As a symbol of success, getting a YouTube Play Button is an indicator of a significant milestone for YouTubers. To earn these different types of YouTube Play Buttons, a channel must reach certain subscriber milestones and also adhere to YouTube’s policies.
Nothing says success like a YouTube play button for creators who want to create and share their content on YouTube. If you are a YouTuber who enjoys speaking to your subscribers about your life, hobbies, and other topics, a YouTube play button displayed somewhere on the screen signifies that your content is worth watching for those who have recently discovered your channel.
If you’re a YouTuber -or you want to become one- who is looking for a roadmap to get your first YouTube play button, you’re in the right place.
What Do You Need to Do to Get the First YouTube Plaque?
If you have been paying attention, you may have noticed that there are different YouTube Play Buttons available in different colors and materials. As much as they all look cute and unique, every YouTube play button represents a rank and comes with terms and conditions. Therefore, it is a significant indicator of success on the platform, being more than looking appealing.
To get each button, you need to reach a certain number of YouTube subscribers and prove you’re worthy of receiving the YouTube play button. To reach those subscriber milestones, you can try to implement strategies like optimizing your YouTube thumbnails, cross-promotion, or maybe creating content based on the recent trending YouTube channel ideas.
After gaining the necessary number of subscribers, all you need to do is request your award from YouTube and wait until they analyze your channel and prove you’re worthy of the YouTube award.
How Many YouTube Play Buttons Are There?
There are four different YouTube play buttons in total which represent a different rank in terms of subscriber numbers. YouTube play buttons in order are as follows:
1. YouTube Silver Play Button
This is the first YouTube play button among all plaque levels that any YouTuber can reach in their carrier. To gain this creator award, creators must hit 100,000 subscribers on their channel.
2. YouTube Gold Play Button
This second special button is awarded to channel owners who have reached 1 million subscribers in their channel. Strategies like enhancing your YouTube SEO to rank your videos can help you reach this milestone faster.
3. YouTube Diamond Play Button
The third creator award on the rank list is the Diamond Play button which is given to people with 10 million subscribers on their YouTube channel. There are currently only 986 channels that have a Diamond YouTube Plaque.
4. YouTube Red Diamond Play Button
The last one on the list is the most special award that YouTube has for its creators for those who reach 100 million subscribers. The Red Diamond play button is the hardest-to-achieve button and regardless of it not being an actual diamond, it’s one of the most rare items that any YouTubers can ever be awarded with. The current number of YouTubers who are rewarded with the Red Diamond Creator Award is only 10. Here is the list of YouTubers who have the Red Diamond Play Button:
- T-Series
- PewDiePie
- Cocomelon
- SET India
- MrBeast
- Kids Diana Show
- Like Nastya
- Vlad and Niki
- Zee Music Company
- WWE
How to Get a YouTube Play Button?
After reaching 100,000 subscribers, YouTube rewards you with a Silver button. After receiving the award, you can claim it for free if you reside within the USA, EU, or UK. Countries like Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, etc. need to pay for the shipping.
YouTube is now seeking additional eligibility requirements for channels with 100,000 subscribers. Let’s explore them:
- To be eligible for the silver play button, your channel must be active and produce original content. Reposted videos and unoriginal ideas are not considered worthy of the creator awards.
- Channel owners must upload videos within the time frame of six months to be eligible for this award.
- In case of a Community Guideline violation, you may lose your rights to receive the YouTube Plaque award.
- YouTube requires its creators to be familiar with the YouTube Partner Program to be eligible for creator awards.
- YouTubers who seek to receive this award must live in eligible countries.
How to Order YouTube Plaques
Here are the step-by-step instructions to order your first YouTube play button:
- YouTube sends an email to your account after hitting a milestone. Check out if you’ve received the email.
- Find the confirmation that shows you have received the right to be awarded with the play button.
- You’ll find a redemption code in the e-mail.
- Go to the Creator Awards website and paste your code in the box.
- Enter your channel name.
- Provide your delivery address.
- Complete by clicking the Order button.
FAQs
Are custom play buttons still available?
YouTube has stopped production of the custom play buttons, which have only been given to three YouTubers: PewDiePie, T-Series, and Canal KondZilla. Those three channels were awarded with custom-shaped play buttons which were given to them upon hitting 50 million subscribers.
How many YouTube play buttons are there?
Today, a YouTuber can earn four different play buttons – silver, gold, diamond, and red diamond – upon reaching specific subscriber milestones.
How much is a YouTube play button?
You cannot pay to receive the right to own a play button. To receive your YouTube play button, you need to gain a certain number of followers. To be eligible for the silver play button, you need a minimum of 100,000 followers.
Can I Lose My YouTube Play Button?
Once the tangible indicator of your milestone, the YouTube Play Button is awarded to you, it belongs to you. Whether you lose 1,000 or 10,000 subscribers, it remains an award, not a status symbol. However, if you violate YouTube’s policies, terms of service, or community guidelines, there are consequences, such as your channel being removed from the platform. Even though YouTube does not require the button to be returned, it loses its meaning.
