YouTube isn't going anywhere, and neither are the millions of gun owners who use it. The platform still offers a large reach for firearms brands willing to color inside the lines. The trick is knowing exactly where those lines are drawn and making content that works within them.

You can read YouTube's full firearms policy here.

Here's what you need to remember:

No direct links to purchase. Not in descriptions (we learned that lesson), not in cards, not in end screens. Link to your homepage or a links page and let viewers find their own way to the store. YouTube treats any direct path to a transaction like a terms of service violation. If you're video gets taken down, remember to check for these areas before the appeal.

Teach, don't sell. Educational content performs. Marksmanship tips, gear maintenance, competition techniques, hunting skills. Talk about the brands while your products appear naturally in frame. The sale happens later, off platform.

Be careful about talking price. We do it and so do others making content for YouTube. However, saying "available now for $599" is essentially lighting a flare for the review team. Keep your language focused on the content itself and word things carefully when talking about price or a gun hitting the market.

Upload your own captions. Auto-generated transcriptions occasionally get creative with terminology, and that creativity can trigger a policy review you didn't ask for. We definitely think this is a HUGE benefit. A gun we reviewed came with two 15 round magazines, however YouTube's automated captions would state 215 round magazine (exceeding their 30 round policy), meaning it's an instant flag when that could be easily avoided by putting in your own captions.

Build your email list like your business depends on it. Because it does. YouTube is for discovery. Email is for sales. Offer downloads, exclusive content, early announcements. Give people a reason to leave the platform and join your list.

The reality is that YouTube's rules aren't applied consistently, and they aren't always fair. That's the landscape. But the brands that figure out how to deliver real value within those constraints will keep building audiences while their competitors sit around complaining about censorship.

Adapt or get left behind. Your move.