Last updated: November 2021
Having a verified business page on Google and Facebook makes brands far more credible to visitors, and the same is true of YouTube. A YouTube channel with a verification badge tells users that the page is authentic.
So how do you know if your brand’s YouTube channel is verified?
A verified YouTube channel will have a verification badge in the form of a checked box to the right of the brand’s name. Take Google’s YouTube account for example. The check to the right of the name indicates the page is verified and lets visitors know this is the official channel for Google.
Another way to check if your account is verified is by going into your YouTube settings. Click on Channel Settings, then click on Status and Features, and you will be able to see your account status. If your account is verified, you will see a bolded “Verified” next to your brand’s name.
If you don’t see a verification badge on your YouTube account, or your Account status is not showing as “Verified” in your Channel Settings, there are a few steps you can take. Google support lists them as follows:
- Note: YouTube has updated their verification process since we originally posted this.
- To get a verification badge today, you must meet YouTube’s eligibility criteria of 100,000 subscribers. Once your channel has 100,000 or more subscribers, you can submit a request for a verification badge to YouTube.
- If your channel falls below the 100,000 subscribers, try contacting YouTube support for further options.
Additionally, you can link your website to your YouTube channel. Doing this will tell YouTube and Google that this is the official channel for your brand, which adds more authenticity.
Suggested Reading: YouTube Video Optimization Best Practices
To do this, go to Advanced Channel Settings (Creator Studio > Channel > Advanced) and scroll down to the Associated Website section of the page. From there, you can add your website link into the blank field.
Once complete, you will receive a “Success” message letting you know your channel and site are now linked. If you see a “Pending” status, you need to verify the site in Google Search Console and will give you a link with instructions to complete verification (if you own the website, you’ll be able to click Verify, and otherwise can Request approval to have the website owner approve verification.)
One other thing to consider is adding links to your website directly from your YouTube videos. This can be done using cards, which allow you to overlay hyperlinks to your website and product pages in your YouTube videos.
Using cards can boost engagement and subscribers, making it quick and easy for your channel visitors to find more of your videos or playlists, or to click to your website and find products featured in your videos. Find more details on adding links to your YouTube videos here.