diff --git a/lib/philomena/artist_links.ex b/lib/philomena/artist_links.ex
index 47f4d286..9a9de4a6 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/artist_links.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/artist_links.ex
@@ -9,39 +9,19 @@ defmodule Philomena.ArtistLinks do
 
   alias Philomena.ArtistLinks.ArtistLink
   alias Philomena.ArtistLinks.AutomaticVerifier
-  alias Philomena.Badges.Badge
-  alias Philomena.Badges.Award
-  alias Philomena.Tags.Tag
+  alias Philomena.ArtistLinks.BadgeAwarder
+  alias Philomena.Tags
 
   @doc """
-  Check links pending verification to see if the user placed
-  the appropriate code on the page.
+  Updates all artist links pending verification, by transitioning to link verified state
+  or resetting next update time.
   """
   def automatic_verify! do
-    now = DateTime.utc_now() |> DateTime.truncate(:second)
-
-    # Automatically retry in an hour if we don't manage to
-    # successfully verify any given link
-    recheck_time = DateTime.add(now, 3600, :second)
-
-    recheck_query =
-      from ul in ArtistLink,
-        where: ul.aasm_state == "unverified",
-        where: ul.next_check_at < ^now
-
-    recheck_query
-    |> Repo.all()
-    |> Enum.map(fn link ->
-      ArtistLink.automatic_verify_changeset(
-        link,
-        AutomaticVerifier.check_link(link, recheck_time)
-      )
-    end)
-    |> Enum.map(&Repo.update!/1)
+    Enum.each(AutomaticVerifier.generate_updates(), &Repo.update!/1)
   end
 
   @doc """
-  Gets a single artist_link.
+  Gets a single artist link.
 
   Raises `Ecto.NoResultsError` if the Artist link does not exist.
 
@@ -57,7 +37,7 @@ defmodule Philomena.ArtistLinks do
   def get_artist_link!(id), do: Repo.get!(ArtistLink, id)
 
   @doc """
-  Creates a artist_link.
+  Creates an artist link.
 
   ## Examples
 
@@ -69,7 +49,7 @@ defmodule Philomena.ArtistLinks do
 
   """
   def create_artist_link(user, attrs \\ %{}) do
-    tag = fetch_tag(attrs["tag_name"])
+    tag = Tags.get_tag_or_alias_by_name(attrs["tag_name"])
 
     %ArtistLink{}
     |> ArtistLink.creation_changeset(attrs, user, tag)
@@ -77,7 +57,7 @@ defmodule Philomena.ArtistLinks do
   end
 
   @doc """
-  Updates a artist_link.
+  Updates an artist link.
 
   ## Examples
 
@@ -89,47 +69,71 @@ defmodule Philomena.ArtistLinks do
 
   """
   def update_artist_link(%ArtistLink{} = artist_link, attrs) do
-    tag = fetch_tag(attrs["tag_name"])
+    tag = Tags.get_tag_or_alias_by_name(attrs["tag_name"])
 
     artist_link
     |> ArtistLink.edit_changeset(attrs, tag)
     |> Repo.update()
   end
 
-  def verify_artist_link(%ArtistLink{} = artist_link, user) do
-    artist_link_changeset =
-      artist_link
-      |> ArtistLink.verify_changeset(user)
+  @doc """
+  Transitions an artist link to the verified state.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> verify_artist_link(artist_link, verifying_user)
+      {:ok, %ArtistLink{}}
+
+      iex> verify_artist_link(artist_link, verifying_user)
+      :error
+
+  """
+  def verify_artist_link(%ArtistLink{} = artist_link, verifying_user) do
+    artist_link_changeset = ArtistLink.verify_changeset(artist_link, verifying_user)
 
     Multi.new()
     |> Multi.update(:artist_link, artist_link_changeset)
-    |> Multi.run(:add_award, fn repo, _changes ->
-      now = DateTime.utc_now() |> DateTime.truncate(:second)
-
-      with badge when not is_nil(badge) <- repo.get_by(limit(Badge, 1), title: "Artist"),
-           nil <- repo.get_by(limit(Award, 1), badge_id: badge.id, user_id: artist_link.user_id) do
-        %Award{
-          badge_id: badge.id,
-          user_id: artist_link.user_id,
-          awarded_by_id: user.id,
-          awarded_on: now
-        }
-        |> Award.changeset(%{})
-        |> repo.insert()
-      else
-        _ ->
-          {:ok, nil}
-      end
-    end)
+    |> Multi.run(:add_award, fn _repo, _changes -> BadgeAwarder.award_badge(artist_link) end)
     |> Repo.transaction()
+    |> case do
+      {:ok, %{artist_link: artist_link}} ->
+        {:ok, artist_link}
+
+      {:error, _operation, _value, _changes} ->
+        :error
+    end
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Transitions an artist link to the rejected state.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> reject_artist_link(artist_link)
+      {:ok, %ArtistLink{}}
+
+      iex> reject_artist_link(artist_link)
+      {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}}
+
+  """
   def reject_artist_link(%ArtistLink{} = artist_link) do
     artist_link
     |> ArtistLink.reject_changeset()
     |> Repo.update()
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Transitions an artist link to the contacted state.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> contact_artist_link(artist_link)
+      {:ok, %ArtistLink{}}
+
+      iex> contact_artist_link(artist_link)
+      {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}}
+
+  """
   def contact_artist_link(%ArtistLink{} = artist_link, user) do
     artist_link
     |> ArtistLink.contact_changeset(user)
@@ -137,7 +141,7 @@ defmodule Philomena.ArtistLinks do
   end
 
   @doc """
-  Deletes a ArtistLink.
+  Deletes an artist link.
 
   ## Examples
 
@@ -153,7 +157,7 @@ defmodule Philomena.ArtistLinks do
   end
 
   @doc """
-  Returns an `%Ecto.Changeset{}` for tracking artist_link changes.
+  Returns an `%Ecto.Changeset{}` for tracking artist link changes.
 
   ## Examples
 
@@ -165,24 +169,26 @@ defmodule Philomena.ArtistLinks do
     ArtistLink.changeset(artist_link, %{})
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Counts the number of artist links which are pending moderation action, or
+  nil if the user is not permitted to moderate artist links.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> count_artist_links(normal_user)
+      nil
+
+      iex> count_artist_links(admin_user)
+      0
+
+  """
   def count_artist_links(user) do
     if Canada.Can.can?(user, :index, %ArtistLink{}) do
       ArtistLink
       |> where([ul], ul.aasm_state in ^["unverified", "link_verified"])
-      |> Repo.aggregate(:count, :id)
+      |> Repo.aggregate(:count)
     else
       nil
     end
   end
-
-  defp fetch_tag(name) do
-    Tag
-    |> preload(:aliased_tag)
-    |> where(name: ^name)
-    |> Repo.one()
-    |> case do
-      nil -> nil
-      tag -> tag.aliased_tag || tag
-    end
-  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/philomena/artist_links/automatic_verifier.ex b/lib/philomena/artist_links/automatic_verifier.ex
index f2a5bebd..de9afcc9 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/artist_links/automatic_verifier.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/artist_links/automatic_verifier.ex
@@ -1,5 +1,47 @@
 defmodule Philomena.ArtistLinks.AutomaticVerifier do
-  def check_link(artist_link, recheck_time) do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Artist link automatic verification.
+
+  Artist links contain a random code which is generated when the link is created. If the user
+  places the code on their linked page and this verifier finds it, this expedites the process
+  of verifying a link for the moderator, as they can simply use the presence of the code in a
+  field controlled by the artist to ascertain the validity of the artist link.
+  """
+
+  alias Philomena.ArtistLinks.ArtistLink
+  alias Philomena.Repo
+  import Ecto.Query
+
+  @doc """
+  Check links pending verification to see if the user placed the appropriate code on the page.
+
+  Polls each artist link in unverified state and generates a changeset to either set it to
+  link verified, if the code was found on the page, or reset the next check time, if the code
+  was not found.
+
+  Returns a list of changesets with updated links.
+  """
+  def generate_updates do
+    # Automatically retry in an hour if we don't manage to
+    # successfully verify any given link
+    now = DateTime.utc_now(:second)
+    recheck_time = DateTime.add(now, 3600, :second)
+
+    Enum.map(links_to_check(now), fn link ->
+      ArtistLink.automatic_verify_changeset(link, check_link(link, recheck_time))
+    end)
+  end
+
+  defp links_to_check(now) do
+    recheck_query =
+      from ul in ArtistLink,
+        where: ul.aasm_state == "unverified",
+        where: ul.next_check_at < ^now
+
+    Repo.all(recheck_query)
+  end
+
+  defp check_link(artist_link, recheck_time) do
     artist_link.uri
     |> PhilomenaProxy.Http.get()
     |> contains_verification_code?(artist_link.verification_code)
diff --git a/lib/philomena/artist_links/badge_awarder.ex b/lib/philomena/artist_links/badge_awarder.ex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ae231c74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/philomena/artist_links/badge_awarder.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+defmodule Philomena.ArtistLinks.BadgeAwarder do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Handles awarding a badge to the user of an associated artist link.
+  """
+
+  alias Philomena.Badges
+
+  @badge_title "Artist"
+
+  @doc """
+  Awards a badge to an artist with a verified link.
+
+  If the badge with the title `"Artist"` does not exist, no award will be created.
+  If the user already has an award with that badge title, no award will be created.
+
+  Returns `{:ok, award}`, `{:ok, nil}`, or `{:error, changeset}`. The return value is
+  suitable for use as the return value to an `Ecto.Multi.run/3` callback.
+  """
+  def award_badge(artist_link) do
+    with badge when not is_nil(badge) <- Badges.get_badge_by_title(@badge_title),
+         award when is_nil(award) <- Badges.get_badge_award_for(badge, artist_link.user) do
+      Badges.create_badge_award(artist_link.user, artist_link.user, %{badge_id: badge.id})
+    else
+      _ ->
+        {:ok, nil}
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/philomena/badges.ex b/lib/philomena/badges.ex
index d917f147..494dd752 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/badges.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/badges.ex
@@ -38,6 +38,22 @@ defmodule Philomena.Badges do
   """
   def get_badge!(id), do: Repo.get!(Badge, id)
 
+  @doc """
+  Gets a single badge by its title.
+
+  Returns nil if the Badge does not exist.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> get_badge_by_title("Artist")
+      %Badge{}
+
+      iex> get_badge_by_title("Nonexistent")
+      nil
+
+  """
+  def get_badge_by_title(title), do: Repo.get_by(Badge, title: title)
+
   @doc """
   Creates a badge.
 
@@ -162,6 +178,24 @@ defmodule Philomena.Badges do
   """
   def get_badge_award!(id), do: Repo.get!(Award, id)
 
+  @doc """
+  Gets a the badge_award with the given badge type belonging to the user.
+
+  Raises nil if the Badge award does not exist.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> get_badge_award_for(badge, user)
+      %Award{}
+
+      iex> get_badge_award_for(badge, user)
+      nil
+
+  """
+  def get_badge_award_for(badge, user) do
+    Repo.get_by(Award, badge_id: badge.id, user_id: user.id)
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Creates a badge_award.
 
diff --git a/lib/philomena/tags.ex b/lib/philomena/tags.ex
index de7a0171..0d759e93 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/tags.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/tags.ex
@@ -81,6 +81,31 @@ defmodule Philomena.Tags do
   """
   def get_tag!(id), do: Repo.get!(Tag, id)
 
+  @doc """
+  Gets a single tag by its name, or the tag it is aliased to, if it is aliased.
+
+  Returns nil if the tag does not exist.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> get_tag_or_alias_by_name("safe")
+      %Tag{}
+
+      iex> get_tag_or_alias_by_name("nonexistent")
+      nil
+
+  """
+  def get_tag_or_alias_by_name(name) do
+    Tag
+    |> where(name: ^name)
+    |> preload(:aliased_tag)
+    |> Repo.one()
+    |> case do
+      nil -> nil
+      tag -> tag.aliased_tag || tag
+    end
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Creates a tag.
 
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/admin/artist_link/verification_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/admin/artist_link/verification_controller.ex
index a1a2f86a..3694f812 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/admin/artist_link/verification_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/admin/artist_link/verification_controller.ex
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Admin.ArtistLink.VerificationController do
     preload: [:user]
 
   def create(conn, _params) do
-    {:ok, result} =
+    {:ok, artist_link} =
       ArtistLinks.verify_artist_link(conn.assigns.artist_link, conn.assigns.current_user)
 
     conn
     |> put_flash(:info, "Artist link successfully verified.")
-    |> moderation_log(details: &log_details/2, data: result.artist_link)
+    |> moderation_log(details: &log_details/2, data: artist_link)
     |> redirect(to: ~p"/admin/artist_links")
   end