how to get verified on youtube

If you have a budding YouTube channel that you haven’t had the time to verify yet, you will be missing out on a ton of new YouTube features that could just propel your channel to the next level of exposure.

Not verifying your YouTube channel is like being on the fence about doing YouTube as your full-time career. Not verifying your YouTube channel kind of shows that yes, you’re on YouTube, but you aren’t sure if you should just quit your day job and fully commit to this channel that has great income potential.  

YouTube check mark

Verifying your YouTube channel is a simple yet important step towards your channel’s YouTube growth. Take the risk, dive headlong, and heed this YouTuber calling! Verify your account right now and have one less excuse as to why you still don’t have a career change as a YouTuber yet! 

Getting verified on YouTube and getting the much desired YouTube Verification badge is the next level of verification you want to achieve as a YouTuber. This grey check mark beside your YouTube channel name will show that your channel will be mindful of community guidelines and the terms of YouTube, and will take to heart sharing good social content. This checkmark is like a registered trademark that proclaims to the world that your channel is trustworthy and legit.

The Differences of Verifying your YouTube Account from Having a YouTube Verification Badge

So, there’s verifying your YouTube account and then there’s the YouTube Verification Badge. Both YouTube actions sound almost alike, but one can’t afford to make the blunder of mixing one with the other. Google has some lack of insight in naming two different things with the same term when they could have just given them a unique name each to avoid all this confusion.

One is a step any channel can do, while the other is an accolade reserved only for channels that have achieved a certain number of subscribers and a certain level of channel activity. Still sounds quite confusing? Yes, it might be, but do not fret because we are here to clarify this mix-up and send you on your way to understanding and verifying your YouTube account and getting your YouTube Verification Badge.

This verifying a YouTube account versus getting a verification badge mix-up is finally put to rest in these descriptions:

  • Verifying a YouTube Account

Verifying a YouTube account is YouTube’s way to confirm that your channel is owned by a real person and not by a bot or some automated software that is trying to use YouTube for ad spamming purposes.

  • Getting the YouTube Verification Badge

The YouTube Verification Badge is an actual badge that signifies that your channel is an official channel of a creator, music artist, brand, company, or any entity that qualifies as a public figure. This badge assures viewers that any content they watch from a channel that has a YouTube verification badge is content that has been officially released by these public figures. This badge is represented by a checkmark symbol beside a YouTube channel’s name.

The YouTube Verification Badge is also a marker in one’s YouTube channel’s life that it has amassed at least 100,000 subscribers. A milestone to mark an important achievement of being legit. 

To not mix up the two together in the future, remember that one is an action one takes and the other is something a YouTube channel achieves.

Why Take the Action of Verifying your YouTube Account?

Here are some reasons why you should not delay verifying your YouTube Channel:

1.  Monetization

The most important reason for getting your YouTube channel verified is so you could have it eligible for monetization. Monetization means that you will be able to make money out of your YouTube channel like all your favorite YouTubers.

2.  Unlock Other Special Features

You should verify your YouTube channel to enable more features. Upon verifying your YouTube channel, you will be able to upload videos longer than 15 minutes, add custom thumbnails, stream live on the social media platform, and get the ability to appeal and win content ID claims if other YouTube channels use your content without permission.

How Do I Verify my YouTube Account?

Here are the few simple steps you can do using your mobile device to verify your YouTube account:

1.  Open the YT Studio on your mobile device. If you don’t have it yet, download the YT Studio app onto your mobile.

2.  Click on a video you have previously uploaded.

3.  Click on the pen icon in the upper right corner of the video.

4.  Tap on the Custom thumbnail box under the video.

5.  A notification that says you need to verify your account before you could add a custom thumbnail.

6.  Tap ‘Learn more.’

7.  This brings you to a page that explains adding a custom thumbnail.

8.  Click on the blue highlighted text that says ‘account is verified.’

9.  This brings you to a browser page asking for you to select your country and the method of how YouTube sends you your verification code.

10.  Select the check box by putting a tick symbol on the option that says; ‘text me the verification code.’

11.  A text box will appear that asks for your phone number.  

12.  Enter your phone number and click ‘Submit.’

13.  Wait for the text message that contains the 6-digit verification code.

14.  Enter your 6-digit verification code and click ‘Submit.’

15.  A window will appear that says ‘Congratulations! Your YouTube account is now verified.’

Why Should I Want a YouTube Verification Badge?

Having a YouTube Verification Badge gives you a natural edge in being a YouTuber. Because of this badge, viewers on YouTube will immediately know that what they are watching is truly your channel. This way, you assure viewers and potential subscribers that all videos rolled out by your verified channel are officially from you.

Secondly, having the verified badge deters copycats posing as you on YouTube. These copycats intend to mooch off your popularity by stealing traffic that should rightfully be yours.

Get a verification badge and show YouTube users that your channel is sincere about its commitment to share content that is socially relevant and free from hurtful or negative elements that are not consistent with YouTube’s community guidelines.

The effects of getting your YouTube Verification badge are all positives. And as a serious channel, we can’t imagine any reason why you should not get one for your channel. Yes, having that little checkmark won’t unlock any extra features or perks but this milestone is worth the trouble and will skyrocket your YouTube channel’s reach and exposure.

What are the Requirements to Fulfill Before I Can Apply for a YouTube Verification Badge?

Earlier YouTube just needed you to have a hundred thousand subscribers and having the badge was just a matter of applying for it. Now, YouTube has learned that having 1000,000 subscribers can mean nothing. The YouTube community ran into all sorts of trouble because of channels padding their subscriber count with thousands of fake accounts. These days, YouTube has doubled down on security and add a couple more requirements to be eligible for a verification badge.

Here is a comprehensive list of all requirements you will need to finally get your badge:

1.  100 K subs – YouTube has retained this requirement for all verification badge applicants.  

2.  You Need to be Authentic – YouTube must be able to tell that your account is what it says it is just by looking at your account. Invest in branding and maintain an account that looks professionally consistent with your YouTube channel’s brand. Having a unique channel name is also a non-negotiable element YouTube will weigh to deem you authentic.

3.  Be Complete – Being complete means having content consistent with your concept and targeted niche. Having a great profile, pic, banner, profile layout customization, and description will also help greatly in proving that your channel is really who it says it is.

How to Improve your Chances of Being YouTube Verified

1.  Build Up your Branding – Have a channel that has one look and feel. Use the same colors, pictures throughout your channel’s layout. Users will more likely subscribe to you if they come across your channel that looks put together.

This also greatly helps in having Google deem you as a professionally handled channel worthy of a YouTube verification badge.

2.  Be Engaging with your Community – Google will surely take notice of your engagement with your viewers and subscribers because high levels of interaction with visitors to your YouTube channel will show that you are a real channel that is run by real people that should deserve a YouTube verification badge.

3.  Consistency is Key – Content consistently uploaded to your YouTube channel shows that you deserve a YouTube verification badge. An active YouTube channel is always favored by Google because this shows you are a viable source of traffic that drives business for the whole YouTube community.                                      

Steps in Getting Your YouTube Channel Verification Badge

If you have all three requirements pretty much locked down, it’s time to apply for your YouTube verification badge.  Here is a straightforward list of steps in applying for your YouTube verification badge.

Step 1: Visit the Google Support Page

Visit the Google Support Page

At this corner of the Google Support Page, you will find a text box that says: ‘Apply for channel verification.’ Click on the ‘Apply now’ option to gain access to the YouTube verification badge application form. Note that you will not be able to see this if your channel does not have 100, 000 subscribers, yet.

Step 2: Fill Up the Form

Fill Up the Form

Fill up every text box with all info that Google asks from you. This will include your channel name and your channel ID. To know your channel id, go to your YouTube account and go to your settings’ advanced settings options and there you will see your channel ID. Copy this channel ID and paste it on the corresponding text box asking for your YouTube ID.

Step 3: Wait a While

Wait a While

You might have to wait for a few weeks to get the results for your YouTube verification badge application. As long as you have all the requirements down, it will just be a matter of waiting and you will eventually have your most sought-after YouTube Verification Badge.

Get Verified, Stay Verified

If a channel is verified, this does not necessarily mean that it gets to keep its verification badge forever. A channel can commit a few offenses or change its name to lose a verification badge it has earned. If you want to keep your badge for as long as you want, then avoid these actions:

1.  Impersonating someone else on YouTube – If proven, YouTube immediately revokes your YouTube verification badge. The YouTube verification badge is all about being authentic and being who you say you are. You probably deserve 

Your YouTube verification badge revoked if are caught impersonating someone.

2.  Changing your YouTube channel’s name – Changing your channel’s name automatically loses you your YouTube verification badge. If you want to change your channel’s name, you will just have to re-apply for a new YouTube verification badge for your new channel name.

3.  Violating YouTube’s Terms of Service – I’m sure you already know that any violation of YouTube’s terms of service will get your YouTube verification badge revoked. Don’t violate YouTube’s terms of services if you want to keep your YouTube verification badge for a long time.

Do Both! Verify your YouTube Account and Strive to Get a YouTube Verification Badge

Do both, and it’s all going to be for the up and up. These minimal steps of verifying your YouTube account and securing a YouTube verification badge will have maximum effect on your channel’s growth and progress.

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