity. That’s why the platform updated their verification policy.

Since October 2019, to get a YouTube verification badge, your channel must meet the following criteria:

Source: Google

• Have at least 100,000 subscribers.
• Be authentic, meaning your channel must represent the real creator, brand, or entity you’re claiming to be.
• Be complete, meaning your channel must be public and have a description, channel icon, and content, and be active on YouTube.

Is there any shortcut to getting YouTube verification?

Spammers or quick-money-makers always try to tell you shortcuts—often “break-the-rules” tricks—that promise immediate wins. You may see these offers everywhere!

Be careful with them. Like most easy things, they are too good to be true.

After all, you need to comply with all the requirements YouTube has established to get your channel verified.

The best way to quickly get a YouTube verification badge is following proven tactics to grow views for your channel and increase your subscribers. Think about these tips:

• Be honest and transparent about what you’re sharing. Creating incredible video content is good to attract viewers, but be sure it’s relevant and real. Don’t exaggerate the benefits of your product/service. Instead, go behind the scenes, for example, if you’re selling a product, tell a story about where you get the materials and how you actually make it.
• Respond to any comment you have on your videos. It’s a great way to show you’re real, and you value people’s opinions/feedback. It also helps you start a conversation with new audiences and encourages them to subscribe to your channel.
• Share videos often and consistently. Obviously, you don’t need to post a video every hour or every couple of hours. But it’s recommended that you upload at least one video per week, especially if you’re just starting out or trying to build an audience. You can use tools like Hootsuite to schedule videos, so you can focus on creating consistently high-quality content instead. The video below explains how Hootsuite can help you manage your YouTube presence:

How to get verified on YouTube

If you meet the criteria above, take these two simple steps to get a YouTube verification badge:

Step 1: Go to Google’s support page

Click on this URL: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3046484?hl=en, or copy and paste it into your browser. Then, hit Enter.

After that, scroll down to the Apply for channel verification section, and you’ll see a text box like this.

Notice the Apply now anchor text in the text box. You’ll need to click on it to access the application form.

Note: If your channel isn’t eligible, you can’t see the link. Instead, you’ll see a message as below:

Step 2: Fill in the form

Click Apply Now to access the application form. All you need to do is to fill in the information.

To know your Channel ID, sign in your YouTube account > Settings > Advanced settings, and you’ll see it like this:

Once you’re finished, just click the submit button, and you’ll see this notification:

YouTube will also send you an email for confirmation:

Note that you may have to wait some weeks for results.

How to stay verified on YouTube

Don’t violate the Terms of Service

It’s one thing to get verified on YouTube; it’s another thing to stay verified. Even though you’ve met all the criteria and got a verification badge, YouTube can and will take it away if you then violate their Terms of Service or Community Guidelines.

Don’t change your channel name

If you change your channel name, you lose your badge as well. But you can apply for verification again using the new name.

Gaining a Youtube verification badge isn’t as easy as it seems; lots of work is required before you can get it. But as long as you follow YouTube criteria, you should have no trouble achieving that grey checkmark soon. Good luck!

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