With literally being on Instagram nowadays, it is no surprise that Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms boasting over a billion active users. Even if you think you have a rare name, chances are you will find someone of the exact name of Instagram, and that’s when you understand how widely Instagram is used.
It also means that many others might have the same name as your business or page. So can you be unique and stand apart from such impostors. There is also a matter of people finding your business which they cannot if there are so many accounts holding the same username.
The solution to all of these is the tiny blue tick or the verified badge on Instagram. This badge signifies that your account is legitimate. As you go through this article, you will get to know the details about getting verified on Instagram, like- who could get verified, how to get verified, and the steps, tricks, and tips to stay verified.
What does it mean to get verified on Instagram?
Reiteration of what we mentioned earlier, the verification badge from Instagram is the way to prove that your account is authentic or legitimate. It means that you are a public figure- celebrity or otherwise or that your brand is global. You surely must have seen tons of accounts with the verified badge on Facebook, Twitter, and on Tinder as well. Simply put, the blue ticks indicate that the social media platform, i.e., Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, has deemed a particular account to be trustworthy and that they are not lying about their identity.
The whole purpose behind these badges is to make the real, authentic accounts stand out. So, people can follow the real person or the brand. When your account is verified, it is easily visible in search, and they give a sense of authority.
Thus, you might be beginning to understand why that little blue badge is such a coveted status symbol.
Firstly, they are not visible on every other page, and this also lends some exclusivity, thus boosting prestige. We must also say that getting a verified badge does not always guarantee better engagement on your account.
Also, it would be best if you remembered that getting verified does not mean you will get ranking preference from the Instagram algorithm. You could argue that verified accounts get higher engagement, but that is because they post frequently. They post awesome content that their audience likes a lot.
How do you become eligible to be verified by Instagram?
Instagram hasn’t laid down any hard and fast rules about the number of followers you need to verify your account. Of course, it is a no-brainer when it comes to celebrities like Selena Gomez with her huge follower base. If she hadn’t verified her account, it would mean that she gave an impostor access to her fan base of about 200 million followers.
But the point is, if you are looking to be verified, you don’t need millions of followers or even a hundred thousand followers. You need to be active on the ‘gram and make your page recognizable, whether you are a public figure or have a brand.
An example of a person who got verified with just 17k followers is the MMA fighter named Brian Kelleher. There are examples of accounts that got verified even if they had 1000 followers. Thus, it is clear that followers are not the only factor that matters when you apply for verification.
Can anyone get verified on Instagram?
The short answer to this question is yes. Getting verified is not as hard as one might think. If you have a small business or even a normal person, you can still get verified on Instagram. The point here is that nobody can start demanding a verified badge from the platform all of a sudden without putting in any substantial work.
Firstly, you need a decent follower base before you apply to get verified. You could consider a few thousand followers as a decent follower base. We would reiterate by saying that followers alone don’t play a part in you getting verified. So what else do you need to get verified? The official requirements for you to get the verification badge are simple.
- Real: Your Instagram profile must represent your own, authentic business or show that you are a real person
- Completed public profile: You need to have a profile picture, complete Instagram bio, and at least one post in your feed.
- Noteworthy: If you have a business that you want to get verified, you need to ensure that it has been searched for on the Internet or mentioned in quite a few news sources.
- Unique: Your business or your account must be the only authentic one representing that person you are or your business.
Except point no. 3, pretty much every account on Instagram has the other characteristics. But being noteworthy is a slightly more challenging task. There are a few trends that matter in the case of smaller accounts getting verified.
- Established brand: Your or your brand’s website must turn up at the top of Google search results.
- Online mentions: As we have said time and again, you don’t need to be very famous if you want to get verified. You have to make sure that you are getting covered in blogs, being guests in podcasts, or industry publications.
- Beware of impostors: You have to ensure that no fake accounts are trying to impersonate you or your business.
- Decent following on socials: You must have a sizeable following or fan base in social media accounts even if your follower base on Instagram is small.
The basic point here is not to be a celebrity but to prove that you or your business is worth something. If that is true, you will be able to get verified.
How to apply to get verified on Instagram?
In the first few years that Instagram was launched, getting verified was confusing and ambiguous. No official information was there on how to get verified; Thus, many people got into shady deals to verify their accounts. But this stop as we stepped into 2018. Instagram then released details and guidelines on how to get verified. It was, thus, also clear that anyone could apply for verification.
Things to know before you apply
Though every person can apply for verification, Instagram doesn’t accept and verify everyone. There are a few things that you could do that could increase your chances of getting verified. Firstly, you must ensure that you have established your brand or business digitally through social media channels and SEO. If this step is not done yet, you must start by focusing on this before you sending in your application form to get verified.
Secondly, you must be using Instagram to its full potential: post content, stories, etc., daily. It must show that you are invested in the platform. Though all these won’t seal the deal, they make a real difference if you want to get verified.
How to apply?
Here are the steps that you have to follow to apply for verification on Instagram
- The first step is to log in to your account and then go to settings through the drop-down menu on the top right corner of your profile.
- Once you have opened the settings, you have to click on the option called “Account.” There you will find a link called “Request Verification” on the menu itself. You have to click on it, and Instagram will direct you to the page on which you will apply for verification.
- Finally, you have to fill out the application form and submit it. You must note that you cannot lie about any personal details that they ask. That could lead you to never getting verified or, even worse, get your account deleted.
- The application form requires you to fill out your name, identity among people, and the category in which you or your account falls. You could fill in the company name and business/brand in the latter two options if you have a business.
- You will have to upload your ID proof that is government-issued, such as your driver’s license, in case of an individual or other such documents in case you have a company. You should go through your application once more after uploading your ID proof and ensure that everything is right. After that, all you have to do is send it to finalize your application for verification.
Conclusion
You must remember before applying for verification is that that little blue badge won’t automatically turn you into a successful Instagrammer with a huge following; you will need to work for it. You have to build a decent following on your other social media accounts, too, and get yourself recognized.
You must also establish your brand and protect it via SEO, such that the first search results that show on Google are your website. As they say, patience and hard work always pay off.
