The Ultimate Guide on How to Get Verified on Facebook & Instagram in 2021

In this article, we'll dive into details about how to get verified on Facebook and Instagram in 2021. We'll cover the benefits of getting that blue badge, step-by-step instructions on how to apply for it, and tips to increase in your odds of getting approved.

Getting popular on social media is easy.

Get the coveted blue tick next to your profile name and you’re instantly a social media influencer, a thought-leader in your niche, and a leading brand in your industry. ☑️

Before August 2018, it was up to the top people at Instagram and Facebook to decide who got the verification badge and who didn’t.

And only really popular people and brands got blue ticks next to their profiles. 

However, since then, social media platforms have introduced an option that lets all profiles apply for verification.  🥳

So what is a verification badge, why does it even matter, and how can you get your profile or your client’s profile verified on Facebook and Instagram?

What is the Verification Badge and Why Does Getting Verified Matter?

The verification badge is a blue tick that appears next to popular social media profiles like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

It was initially introduced to allow users to search for the correct brand.

With 100s of fan accounts and imposter accounts floating around on Instagram and Facebook of popular brands, it was essential to assign some sort of a badge to distinguish the original account from all the copies.

Take Gary Vaynerchuck, for example. He has over 20 imposter and fan accounts on Instagram, which can make it difficult for users to find the correct profile.

However, as social media platforms introduced blue ticks for not just the super-popular, getting the coveted blue tick on social media became a way to:

6 Benefits of Getting Verified on Instagram and Facebook

Legitimize your Brand

Having a blue tick next to your brand’s name on social media instantly makes your brand or your client’s brand a legitimate brand. And with widespread media distrust, this blue tick helps to build trust in your audience for your brand.

It also minimizes the chances of identity theft.

Increase Visibility

Social media comments, especially comments on Instagram, are a great way to build your brand following and a rapport with your audience. A lot of brands interact and engage with each other on Instagram and similarly with their audience, too.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if your brand’s comments were always visible to your audience?

Out of a 1,000 comments, would yours stick out?

Getting that blue tick helps.

Verified profiles comments usually appear at the top of Instagram posts and are also prioritized in Stories views.

Help with Social Media SEO

Ever noticed how verified accounts always come above unverified accounts on social media search results?

If you’d like to improve your social media search engine rankings, getting verified is one of the best ways to do that. It's a sure-fire way to appear above your unverified competitors, which is always a plus.

Escalate Problems to Support Easily

If your profile or your client’s profile ever gets hacked, your comment gets flagged, or you need to escalate a problem to Facebook support, having a verified account helps.

It lets you escalate your problems to Support with ease. The people at top understand that your brand is an important part of the social media community and solving your problem becomes a priority.

Establish Authority

Want to establish your brand, or your client’s brand as an authority on social media?

Get it verified.

It’s a great way to build online credibility and establishes your expertise and authority in your niche. Profiles with blue ticks are automatically assumed as experts in the industry.

Get an Edge Over Competition

With more and more brands joining social media, the need to have an edge over your competitor brands is immense.

Getting that coveted blue tick next to your profile also puts you a step above your competition. It also helps your audience choose the best brand for their needs.

Looking to streamline your social media and client approval process?

Schedule a 30 minute demo with the HeyOrca team to learn about all the ways HeyOrca can help you save time, fight burnout, and build client trust.

Criteria for Getting Verified on Facebook and Instagram

You don't need to be a band member of BTS, a celebrity, or have a million followers on social media to get that blue tick.

All you need to do is follow the following steps and prove beyond reasonable doubt that you deserve the verification badge.

As James Dyble, managing director of Global Sounds Groups says, “The technique to getting verified is concentrating on raising your brand and becoming a key player in your industry. Then the tick will follow.”

It’s a little challenging and time consuming (would it even be worth it if it wasn't?), but definitely worth the extra time and effort.

However, keep in mind that the final decision is still Facebook’s and they can decide not to give you a verification badge for any reason they want, but religiously following all the steps below will increase your chances of getting that coveted badge.

Ready? Let’s start.

Authenticity of Your Account

First and foremost, you need to ensure your brand is yours. It’s not an imposter account. It’s an account operated by the actual brand or person.

For that you need to submit documents that prove that account is yours. If you're managing a client’s account, you’ll need to submit their documents to Facebook and Instagram.

Complete Account

The profile should be complete. All relevant details should be added.

According to Facebook, complete profiles are ones that have,

• A profile photo
• A cover photo
• A name that complies with their guidelines
• Complete About section
• Follows Facebook’s Terms of Service

The more details you can add to your profile, the better your chances of getting that verified on Facebook.

According to Instagram, “Your account must be public and have a bio, profile photo, and at least one post. Your profile can't contain "add me" links to other social media services.”

While you’re at it, make sure your profile photo, your cover photo, and other details are the same across all social media channels to ensure brand cohesiveness.

Adding a phone number to your profile also helps in not just ensuring your account is complete, but also to make the process go as swiftly as possible.

As Andrew Taylor of Net Lawman explains, “Having a publicly listed phone number for your business that can be used for the 'call me now' function. You are called by 'Facebook' and you follow the prompts.”

Provide Accurate Information

And lastly, don’t provide misleading and false information to sway the authorities.

Facebook clearly says, “Keep in mind that if you provide false or misleading information during the verification process, we will remove your verified badge and may take additional action to delete your account.” 🙅

So ensure every piece of information you provide during this process is true and genuine.

Peter Schoeman of The Dog Adventure is of the same mind and advises brands to be honest and submit accurate information during the verification process.

“You have to be *100% accurate and honest* during the verification process of your social media account. Use your full real name and pick the most suitable category for your account. And, most importantly, use a real document - unedited or altered - to verify your identity.” Says Schoeman.

Celebrity-esque Status

One of the prerequisites of Facebook’s verification badge is having a ‘Notable account’.

According to Facebook, “Your account must represent a well-known, often searched person, brand or entity. We review accounts that are featured in multiple news sources, and we don't consider paid or promotional content as sources for review.”

So basically you need to prove you’re a well known figure. A mini celebrity, if we must. 🌟

Tips for becoming "notable" on Facebook and Instagram

Get Yourself in the Press

Garnering press for your brand is a great way of proving your brand’s celebrity-esque status. Create content for your brand and submit them on news sites.

Alternatively, you can also hire a publicist to get you on well-known online news channels.

As Janis Thies, of SEOlutions, aptly says, “Focus on digital PR first and foremost. Get your brand and your name out there. Preferably via editorial publications on big portals like Forbes, Vogue, IBTimes, Entrepreneur, Financial Times et al. Complement these publications with Press Releases about your brand, media publications (YouTube and Twitch are great) and if possible a full-fledged Wikipedia entry.

Whatever you do, be authentic, be honest and be personal.”

Leveraging platforms like Haro, Help a Reporter Out, is also a great idea.

Michael Russell, Director of digital marketing at Rachet Straps, shares,  “One of the best ways to provide credibility is to use platforms such as Help A Reporter Out that uses quotes to reference their article and provides you with credit.

Answering these questions can provide your social media, name, and website credibility and help you tremendously in getting verified. You will want to also have a website for your brand or name with an about us section featuring these accolades so that you can be quickly verified if you meet the requirements.

Doing this method I have seen numerous clients become verified within 45-60 days after meeting credentials and submitting a verified request.”

Write a Book

Write a best-selling book.

Sounds difficult?

It really isn’t.

If you publish a book in an obscure, narrow niche on Amazon (via Amazon’s Print on Demand publishing platform), price it super low, and ask friends and family to buy a few of them, there are high chances your book will end up becoming a best seller in that niche.

You can then add the title ‘Best selling author’ to your bio.

Become a Speaker

Wouldn’t it be a dream if you could give a TED talk?

For aspiring leaders wanting to increase their online visibility, getting a TED talk is a dream come true.

And contrary to popular opinion, TED talks aren’t just for the already famous and popular. Even ordinary people with great ideas can pitch a TedX talk by either nominating themselves through their website or applying to speak at a local TedX event.

Participating in platforms similar to Ted and giving talks is another great way of proving you’re a notable personality.

Have a Strong Following on Other Social Media Channels

Having a large following on other social media channels like YouTube also helps a brand’s case in getting verified.

Alex Kehoe of Caveni Digital Solutions LLC says, “The most important factor is the existence of external media regarding whomever is trying to be verified.

As an example, a large YouTube following makes it much easier to get verified somewhere like Instagram, or a large number of news stories makes it easier to get verified on Facebook.

In those cases, being verified is always much easier and even someone with a small following on Facebook/Instagram can be verified just by virtue of relevancy on other platforms.”

Grow your Facebook and Instagram Following

Who has more chances of getting a verification badge?

A new fledgling brand with barely a 1,000 followers, or a brand with a decent engaged following of over 10,000?

The latter, right?

The easiest way of getting real, genuine followers is by running a paid campaign on Instagram and Facebook and targeting your target audience.

Strive for at least 8,000 to 10,000 followers initially.

However, if you don’t have a huge following, fret not. There are some verified accounts with less than 10,000 followers, too.

Create Original, Unique Content

A lot of brands end up reposting other brand’s content on Facebook and Instagram.

Don’t do that.

According to Facebook, your account should be, “the unique presence of the person or business it represents.”

Facebook also clearly mentions that they don’t “verify general interest accounts (example: Puppy Memes).”

So, create your own original, branded, unique content.

Take Gary V, for example.

His team creates 10 different types of social media posts with one long-form article or talk and posts them on Instagram and Facebook.

You can do the same for your brand or your client’s brand. Create multiple pieces of original content through one long-form content piece and share those on Instagram.

Milena Farber, at Tonara, shares their social media profiles got verified when they had less than 10,000 followers.

What worked?

Creating unique content.

“The content that your uploads should be yours. Now, for that, you should invest in design platforms or a designer. If you find an inspiration post from another profile, don't repost! Do you, with your branding and your language! Keep in mind that is fine if you give credits to the owner, but make it personalized.

Let's imagine you want to build your own BigMac but you won't be able to customize it with the ingredients you want. How would you feel? Would you buy from McDonald's again?

The same on Instagram. Your followers want to feel important and whenever you repost an existing content without having your own design, do think they would feel? Make sure you meet these criteria as best as you can!”

TIP: You can use a Social Media Calendar Tool like HeyOrca to save time creating, scheduling, and getting client approvals on social media posts. HeyOrca allows you to easily create and schedule posts to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google My Business, and Pinterest!

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So How Do I Get Verified?

Now we’re on to the main part...

You’ve ensured your account is ready for getting the shiny blue verification badge. You’ve dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s of the verification process.

Now it’s time to apply for the verification badge.

How to Get Verified on Facebook

Go to the ‘Request a blue verification badge’ page.

Add all the required details and attach all the requested documents.

Click Send.

And you’re done.

Now wait for Facebook to contact you with the results.

How to Get Verified on Instagram

On Instagram, the verification process is slightly different from Facebook.

Go to your profile and tap the hamburger menu icon

Tap the settings icon that looks like a gear

Tap "Account", then tap "Request Verification".

Fill out the form and tap "Send".

The IG team will review your request and let you know if your account has been verified on Instagram or not.

5 Fool-Proof Tips to Enhance Your Chances of Getting Verified on Facebook and Instagram

Getting your account or client's account verified can be a tricky task.

So we asked marketing professionals and social media experts for their best tips and tricks on how to get verified on Facebook and Instagram, and here’s what they said.

Post Regularly to Facebook and Instagram

Julian Goldie, owner of a digital marketing agency, recommends brands to post regularly to increase their chances of getting verified.

“An inactive account is the least likely to get verification on Instagram and Facebook. To improve your possibilities of getting the blue verification badge, make sure to publish new content on a daily basis.”

Network with Others in Your Space

Lydia Mansel, head of content at ABM Agency, suggests brands to amp up their networking.

“In my experience, getting verified—whether it's on your personal accounts, brand accounts, or your co-workers' accounts—is much easier if you network. If you're already in the social media space, accept invitations to Instagram or Facebook events. 

More often than not, these are held in New York, but since the shift to working from home and virtual events, more and more people have the opportunity to attend. While there, make sure you seek out those who work at the company. They'll have more insight into the process, and they'll be able to put a name to the face when you apply or reach out in the future.“ Says Mansell.

Get an Impressive Following

While numbers definitely matter on social media, focus on getting some big accounts to follow you on social media.

Collaborate with influencers on Instagram, run contests with big names in your niche, and build a rapport with them. This greatly increases the chances of your brands getting getting verified on Facebook and Instagram.

As Milosz Krasinski, managing director at Chilli Fruit Web Consulting, shares, “My top tip would be to gain as many followers as possible and put in the legwork to try to get some big names to follow you as, the more of these that you’re linked to, the better your chances.”

Engage with Your Audience

“It's important for the account looking for that blue check to interact well with followers and other verified accounts. We're not talking about generic comments or simple likes, though. It's important to be engaging and exciting, without looking too spammy, all while following a brand image.” Explains Orianna Guzman of Sparkloft Media.

Mark Hayes of Kintell is of the same opinion and says, “You're unlikely to get verified on any platform unless you have a growing, active audience. One way to cultivate such an audience is to post regularly and engage with your following, no matter how small. It's important to remember that the blue tick is used to differentiate a real account from a fake account.”

Don’t Take Shortcuts

“This is a pro tip for all those who’re eagerly waiting to earn the ‘blue-tick’ Instagram badge. Don’t indulge in any shortcuts or buy Instagram followers. Breaking the community guidelines and then asking Instagram to examine your account is a very ineffective way and this might also lead to the shut down of your account.” Shares Eric Jones, CEO of Couture Candy.

Dave at Pathfinder Alliance is of the same mind and advises brands to never buy followers.

“Quite apart from the fact that Instagram and Facebook will probably spot it, it will lead to you having an ‘unbalanced’ account, i.e., a significant following with little engagement. People you buy as followers and likes, if they exist at all, will have no interest in you, will never see your posts, and certainly will never meaningfully engage with you.”

Wrapping up

With so much noise on social media platforms, it’s essential to find ways to give your brand an edge over others. One of the best ways to do that is by getting verified on Facebook and Instagram.

While difficult, it’s definitely a worthwhile task.

Take into consideration the steps outlined above to enhance your chances of getting verified.

Best of luck! 🤞

Have anything to add? Email datis@heyorca.com!

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