There is one elusive social media status symbol you can’t buy, which therefore makes it highly coveted and immensely valuable: the Instagram verified badge. Show
A February 2020 study revealed that 73.4% of Instagram accounts that had over 1 million followers had a verified badge. Out of the next group down (100,000 to one million followers), 22.4% were verified accounts. When studying accounts with between 1,000 and 5,000 followers, only 0.87% were verified. What is verified badge on Instagram?An Instagram verified badge is a blue checkmark next your profile name. The check proves the account is owned by a public figure like a celebrity or brand. As a business on Instagram, one question you may ask yourself is, “How do I get my account verified?” Most social media services have some kind of “verification” process for getting the almighty blue checkmark on your profile: But why should you get verified? And just how hard is it? This guide will answer those questions and help you understand Instagram’s verification process so you can get your account verified too. Shortcuts ✂️
Free Webinar: How to Grow and Monetize Your Instagram Account A free workshop with field-tested Instagram marketing tips. Learn how to grow your Instagram audience and monetize it with an online store. Why get verified on Instagram?Data suggests that the majority of bigger Instagram accounts are verified. As you grow your Instagram profile, you’ll want to get verified to stand out from the competition. Verified accounts are more trustworthy than unverified ones and have a 30% higher engagement rate on average. Other reasons to get verified include:
This means you’re more likely to attract new followers directly from search results (in the Instagram app) and increase brand awareness. With all of those great benefits, you’re probably thinking that getting verified is going to be pretty difficult. But is it? Let’s take a look. Is it hard to get verified on Instagram?The good news is that applying to be verified on Instagram is super easy (as you’ll see in the tutorial below). The not so great news is that actually getting approved can be difficult. It’s no secret how Instagram verifies accounts. It's guidelines state the eligibility requirements your account must meet:
Those are on top of the basic rules of following community guidelines and Instagram’s terms of use. As bonus good news, these criteria also mean you don’t have to have a certain number of followers to get verified—you could request verification as soon as you sign up and complete your profile. How to get the verified badge on Instagram1. Start your requestOpen the Instagram app and head to your profile. Once you’re on your profile page, tap on the hamburger icon (three lines) in the top-right corner and select Settings. On your settings page, toward the bottom, you’ll see the option to Request Verification. Tap it and you're ready for step 2. 2. Add your business detailsFrom there, you’ll need to fill in details about your business such as:
3. Make your submissionOnce you’ve filled in the verification application details, hit Submit and congrats: you’ve sent off your request. Within 30 days, Instagram will notify you in your Activity feed whether your application was successful or not. If so, you’ll get the Instagram verification badge right away. Tips for getting verifiedBefore you go ahead and submit your application for the coveted blue badge, keep in mind the following tips that will help improve your chances of getting a verified Instagram account:
Don’t buy a badgeUnder no circumstances does Instagram let users buy, sell, or otherwise transfer their verified badge. If you see an account that advertises the ability to get you one either for free or a “small fee,” like the one below, don’t fall for the scam. Use Instagram responsibly. Don’t try shady tactics like buying badges, followers, likes, or comments. Otherwise, you could find your account banned. Get real followersDon’t buy Instagram followers. Focus on the genuine, organic growth of your account. It’s easy to tell when someone buys followers because their account will have lots of followers but low engagement. These “followers” are often bots or inactive accounts, so they don’t interact with your brand. The lack of engagement means your posts won’t show up on the explore pages or in your audiences feeds. Although your follower count doesn’t matter when it comes to verification, a highly engaged following can help. Some ways to get more Instagram followers include:
Instagram followers are more than just a number, they are your community. Even if you don’t get verified, real followers will help increase traffic to your site, make more sales, and build influence in your space. Complete your profileAll verified accounts have one thing in common: complete profiles. Each of them has a concise and punchy Instagram bio, a strong profile photo, an external link (to either their website or a Linktree, linking to multiple sites), and well-designed Story Highlights. Sure, the Instagram profile has the same structure for every account. But each Instagram bio—the small summary underneath the username—is unique. Users look at your bio when deciding whether or not to follow you on Instagram, so you have to make it count. The bios of verified accounts accomplish a number of things:
A strong profile can make a good first impression on behalf of your brand and convince people to follow you. Follow the community guidelinesAs long as your brand is consistent, only posting your own content—content that is safe for public viewing—you’re most likely already following the community guidelines and ticking this box for verification. Though to be more specific, Instagram has given a short version of what the community guidelines cover: We want Instagram to continue to be an authentic and safe place for inspiration and expression. Help us foster this community. Post only your own photos and videos, and always follow the law. Respect everyone on Instagram; don’t spam people or post nudity. No matter if you’re a global brand or the average Joe, Instagram can (and does) punish accounts that don’t follow these basic guidelines. Get publicityTeam up with a PR agent or agency, or even a journalist, who can help you get your name out there. Some agencies also have access to Facebook’s Media Partner Support tools, where they can submit requests and get accounts verified through the portal. To get publicity, you’ll need to do things considered newsworthy. What’s deemed newsworthy depends on your niche, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
Getting involved in activities outside of your brand is how you build awareness and get into media outlets. When the Instagram verification team checks to see if you are notable, they’ll find you in these news channels. What to do if you don’t get verifiedEven if you follow all of the tips above, there’s still a chance Instagram won’t approve your application. So what happens then? Try a few of the following actions: Double-check the verification requirementsAs simple as it sounds, it’s worth double-checking the four main requirements we saw earlier: authentic, unique, complete, and notable. Make sure you have the most appropriate business document to prove authenticity. Be sure to remove/delete any old accounts you might have set up. Compare your level of profile completeness to those who are already verified. Lastly, do a Google search on your brand. If you don’t see any mentions of it outside of your own website, that could be the issue. Wait and apply againIf your verification request gets rejected by Instagram, all is not lost. You can apply again after 30 days. Be patient though—repeated applications within 30 days will mean the request will be cancelled. Give yourself that month to figure out ways of improving your chances using the tips above rather than hope you’ll get approved in the following 30 days without making any changes. Show authenticity in other waysIf you still can’t get approved for a blue check, there are other ways to show your brand’s authenticity without it. Instagram recommends linking your account to your official website, Facebook page, YouTube channel, or Twitter account to help show you’re the real owner of your brand. Another way to show your authenticity is by creating video content of you or your team behind the scenes. Showing how your business looks day-to-day is a great way to gain trust, but also follows the recommendations of multi-format content to grow followers. Don’t stress if you can’t get verifiedGetting the verification badge on Instagram (or any social media for that matter) is a big milestone for your business. It proves your account is worth watching and engaging with. However, all the benefits come with a challenge—it can be hard to get approved. Getting the basics right matters, and so does building your brand outside of your immediate social bubble. Following the tips in this guide will help you toward fulfilling those requirements. That said, verified or not, making money on Instagram is still possible by funnelling traffic to your ecommerce store, setting up an Instagram shop, becoming a brand affiliate, and more. Illustration by Dan Page Ready to create your business? Start your free 3-day trial of Shopify—no credit card required.Instagram verification FAQCan an individual person get verified on Instagram?An individual person or small business can get verified on Instagram. The profile must represent a real person or business, and it must be the only legitimate Instagram account representing you or your business. How many followers do I need to get verified on Instagram?Instagram doesn’t give an official number needed for verification. One study found that accounts with as low as 1,000 followers had verification badges. It also found that the more followers an account has, the more likely they are to have a verification badge. How much does it cost to get Instagram verified?The verification application is free through the Instagram app. There are businesses you can pay to get you verified, but that’s not recommended. How do I get verified on Instagram?
Is it hard to get a blue check mark on Instagram?Just because you have a blue checkmark on Twitter or Facebook, for instance, doesn't guarantee you'll get one on Instagram. Instagram is blunt, saying that “Only some public figures, celebrities, and brands have verified badges on Instagram.” In other words: “only accounts with a high likelihood of being impersonated.”
How many followers do you need for a blue check on Instagram?There is no required number of followers that you need to get verified on Instagram. Having said that, one of the core requirements for getting approved is having a notable account. This means that your account must represent a well-known and highly searched-for person, brand, or business.
How much does it cost to get a blue check on Instagram?His contact at Instagram charges $1,200 per blue checkmark, and then James will tack on another fee based on the user's apparent interest or other needs. Only three of his submissions have been approved, however. James and his contact at Instagram have to submit an official form, and they do not want to get caught.
Can you buy a blue tick for Instagram?If you've ever googled how to get verified, you know that all guides warn you that whoever tries to sell you a verification is scamming you. I can assure you that's not the case. Sure, there are scammers out there, but you can absolutely buy yourself a blue tick on Instagram.
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