Since August 2018 you can have your Instagram account verified. Verification on Instagram shows that you own your brand presence on the platform and lets potential customers know that they can trust your content. However, in order to get the blue tick, a number of requirements have to be met.
What does it mean to be verified on Instagram?
Instagram first allowed users to request verification in August 2018. The blue tick will then appear next to the account name as well as in the search and when the Instagram account owner comments on posts. The badge has a simple purpose, which is to identify the account as the official profile of the brand or a public person. Verification of Instagram prevents imitation, which is why it is reserved for global brands and public figures.
The platform offers a verification program for accounts that represent well-known brands and influencers that have a high probability that the account could be impersonated. This is to ensure that users of the Instagram community are dealing with authentic brands and people they want to follow..
Advantages of the blue tick on Instagram
There are several advantages to Instagram verification:
- The certification mark on Instagram helps to present the exclusivity of your brand.
- It's an easy way to gain brand awareness and increase your number of followers.
- It's an effective strategy for protecting your brand from impostors.
- It increases the trustworthiness between your brand and your followers.
- Brands prefer to work with influencers or marketers with verified Instagram accounts
- The check mark also helps users find your brand easily on social media.
Accounts with the checkmark also get earlier access to other special functions on Instagram, such as the "Swipe Up" function in Instagram Stories, for which a profile actually has to have at least 10,000 users. Verified account owners are exempt from this rule.
Verification requirements
When someone makes a request for verification, Instagram takes a variety of factors into account to decide whether or not to grant the request. One of the main factors is whether there is a high likelihood that the accounts will be impersonated. To be eligible to apply for the blue check mark, your Instagram account must meet the following verification criteria:
- The account must be authentic: To be eligible for verification, your Instagram account must represent a registered company or legal entity, or it must belong to a real person.
- The account must be unique: the Instagram account must be the unique presence of the company or the person it represents. This means that only one account per person or company can be verified.
- There is an exception for language-specific accounts, but general interest accounts are not verified. This includes fan accounts, feature accounts, and meme accounts.
- The account must be public: The blue Instagram badge is only for public institutions and celebrities, which means that you cannot have a private profile verified on the platform.
- The account must be complete: This means that it must have a profile photo, a bio and at least one post in the feed. In addition, your profile must not contain "Add me" links to other social media platforms.
- The account must be prominent: to be verified, your Instagram account must represent a well-known person or brand. It needs to be searched frequently and / or appear in multiple news sources
- In addition to meeting the criteria above, you must also follow Instagram's Terms of Use, as well as the platform's community guidelines.
How to increase your chances of getting approval
Even if your Instagram account meets the criteria for verification, there is still no guarantee that you will get the blue check mark. To have the best chance of getting approval, here are some tips you can follow:
- Include a photo, at least one post, and specific information about yourself, your company, or your brand.
- Optimize your online presence: work on maintaining your online presence so that it is easy to find. If your name only appears on Instagram, your account is less likely to get verified.
- Increase your following on Instagram: Although there is not a required number of followers for verification on Instagram, a higher number of followers will make you appear more notable. Expand your reach and increase your following if you want to secure the blue tick on Instagram.
- Post regularly: The guidelines state that you only need one post to be eligible for blue tick verification. Ideally, however, you shouldn't apply until you have a more robust Instagram presence.
- Increase Your Engagement: Another way to increase your chances of getting the blue check mark approval on Instagram is by engaging your followers. On most social channels, engagement is seen as a strong signal of authenticity.