For a big account, getting verified can be the difference between continuing to climb the ladder to success and getting left behind as just one of over a billion other Instagrammers. Indicated by a blue check mark next to the profile’s username, social media verification is a way to instantly legitimize your business, your project, your luxury real estate, or even yourself. It tells the world that you’re a real person with a real following and a real influence and that you deserve to have a badge to prove your significance,
Of course, because this verified check mark holds so much significance, it’s a highly coveted thing among Instagram users of a certain following people like rising celebrities, realtors and real estate agents, startups,newly-conceived online stores, and soon-to-be-released projects like movies or television or podcasts or music. As such, the process of obtaining Instagram verification is no easy task. The ever-popular social media site makes its users jump through plenty of hoops if they wish to get that blue check mark.
Meeting Account and Eligibility Requirements
First and foremost, an account hoping to get verified needs to meet Instagram’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. If your account has been flagged for any reason in past years whether it be for posting spam
or harassment or inappropriate photos any other sort of wrongdoing in the eyes of the platform you will not be allowed to receive the blue check. This is an easy way for Instagram to make sure it’s not giving a stronger voice to the wrong kinds of people and to keep users in line with their expectations. Simply put, if you want Instagram to verify you, you need to make sure you’re on your best behavior.
Of course, following the rules doesn’t mean that you can go out and score a verified badge tomorrow. You also have to check a few other boxes. Instagram state that your account must be authentic, (meaning that you aren’t impersonating another person, place, or thing), unique (meaning that a verified account doesn’t already exist for the thing you’re trying to get verified for), complete (meaning you have posts, a profile picture, a bio, and so on), and notable (meaning that you need to be known, you need to be recognizable, and you need to be spoken of by legitimate news stories).
REQUESTING A VERIFIED BADGE
If you feel confident that you’ve met these account and eligibility requirements, then the next step is to actually request your verification from Instagram HQ. It’s a process any of us have access to on our profiles, even if we’re far from meeting all the requirements for verified status.
- First, and this might go without saying, you need to make sure you’re logged into the right account you want verified. Some people run multiple accounts, so this is surely a common enough mistake if they need to spell this out.
- Second, go to your profile by tapping the icon on the bottom right of the app. This should be your page with all of your posts in a grid below your bio, profile picture, and follower count.
- Next up, tap the three horizontal lines in the top right of the screen. This will open up a menu.
- You’ll then want to tap the gear icon to take you to your profile settings. Tap Account, then scroll down to tap Request Verification.
- Here, you’ll enter your full name and provide the necessary identification so that Instagram can know it’s really you who’s behind the account.
Once you’ve gone through all these steps, you’ll then have to wait. As with almost anything, there’s no easy way to instantly get what you’re requesting. Instagram will respond within 30 days, and if you’re denied, you’ll be able to request verification in another 30 days. It’s also worth noting that, if you’re found in violation of the Terms of Service or the Community Guidelines after receiving your verification, Instagram will take your badge away faster than you can say sorry. Doing things like attempting to sell your verified account to someone else, using your verified account for things other than what you’re advertising, or trying to get verification through hacking or other third-party methods will essentially put you on the blacklist and you’ll never be verified.
STRIVING FOR A BLUE CHECK MARK
If you’ve tried and failed to get verified on Instagram, don’t lose hope: There are many ways you can ensure a blue check mark as long as you’re willing to put in the work.
- Be sure to include all sorts of posts on your page that show you’re legitimate. This includes things like links to official sources such as your website, your Facebook, your Twitter, or your YouTube. keep these links out of your bio, because Instagram won’t verify your account if you’re using your bio to promote your profiles on their competitors’ sites.Just be sure to keep these links out of your bio, because Instagram won’t verify your account if you’re using your bio to promote your profiles on their competitors’ sites.
- Use your bio to convincingly portray yourself in a positive and informative way. Make sure that new visitors to your profile know exactly who you are and what you do by your bio and the things you post. (This is often referred to as staying “on brand.”) Just as a brand’s web design would utilize SEO, you want to make sure that your profile takes advantage of the kinds of posts that show you off.
- Utilize the Instagram Stories feature to show who you are, what you do, and how you do it. There’s no easier way to show that you’re real than to frequently post snippets of your day and your job to your Story.
- This goes without saying, but get your number of followers up. The more you have, the more valid you’ll seem.
The Bottom Line
If you’ve found yourself at a loss, continually being denied verification by Instagram and unsure of how to grow your platform, turn to Infiniti Marketing Group. Not only do we excel at turning your small business into a
reputable brand, but we also pride ourselves on our 98% success rate at getting clients verified on Instagram. With our satisfaction guarantee, we can assure you that getting you verified is a top priority for us. Contact us to
learn more today.
