Did you know that legally protecting your YouTube channel is of utmost importance as you start nurturing a fanbase of loyal subscribers? As a creator, you invest a significant amount of time and effort into creating engaging content. But how do you protect it from infringement acts? YouTube trademark is the way to safeguard your valuable YT channel and its contents.
Let’s understand the nuances of how to trademark a YouTube channel name and go through the exact steps.
Why Trademarking a YouTube channel is Important?
YouTube is different from other social platforms, apart from posting videos and getting validation. Creators are earning from it. The platform has become more business-centric. So consider your channel as a brand. That generates revenue for you. If we are talking about money, then you have to be doubly sure in every aspect. For example, trademarking your channel name and logo.
Some key benefits of trademarking:
No Legal Problems: Trademarking gives you legal authority to use your logo and name. You can stop anyone from using it without your permission.
Brand Recognition: It gives a professional outlook and builds trust with both brands and their audience.
Business Opportunities: You can expand your YouTube channel revenue through merchandise sales. You can also partner with businesses without losing your channel identity.
No Rebranding: On YouTube, there is always a unique content ID, but it stays till YouTube. If someone else has trademarked your logo, you might have to engage in legal affairs or establish a brand from scratch.
YouTube Channel Branding: What Can Be Trademarked
You can trademark some elements of your YouTube channel. Let’s understand what you can protect under trademark law.
1. Name of channel
Like companies trademark their name, you can trademark your YouTube channel name. For example, the YouTube channel TEDx has trademarked their name.
2. Logo
It’s clear that you’ve created a logo for yourself. You can trademark your YouTube channel logo. Make sure you aren’t using any copyrighted content in your logo.
3. Slogan
You can trademark a catchphrase or slogan of your YouTube channel. For example, Logan Paul’s “Maverick” is a trademarked name. This is used for personal branding clothing.
What Cannot Be Trademarked
Some content and elements cannot be trademarked on YouTube:
Videos and creative content
A creator can’t trademark videos, images, and music. Because they are under the control of YouTube, however, you can claim your content in YouTube Studio if someone else on YouTube has used your content.
General Keywords
You can’t trademark everyday keywords or common words. For example, the word “example” is globally used by everyone. The slogan must be unique to obtain trademark registration.
Steps to Trademark Your YouTube Channel
Let’s look at the steps in detail for trademarking a YouTube channel:
1) Do trademark ideation
Before applying for a trademark, it is essential to conduct trademark research to determine if someone else has already registered it, thereby avoiding potential future problems. For example, you have a YouTube channel name, logo, and slogan. Check if anyone already has it.
Check your regional patent and trademark office or website for the information.
2) Find your trademark class
There are multiple industries. The trademarks are distinguished in different classes. The YouTube channel name, logo & slogan fall under entertainment and online content creation. Choosing the correct class is a crucial step to avoid any legal headaches.
3) Submit your application
Each country may have a different setup for accepting applications, but the overall framework for acquiring a trademark for your content remains the same. Identity proof, residential proof, documents proving authority over content, application papers, etc.
4) Trademark Fee Payment
To maintain the trademark, you must pay a fee along with your application. The fee is for a particular time; for example, in the USA, the validity remains for 10 years. You must refile the application after 10 years to update your channel name, logo, and slogan.
5) The review process
The authority reviews the trademark application. If needed, they can request additional supporting documents. The process involves verifying authority and credibility.
6) Get trademark approval
Once the review process is complete, you will receive your trademark registration. The process typically takes one to two weeks or a month. So have patience.
Trademark vs Copyright: What’s the difference
Don’t worry, it’s a common confusion for many. Here’s how they differ.
Trademark
- It protects your brand(channel) name, logo, and slogan.
- Others can’t use it for commercial or branding purposes.
- Gives you the right to use trademarked content for commercial use.
Copyright
- It protects creative works such as music, videos, scripts, etc.
- Others can use it if the owner gives permission.
- Protect the originality of content but not the identity of your channel or brand.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Trademarking YouTube Content
The trademarking process can take weeks or months. You can speed up the process by avoiding these mistakes.
Don’t go for generic
A distinctive and unique channel name or slogan can easily get a trademark registration. For example, “daily vlogs” is too generic and might not get a trademark. Whereas “EthanTheGreat Vlogs” will get trademarked.
Not researching the trademark list
Many channels work hard and gain millions of subscribers or get eligible for the YouTube Partner Program, but when they want to trademark their channel they find out someone already has enrolled. Note: this is very common among YouTubers.
If you are going full business with your YouTube channel, then consider checking the trademark list.
Not having a lawyer
You are engaging in trademark, which involves numerous legal matters; not having a lawyer will be a mistake. Yes, you can read all the rules and procedures from official websites. However, there are many nuances that only a professional would understand, so get a lawyer before the trademark application.
What To Do When Someone Infringes on Your YouTube Trademark
If other YouTube channel or entity uses your trademarked content then you can do this:
1. Confront the party
Approach the individual or business and explain to them that you have trademarked the content and it can’t be used by someone else. In most cases, they are not aware.
2. File a YouTube complaint
You can do a complaint on YouTube trademark violations. If the case is valid, YouTube will remove the infringed content.
3. Consider Legal Action
Hire a trademark attorney to handle the cases legally and professionally.
When Should You Go For A YouTube Channel Name Trademark?
We recommend going for a YouTube trademark once your channel has a decent number of subscribers. If you are serious about growing your YT channel, which we believe you are, and are generating a decent income, go for creating a trademark of your channel name. If you have an established channel with an increasing fan base, having a channel trademark is a must. The sooner you have legal ownership of your channel, the better it is to protect your channel at later stages.
Conclusion
Learning how to trademark your YouTube channel name is an essential step in protecting your channel’s identity on the world’s largest video-sharing platform. It prevents unauthorized usage of your channel and builds a firm brand reputation among your target audience. Growing a YouTube channel is becoming increasingly challenging because of rising competition in almost every niche, but you can always promote video on YouTube to grow your YouTube channel faster. If you struggle to get views on your videos, you can also buy YouTube views.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Do I need a Trademark attorney to protect my YouTube Channel?
Although you don’t necessarily need to hire a trademark attorney, the US Patent Office recommends having one to ease the process of registering for a trademark.
Q2. What does a YouTube trademark cover?
A YT trademark protects your channel name, logo, and slogan from unauthorized use and enables swift legal action against infringers.
Q3. How much does it cost to trademark your name and logo?
The filing fees with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) are between $250 and $350, based on the class. Also, consider the costs of hiring a lawyer, which range between $500 and $2000.
Q4. How long does a trademark last?
Depends on your national policies. In the USA, the trademark lasts for 10 years.