How-to: Navigating the Struggles of Verification in Subreddits
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We all know the most tedious part of Reddit promotion tends to be the endless required verifications for new subreddits. Many NSFW subreddits will require one or multiple verification photos. As all communications with moderators will usually be held on the platform itself I’m modmail, there is no way to attach images as files. Because of that we have to utilize an image hosting site to upload our images into an album with a link. I absolutely remember when I was new on the platform stumbling in the dark with this. This was back when Imgur was the norm. Since Imgur banned NSFW RedGifs has become the new standard method of submitting verification photo albums which are often required when verifying in new subreddits. Recently I saw someone ask for clarification on how to submit verification to subreddit moderators. As I said, I remember the frustration of learning this. In fact it was only just in 2023 that the shift in image hosting platforms happened and we have had to learn this new platform. So I figured we could spend a bit of time today breaking down step by step how to submit a modmail for verification on a subreddit. We will have a heavy focus on using RedGifs as the image hosting site for photo albums.
Verification in Subreddits Requirements
One of the first things you should do when visiting a new subreddit is to review their rules in depth. If a subreddit requires verification or approval to post it will likely be stated in those rules. If there is no mention of verification there, you shouldn’t just assume it isn’t required until also checking:
- The sidebar on desktop browsers
- The subreddit wiki
- The description of the subreddit
- Any pinned posts
Most subs that do require verification will have their rules either listed in those spaces, or a link to get to their verification guide which is commonly hosted in a subreddits wiki or a post. Please be absolutely careful when reading these. Some, not all, subs will only give you one chance to verify correctly. When I am going through a verification guide I will take notes of the main things required. I do this mainly to help keep myself organized as I tend to batch apply to subreddits. Since most subs require a sign of some sort to be held, I will write those notes on the back and fill out the front of each sign so that I don’t have to go back and forth between verification guides to remind myself of what I need.
Subreddit verification requirements vary sub to sub, but there are a few commonly seen requirements. This is not an exhaustive list of seen requirements. I am also going to throw out a few things I have learned.
- A handwritten sign, oftentimes required to be crumpled and then flattened out. The text that needs written will be specified in the verification guide
- It does not have to be crumpled to the point of absolutely decimated. All they are looking for is to be able to see some wrinkles in the pages and your ink. This helps prevent someone from being able to Photoshop some other username on the sign and helps prevent someone catfishing using our images.
- Make sure when you take your picture all corners of the sign are in the frame. Also make sure nothing is obstructing anything written on the image including your fingers.
- Use a thicker marker. Your pictures will sometimes have to be taken from farther away so that you can see more of your person and ball point pen doesn’t show well from any distance.
- Usually more than one photo will be required along with more than one angle of yourself. If you show your face, you will likely be required to show it in your verification album. If you do not, that will usually be compensated by showing as much of your body as you do in promotion. This is to help moderators be able to cross reference your verification photo to your profile and again help prevent from being catfished.
- Note here: Pay attention to the type of image they want to see. Some subreddits require images with full or partial nudity. It is entirely up to your comfort level if you do so. I personally have never felt comfortable with that, so I just found different communities. Most, however, require you to be clothed.
- Most subreddits will not allow any editing or filtering. Be sure to take a high quality image in good lighting that is clear. That being said, y’all like one person is ever going to see this and they absolutely do not care one bit so long as you look like the same human as the one on your profile. You don’t need to glam up here.
- Though this is seen more in content selling subreddits than regular NSFW promotional subreddits, I still think it is worth mentioning third party age verification links. These would be links to your verified profile on an adult content hosting site, or other site that verifies your age and identity prior to verification.
- A huge note: Most subreddits have a specific list of sites they allow to be used as age verification. It is rare to see OnlyFans or Fansly on those approved sites.
- It really is a waste of time to message the moderators and ask to use a site that is not on the approved list. So many of us have tried. They will 99.9% of the time say no. They usually have those chosen because their age and identity verification process aligns with what they feel is safe. If others are not on there, it is because they don’t meet those standards. I never messaged to ask for other options after seeing so many others say it didn’t work. Looking back now, I am remembering that the only reason I signed up for and got verified on ManyVids was so I could verify in sexsells.
- All subreddits that require images will require you to provide a link to an album with these images on an image hosting site. The two mainly approved sites are Imgur and Redgifs. As I mentioned previously due to TOS changes many now only allow RedGifs.
If you are new to using RedGifs, or using it for verification purposes it can be a bit of a trek. But, hang with me, we are going to break that down in the next section.
Redgifs Albums
Once you have your images taken to the verification guide’s specification, you need to get them uploaded to an image hosting site. This step is necessary because modmail, the messaging system used to contact the moderating team, does not allow files such as images to be uploaded. So, we need to upload them and provide a link when we submit our application. This is going to go step by step through this process. Since the seemingly most required or accepted image hosting site seems to be RedGifs, this guide will only go through that platform. This is moving forward assuming you have an account and are logged in already.
- Click on the plus sign, or the ‘Studio’
- Click ‘Upload’ or the plus button
- Click ‘Upload Image’
- Select all of your verification photos for the subreddit you are applying for
- Click next on the screen that pops up after selecting your photos after reviewing and ensuring you have them all there
- Select the audience, tags, and skip the niche. These genuinely do not matter and you can button smash because this album and these images will be set as private.
- Hit publish after you are sure it is set as private.
- Copy the link from the next screen
And that’s it! We are done with RedGifs and can move on! I know it seems like a lot of steps. And to be honest, it feels a little ridiculous sometimes especially when you have five, twelve, twenty subreddits to verify in.. But, for now, its what we gotta do. And some subs are just beyond worth it.
Sending Modmail
Once you have your photo album link, double check the verification guide or your notes and make sure you have all other verification requirements ready. Really pay close attention. Many subs will slip in specific things that need to be stated in the Modmail sent like key words or phrases, and some will not make it obvious. This is usually done to help moderators know who has taken the process seriously and who hasn’t. This is a good indicator to them of who has also read all of the rules and is likely to follow them.
Once everything is ready, it’s time to send the verification request to the moderators. While you are still in the verification guide look for how they request you submit this. Some just require Modmail. Some have a specific link that must be used. Again, this is usually found in the guide. If a subreddit has a specific link to use and you use any other, you will be denied. Mod teams do this to help organize their Modmail inboxes and to streamline and prioritize verifications.
If that is not stated, this will usually be done through general Modmail. To find their link for their Modmail open your app or browser to the subreddit and check in any of the following places (this is not an exhaustive list, also not an iOS girly so don’t fully know the platform layout differences… Sorry!!!):
- Mobile 1 (Android): On the right hand top corner there should be a 3 dot menu. Open that and find ‘Message Moderators’. Clicking that will open a modmail.
- Mobile 2 (Android): Directly below the sub banner and description click where it says ‘See More’. Then scroll to the heading that says ‘Moderators’ (usually at or near the bottom). Next to that should be an icon of an envelope. Clicking that will open a modmail.
- Desktop (old, new, and reddit. com): On the right hand side of the subreddit is a sidebar. Look or scroll down that sidebar until you find a button that says ‘Message Mods’. Clicking that will open a modmail.
When sending the Modmail there are some steps you can take to help the process along:
- Format your message to make it easier to understand. Little things like putting in line breaks between links, labeling your links, etc can really help.
- If the Modmail has a preformatted template, don’t erase what is written. Simply put your response after the question and move to the next. I put a line breaks after the prefilled question and then my response. That is not at all a requirement, but my neurospicy, type A brain requires it. Keeping the preformatted questions keeps the context and your responses in one place.
- In the title, mention this is for verification in some way. My go to is ‘Verification request’.
- Be polite and professional when writing your message. Moderators can absolutely get on our nerves, but they are human too and will react to disrespect or impatience in kind. I have had more than one occasion where I should have been permanently banned from a sub but because in all other interactions I was always respectful to the mods I got another shot.
- Once it has been sent off, be patient. I know it is frustrating after a few days have gone by with no response or even confirmation it was received. But, these are volunteers who do this in their personal time or while at their desk pretending to be working. They often have civilian jobs and equally as often they are other creators and they have to balance that and finding time to do this. That being said, if a couple weeks have gone by, a respectful inquiry as to the status and if you could provide anything else to help, isn’t the worst idea.
Though this is a long, tedious as hell process, it genuinely keeps us safer. It helps prevent bots from taking over a space. It helps cut down on cat fishing accounts or accounts using stolen content. It also keeps scammers from posing as us, scamming consumers, and worsening the market climate. It also is a green flag for a more well run, more trustworthy, and more well moderated subreddit (most of the time). I know the process can be confusing at first, so I hope this helped make it a bit easier to do!
