We've been thrilled to see so many passionate fishing guides, professional tournament anglers, credible influencers, and talented local anglers express interest in joining FishTips to share their expertise with the fishing community as Digital Guides on our platform. We'd like to shed some light on how we handle the verification process for Digital Guides who are eager to come on board and start earning extra income. Our goal is to ensure a trustworthy and credible environment for all users, and this process plays a key role in achieving that.

Getting Started on FishTips

When a potential Digital Guide decides to create a profile on FishTips.com, they simply need to click on the "Sell a Tip" option in the dropdown menu. This action initiates the onboarding process, where they can set up their Digital Fishing Guide profile step by step.

Creating a Comprehensive Profile

We believe that every Digital Guide's background is unique and contributes to the diverse expertise we offer on our platform. Digital Guides are asked to provide their legal name or the name of their business, along with a profile picture that helps personalize their profile. Adding a biography about their fishing journey, whether as a business or personal pursuit, is a wonderful opportunity for Digital Guides to share their experiences.

Showcasing Skill Levels

Understanding each Digital Guide's skill level is essential, as it helps users know what to expect from the tips they offer. Digital Guides choose from a preset list of skills including: Professional Tournament Angler, Guide, Collegiate Angler, Tournament Angler, and Influencer.  Please select the skill level that you are able to submit credentials to verify your background.  This is extremely important and failure to select the correct skill level may delay your approval process!  

Backing Up with Credentials

To maintain the integrity of the platform, we request that Digital Guides provide credentials that support their selected skill level. In this digital age, social media has become a powerful tool for sharing information. We encourage Digital Guides to link their Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, as well as personal or professional websites and articles that highlight their fishing journey.  For tournament anglers, please provide the direct link to your angler profile page.  For guides, please provide a link to your website and if there are required documents for legally guiding on your body of water or state (i.e. coast guard certification or similar), those are required as well to be considered a guide on FishTips.  This is extremely important and failure to submit supporting credentials may delay your approval process!   Credentials not only help verify their expertise but also give customers a chance to get to know the Digital Guides better.

Ensuring Verification

In line with our commitment to quality and reliability, we take the verification process seriously. If a potential Digital Guide like John Smith, completes the necessary profile information but cannot provide sufficient proof of credentials, they won't be verified as a Digital Guide on our platform.

Adjusting Skill Levels, if Necessary

We understand that sometimes there might be discrepancies between the chosen skill level and the provided credentials. Our aim is to create a balanced and accurate representation of each Digital Guide's expertise, so adjustments might be made to the chosen skill level if the provided credentials warrant it.

Moving Forward with Confidence

Upon completing the profile setup, Digital Guides are directed to Stripe, our trusted third-party payments platform, to verify their payment information. To ensure consistency and transparency, the name associated with the Digital Guide's account must match both Stripe and FishTips records. Our dedicated backend team then reviews all the information provided. Based on this review, we have two outcomes: Digital Guides are either verified and welcomed to the FishTips marketplace, or they are contacted for additional information if needed.

We are truly excited to have Digital Guides join our platform who share our passion for fishing and a commitment to delivering valuable tips to the community. By maintaining a thorough verification process, we aim to foster a space where anglers can connect, learn, and enjoy the art of fishing. If you're considering becoming a Digital Guide on FishTips, we look forward to having you as part of our community and ensuring the highest standards of expertise and authenticity.