How to Trademark Your YouTube Channel (Updated In 2023)

 

On this page, I’m going to show you if you should AND how to trademark your YouTube channel (before anyone else does…)

Here’s why you should consider copyrighting and trademarking your YouTube channel name:

1. Trademark protects your channel name and prevents competitors from stealing and using a similar version of your YouTube channel name
2. Trademark increases the value of your YouTube brand if you ever decide to sell your business (the value of your YouTube business is in your brand)
3. Allows you to sue someone if someone is using your YouTube channel name
4. Prevent another YouTube from using a similar brand
5. Allows you to use the ® symbol to protect your YouTube channel and brand

Are you a YouTuber?

If you’re making a significant amount of money from your YouTube channel, you should look to trademark your YouTube channel name.

Book a free call with a Trademark Strategy Advisor here to learn how a trademark can protect your YouTube channel…

Most importantly, trademarking your YouTube channel will give you exclusive rights to your channel name, protects your channel’s name, and prevents others from using the same or similar name.

While you can try to trademark YouTube names yourself, it is not suggested at all.

This is because the trademark registration process can be very confusing and complicated.

Go ahead and book a free call with a Trademark Strategy Advisor here.

Why Should I Trademark My YouTube Channel?

Trademarking your YouTube channel gives you the following benefits:

• Gives you exclusive rights to your channel name
• Prevents someone else from using your channel name without your permission
• Prevents someone else to use your branding materials to mislead viewers
• Allows your viewers to trust your brand

However, keep in mind that Trademarking your YouTube channel will not protect your content, such as your videos and pictures, but rather it will protect the way that your content is identified and promoted.

For example, even though someone else is not allowed to use your registered trademark without your permission, a registered trademark will not prevent them from creating similar videos.

 

When Should I Trademark YouTube Channel Name?

If you are serious about your YouTube channel and make a decent amount of income from ad revenue or sponsorships, you should copyright the YouTube channel name as soon as possible. In general, the sooner the better.

To get a registered Trademark, you have to be actively using your YouTube channel. So if your YouTube channel is already established and you are frequently creating and uploading videos, then you will be able to trademark your YouTube channel.

If you are not quite there, you can still file an application for trademark, but it will be considered an “Intent to Use” trademark application” — which means even if your YouTube channel is not actively started yet, then in most cases, you can still file an Intent to Use application to get a head start with your Trademark registration.

Simply put, the sooner you file your trademark application, the better.

 

What About Trademark Infringement?

According to YouTube, Trademark infringement is “improper or unauthorized use of a trademark in a way that is likely to cause confusion as to the source of that product. YouTube policies prohibit videos and channels that infringe trademarks.”

According to YouTube, if you upload content on YouTube that uses another party’s trademarks in a way that is likely to confuse, your videos can be blocked and your channel suspended.

So, while it’s important to register your trademark, it’s equally as important to not use someone else’s trademark in a way that is likely to confuse so your videos won’t be blocked and your channel suspended by YouTube.

On the other hand, if your Trademark has been infringed, you can submit a trademark complaint through YouTube’s Trademark complaint form here.

 

How to Trademark Your YouTube Channel

You know you produce awesome YouTube videos. Add to that the growing likeness of your viewers – and there you go: you are sure you will win the hearts of thousands of subscribers.

However, to achieve optimum growth, your YouTube channel still needs to be secured. This is when you must trademark YouTube channel.

Trademark protects your brand and gives you exclusive rights to your brand and prevents others from using the same or similar version of your mark. Also, the trademark increases the value of your brand if you ever decide to sell your business.

If you don’t get a trademark, you won’t be able to stop someone from using your brand. In other words, if someone registers their trademark before you, it will prevent you from using your mark. So it’s really important to register your mark if the mark is valuable to you.

The first step…

If you’re interested in protecting your YouTube channel, book a free call with a Trademark Strategy Advisor here.