Why Do Some Creators Not Qualify for a YouTube Play Button?

Not everyone qualifies for a YouTube playbutton redemption code, unfortunately. Even if you hit the 100,000 subscriber milestone, you aren’t guaranteed to receive one; YouTube reserves the right to review eligibility based on their Creator Awards guidelines.

YouTube wasn’t always this strict on handing out playbutton codes, however. It wasn’t until January 2018 that YouTube made its policy on handing out redemption codes to those that passed the milestone more difficult.

The main reasons for not being accepted are:

• Having received any kind of strike on your channel within the last 365 days.

• Having a channel that doesn't upload frequently.

• Making content that isn’t in-line with YouTube’s policies.

• Suspended or rejected from the YouTube Partner Program.

• Posting content that isn't original, or making content that is deceptive, spammy, or a scam.

• Your channel being linked to one that was previously terminated.

There are a couple of reasons why YouTube does this, and the first is that YouTube wants to establish a long-term relationship with their creators. The first playbutton is free, and therefore they do not want people to “game” the system, or provide a code to those they don’t see a future with.

If you’re interested in checking your eligibility, you can use this form to check. If you aren’t eligible, you may see an image like this:

So, what do you do in case you’re not accepted? Well, there are a few ways you can go about it. First you can ask the YouTube support team if they can provide any additional insight into why you were rejected. You should then review your content and see if your content is in-line with YouTube’s policies. If you have any kind of channel strike, you should seek to immediately resolve it.

We know how difficult it can be to get approved for one of these codes, which is why there is another option! At CreatorCargo, we grow a variety of channels, and as a by-product of that, we get our hands on a whole range of codes. We then provide them here as one of our offerings, which anyone can go ahead and get. Additionally, you can put in your own channel name when making your order for the plaque. If you’d like any further information, feel free to reach out to our support team!