It’s also slightly smaller than the other Play Button awards, as well as more obtainable – over 300,000 Silver Play Buttons have been awarded. You are leaving to do the preps for getting all of the YouTube play buttons! YouTube Creator Awards is the way of recognizing the extraordinary effort creators put into their growing channels and to build thriving communities, responsibly. Many channels in the music niche have found success by narrowing their focus to specific genres or themes, like classical or indie music. So now let’s dive into some tips you can start working on to grow your YouTube channel and hope to earn one (or more) of the famous YouTube Play Buttons. This button is adorned with a diamond-shaped play button made in transparent glass.

Launched in 2012, the Play Buttons have since become a symbol of success, with the campaign’s debut marking a major milestone in YouTube’s history. Now, the required eligibility test is conducted at each level to ensure that channels remain eligible. Simply earning one YouTube play button does not automatically incur eligibility for all future awards.

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We’re very happy to have had a hand in this, helping both of them achieve growth on their channels with our music. See how Growingannanas supercharged her growth or about TwoSync reaping the rewards from licensing popular music. Lickd favorites TwoSync and Growingannanas both have gold play buttons, with around 1.5million followers apiece.

  • YouTube does not sell or permit the sale of any of these awards.
  • It’s a recognition of your hard work and dedication, encouraging you to keep creating.
  • It signals to potential viewers that you produce quality content worth subscribing to.
  • It’s easy to think that music that just plays freely all around you is OK to add to your own content.
  • Simply earning one YouTube play button does not automatically incur eligibility for all future awards.
  • You’ll need to invest serious time and effort into your channel to get this far.

Introduction to YouTube Play Buttons

Many creators choose to display their Play Buttons in their filming space or office as a reminder of their achievements. Others may take photos with it to share with their audience on social media. This is true not only for music videos but also for other types of content that could attract an audience. So, all you need is to learn to how to be an influencer. YouTube, the world’s largest video-sharing platform, has become a hub for content creators to showcase their talent and creativity. Once a creator earns a YouTube play button, the creator is then permitted to buy additional play buttons.

Here’s a straightforward guide to ensure your award is delivered smoothly. Note that this list is subject to change – past recipients of the Red Diamond play button have been from Russia, for example. To understand how to get a YouTube Play Button, it’s important to be familiar with the full list of YouTube Play Buttons and their corresponding requirements. No, the Silver Play Button is not made of real silver; it is made of a nickel-plated cupronickel alloy. Are you a serious gamer that really knows about video games? Are you passionate about gardening and you think you can offer a ton of knowledge to your audience?

Reportedly, there are only about 1000 YouTube Diamond play button recipients out there. Ever since YouTube introduced the YouTube Play Buttons (also known as Creator Awards or YouTube Plaques), they have become the most coveted social media prize. Play buttons are the only officially recognized status for being a legitimate social media influencer. In August 2024, YouTube will introduce a new, lighter-sized award. While the physical dimensions may change, don’t worry—the quality and design of the awards will remain the same. The prestige and recognition you deserve as a creator will continue to be at the forefront of this evolution.

As of 2025, only 29,000 channels have received the Gold Play Button – less than 10% of the number of Silver Play Buttons awarded. Exaggerated reality and pushing other creators’ success to the next level has been a winning theme on YouTube. This appears to suggest that YouTube Awards are not given to certain types of content. The rarest and most elite YouTube play button is the Red Diamond Creator Award. To date, only a handful of Ruby play button winners have gone on to reach 100 million followers and been awarded a Red Diamond play button.

The Ruby Play Button did not originally have a name or description when it was first introduced. However, the gamer and YouTuber PewDiePie referred to it as the Ruby Play Button due to the one he received being designed with a Play Button in a ruby-like tone. YouTube does not sell or permit the sale of any of these awards. Many YouTubers will tell you that the best rule of thumb when creating a YouTube persona is to be true to yourself. There is a lot of value in that advice for understanding your audience as well. So, picking a niche and connecting to that audience is the critical calculus of success.

How to Apply for Your YouTube Creator Award?

This blog post explains the history of YouTube Play Buttons, their importance, and how you can get your own. Learn everything you need to know about the history of ads on YouTube. Released in 2015, only about 1,000 channels have received this tier of Play Button. The nickel-based plaque comes engraved with the channel name and a signed letter from YouTube’s CEO.

Many of the channels in this space have 3,500 videos, but there really is no rule of thumb. You’ll need to invest serious fx choice review time and effort into your channel to get this far. Youtube play button levels are awarded at five distinct intervals of success. Three of the creator awards are relatively common, while the remaining two are the most elite levels to achieve. The minimum eligibility requirement is essentially posting twice a year.

When Did YouTube Start Ads? A History Of Video Advertising

Each award is designed by YouTube and has a specific look and feel. After submitting your shipping information, you’ll need to redeem your award. Once this step is completed, you can expect your award to be delivered within approximately 2-3 weeks. Whether you’re buying merch from your favorite creator or just hunting for a one of a kind item, TikTok Shop has it all – but is it safe? Here’s what you need to know before you make your first purchase. Check out the eligibility criteria listed here to make sure that your channel meets all of them.

This is the very foundation of creating and building any YouTube channel. Earning your Play Button brings a sense of accomplishment. It’s a recognition of your hard work and dedication, encouraging you to keep creating. Brands often look for established creators to partner with for sponsorships and collaborations. Having a Play Button can make your channel more attractive to potential sponsors, leading to promising opportunities. Applying for your YouTube Creator Award is an exciting step in your creator journey!

  • This can help you choose set a posting schedule  with the best times to upload your content for maximum visibility.
  • Here’s a straightforward guide to ensure your award is delivered smoothly.
  • The nickel-based plaque comes engraved with the channel name and a signed letter from YouTube’s CEO.

You can get a Silver Play Button once you reach the 100,000 mark and pass YouTube’s review of your channel. Can you imagine that your favorite series didn’t have a regular schedule for releasing each episode? Stick to a regular upload schedule to keep your audience engaged and returning for more content. Choose niches based on your real expertise rather than the potential audience you want to attract. In this table we have introduced the different YouTube Play Button awards with a quick description of each for easy orientation.

How long does it take to get the silver play button?

You simply cannot be a successful content creator, without an audience. YouTube has videos that cover virtually every topic that nearly anyone wants or needs to see. We’ve touched on how you can grow your YouTube channel before.

With that in mind, there isn’t a single known play button recipient who only meets the minimum requirements. Most content creators agree that the best practice for success is to post at least once or twice a week. YouTubers like NikkieTutorials and Ninja have been awarded the coveted diamond play button, as well as channels like Tedx Talks and Mr. Bean. YouTube Play Buttons are more than just awards; they symbolize the dedication, creativity, and hard work of content creators. YouTube Play Buttons were introduced to recognize and reward content creators for their exceptional contributions to the platform.

How to Redeem YouTube Play Buttons

It’s easy to think that music that just plays freely all around you is OK to add to your own content. Every verified YouTube channel and play button winner essentially falls into one of three categories; educational, entertainment, or inspirational. Thus, the vast majority of people who are watching YouTube videos also fall into those audiences, and oftentimes into two of them or even all three. Being active on YouTube is not only one of the minimum requirements of eligibility for any level of play button, but one of the central elements of YouTube success. This cannot be overstated, every level of YouTube play button is awarded at the complete and absolute discretion of YouTube. The Ruby play button is earned once an eligible channel achieves 50 million followers, and to date, only about 35 channels have won.