Looking for a way to stand out on social media? Getting that blue tick next to your name might be a good way!
This blue tick is the verification badge and it appears next to popular social media profiles on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Initially, it was used to show which profiles were the correct ones, but with the increase of copycats and imposters, it became a sort of a badge that distinguishes the original account from the copies.
Picture 1. Getting verified on social media is a great way to stand out
Benefits of Getting Verified
Add Legitimacy to Your Business
Making your page official sends the message that your brand is serious and trustworthy. It
increases your brand’s credibility. Considering less than 1% of accounts are verified, having the blue badge on your Page signifies your brand is both important and relevant.
Improve Your Page Rankings
Verification improves your ranking in local search. Verification can also increase brand awareness and your follower count. This is because verified profiles appear towards the top of the search and suggested accounts. It’s also believed the algorithm favors content by verified accounts, resulting in higher engagement per post.
Picture 2. Getting verified has many benefits for your social media account
Early Access to Special Features
Once you’re verified, you’ll have early access to new tools that are not yet available to all FB
and IG users. For example, a brand needs at least 10,000 users to get access to the swipe-up tool on Instagram. But verified accounts are the exception to this rule.
More Followers
Your Page will be easier to find, and a stronger search presence is key to helping you gain new followers and see a higher rate of engagement.
Who Can Get Verified on Facebook and Instagram?
Anyone can get verified but you have to meet strict verification criteria in order to get approved. Besides following the company’s terms of service, your account should be:
1. Authentic
It should represent a real person, entity or business.
2. Complete
It should be active and have all the necessary details such as an “About” section and a profile photo. In addition, it should have at least one post.
3. Notable
The person, entity or business it represents should be well-known and get plenty of searches. FB and IG is more likely to approve your application if multiple news sources and
publications feature the account.
4. Unique
Your account must be the unique presence of the person or business it represents. Only one account per person or business may be verified. FB and IG don't verify general interest accounts (example: Puppy Memes)
Steps to Verify Your Facebook Page
Step 1: Open the contact form to submit a verification request.
Step 2: Choose your verification type "Page."
Step 3: Select which Page or profile to verify.
Step 4: Select the category for the Page.
Step 5: Add your country.
Step 6: Attach appropriate business identification information. For accounts representing businesses, you’ll need to provide one of the following documents bearing an official seal or watermark (Phone or utility bill of the organization, Certificate of formation, Articles of incorporation, tax exemption documents of the organization)
Step 7: Explain why you want verification.
Step 8: Submit the form. After filling out all the details in the contact form, click on the “Send” button at the bottom of the page. This completes the application process.
Steps to Verify Your Instagram Page
Step 1: Log into your account, tap the Menu icon, click the Settings gear icon, tap Account and tap Request verification.
Step 2: Confirm your identity by filling in your Instagram account name and completing the following fields:
Full Name: Your full, legal name, as it appears on your government-issued identification.
Known As: This could be your name or the name of your company. Use the name that people generally know you by.
Category: You can choose from news/media, sports, government/politics, music, fashion, entertainment, blogger/influencer, business/brand/organization, or other.
Step 3: Upload a copy of an official business document. For a business, you could use a tax return, a utility bill in your company name, or your articles of incorporation.
Step 4: Tap Send.
The time taken to get verified on Facebook and Instagram differs from account to account. You could get a response as soon as 48 hours or wait up to 45 days. It may take longer to verify accounts representing businesses as the Facebook and Instagram teams will have to manually review your documents to confirm their authenticity.
What Happens if my Application Gets Rejected?
Meeting the basic verification criteria doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get verified. The application might still be rejected without specifying a reason. When this happens, you’ll have the option to reapply for verification after 30 days. But make sure you put in additional effort to improve your chances of getting verified this time round.