Trust & Verification

How PodVetter Verification Works

Trust is earned through evidence and behavior — never bought. Every badge on PodVetter has a specific, transparent meaning. Here's exactly what each one means and how it's earned.

Membership ≠ Verification

A PodVetter All-Access membership gives you full platform access — it does not confer any trust badge. Identity, ownership, credential, booking, and reputation badges are only earned through evidence review or demonstrated behavior. Membership status is always shown separately from trust verification.

Trust Badges

Each badge is a specific, independently meaningful trust signal.

Email Verified

This user confirmed ownership of their email address when they created their PodVetter account.

Identity Verified

PodVetter reviewed a government-issued photo ID and confirmed this person's identity. A human reviewer checked the evidence — this is not automated.

Podcast Ownership Verified

PodVetter confirmed this host owns or is officially authorized to represent this podcast, typically through RSS feed access or direct platform authorization.

Credentials Reviewed

PodVetter reviewed evidence of this person's professional credentials (such as a website, LinkedIn, or published work) and confirmed they match the claims on their profile.

Completed PodVetter Booking

This user has completed at least one interview arranged through PodVetter. The booking was confirmed as completed by the participants.

Reliable Responder

This user responds to messages consistently and within a reasonable timeframe, based on at least 5 received messages.

Highly Rated by Hosts

This guest has received at least 3 reviews from podcast hosts with an average rating of 4.0 or higher out of 5.

Highly Rated by Guests

This host has received at least 3 reviews from guests with an average rating of 4.0 or higher out of 5.

Legacy Verification (Pending Review)

Profiles marked as verified before this system launched carry a "Legacy Verification" badge. Its specific meaning has not yet been confirmed under the new standards. These profiles are being reviewed and will be updated as they complete the new verification process. We preserve existing badges rather than removing them, but we never claim independent verification unless evidence was actually reviewed.

Behavioral Metrics We Track

Trust isn't just about documents — it's about how members behave on the platform. We measure:

  • Messages received
  • Meaningful responses
  • Response rate
  • Median response time
  • Invitations accepted
  • Bookings scheduled
  • Bookings completed
  • Cancellations
  • No-shows
  • Published episodes confirmed
  • Reviews received

How We Display Stats

  • New members are labeled "New to PodVetter" instead of showing misleading zero scores.
  • Response statistics appear only after a reasonable sample (at least 5 messages).
  • We show friendly summaries like "Usually responds within a day" and "5 completed PodVetter interviews" — not raw timestamps.
  • We never expose private message contents or exact sensitive activity timestamps.
  • Rating averages appear only after at least 3 reviews.

Reviews

Reviews keep the marketplace accountable. Here's how they work:

  • Reviews can only be requested after a booking is marked completed.
  • Both parties can review each other across five dimensions:

Relevance & Fit

Was this person a good match for the conversation?

Communication

Was communication clear and timely?

Preparation

Did this person come prepared?

Reliability

Did this person follow through on commitments?

Overall Experience

How was the overall experience?

  • Only verified booking participants can leave reviews — no outside reviews.
  • Reviewees can post a factual public response.
  • Reviews can be reported for moderation.
  • Private booking details are never published.

Have questions about trust on PodVetter?

Every profile includes a trust summary with verification, activity, responsiveness, completed interviews, and review information.

Contact Us