to get verified on Instagram: Six steps to getting your blue check //

You’ll have to learn how to verify your Instagram account if you want to give your brand the best possible credibility on social media. Once you’ve earned that little blue checkmark, everyone will know that your account is real. Fake accounts will find it difficult to impersonate you.

We found some differences between Instagram’s instructions, and the way it actually worked. In this article, we have outlined the steps in detail. We’ve also included some tips on how to increase your chances of having your account verified application approved.

What does it mean to have your Instagram account verified?

Instagram verification has a growing meaning. The meaning behind Instagram verification is expanding.

Mark Zuckerberg has announced a program that allows anyone to get the blue badge by paying a fee.

Meta Verified, however, is not available to brands. You can earn your check in the traditional way if you are a social media marketer for a brand, or a business looking to verify their account.

If you ever see the blue badge in the Instagram bio, that means Instagram has verified the authenticity of the account.

According to Instagram , verification badges are also displayed in search results “to help users find the real accounts and brands of people or brands.”

The blue checks are prominently displayed to make sure that the accounts stand out from any fake or fan accounts.

Why verify your Instagram account?

The Instagram verification badges are a status sign because they’re notoriously hard to obtain. The check mark is more than just a blue badge.

• Protection against impersonation: Instagram will actively monitor for verified accounts that are impersonators.
• Access to Human Customer Support: Verified Accounts get direct access to human support.
• Visibility (maybe) increased ): Instagram’s position on this issue has been a bit of a flip-flop. First, they said verified accounts would appear higher in search results and then denied it.

Instagram is testing the new Meta Verified Program and are still determining what benefits they will offer verified accounts. At the very least, accounts with blue checks will be trusted more than those without.

Is it possible to get verified on Instagram for anyone?

Instagram verification is open to anyone, including brands and organizations. Individuals will now be able to pay Meta for their badge and complete a short process.

Brands and organizations are still subject to the old rules. Instagram will ask you to prove that your account is compliant with the following criteria:

• Follow the rules: You must follow Instagram’s Terms and Conditions, as well as Community Guidelines.
• Authenticity: The account must represent a genuine person, company, or organization.
• Unique You can have multiple accounts, but each account must represent a single person or brand.
• Complete Your account must have a full bio, including a image for your profile and have something posted.
• Public: Your account must be set to public in order to be verified.
• Notable You, your brand, or you need to be well-known and prominently featured in news sources.

Instagram verification does not require a certain number of followers. If you believe you meet these criteria, you can apply for a new Instagram account.

How to verify your Instagram account in 6 easy steps

Filling out the Instagram Verification application only takes a couple of minutes. We did find that some things didn’t work as Instagram claims.

Step 1: Log in to your Instagram account, and tap on your profile image

You must use the mobile app to do this. Desktop users can’t access some features.

Step 2: Click the Hamburger icon on the upper right

Step 3 – Go to the Settings and Privacy

Step 4: Click on Business Tools and Controls

Instagram’s instructions state to tap “Account” in this area. We had to select “Business Tools and Controls” in our professional account.

Step 5: Tap Request Verification

Step 6: Fill in the application

You will need to complete a few sections.

Fill in your name, and then submit an identity document. Instagram suggests using a recent utility bill, driver’s licence, tax return, or other documents.

Select a category, such as sports, music or fashion, and then the country where you are most well-known. You can describe your audience, including who they are and why they follow you. ).

Add links to articles in the news or social networking accounts, which show you are of public interest. This is where you’ll prove your notoriety.

Click “Submit” and you’re done!

After a few days, and maybe up to a month, Instagram will send their response to your notifications tab.

Use these tips to get verified on Instagram

Filling out the Instagram verification form is easy. The hard part is getting approved. These tips will help you get the green light for your new blue badge.

Create a killer bio and profile

Instagram plainly states that for an account to be verified, it needs to be complete. We suggest going beyond just filling out the basics and optimizing your Instagram bio to make it as engaging as possible. A creative bio will not only impress Instagram’s verifiers, but it’ll also improve your standing with people who visit your page.

Oh, and an optimized Instagram profile will also help you land atop search results, getting you more traffic and adding to your case for verification.

Grow your following

Instagram says that follower count is not a deciding factor for verification. And we believe them…sort of.

Sure, the verification committee may not look at how many people follow your account directly. But the more engaged followers you have, the more notoriety your brand gains. As your follower count increases, you get more people talking about your brand. That’s exactly the type of account Instagram tags with blue badges.

Start increasing your follower count with these 10 quick tips to grow your Instagram account.

Apply when your brand is hot

When you fill out the verification application, you want to share recent links to stories about your brand that prove you’re blue-check material. So the next time your company winds up in newspapers or you make a big announcement that’s likely to be shared, use that PR momentum to get Instagram verified.

Remember that Instagram doesn’t consider paid promotion towards your application, so focus on unpaid (aka earned) media mentions.

Do not try to buy a verification

Just like black hat SEO schemes, shortcuts to getting verified on Instagram will hurt you in the long run. So as tempting as they may sound, don’t fall for the scammers that say they can sell you a blue check.

Attempts to go around Instagram’s official process aren’t going to work. But even worse, they could lead to your account being penalized. A blue check is great, but a healthy Instagram account is better.

Instead of buying your way in, get more notoriety for your account by learning the best time to post on Instagram.

Remove links to other social media platforms

You can probably imagine why, but Instagram doesn’t love it when you include links to other social media websites in your bio. In fact, they say an account with cross-platform links won’t get verified. So if you want the blue check, ditch the social media links.

The exception to the rule is that you can link to your Facebook account since it’s under the same Meta umbrella as Instagram. And feel free to link away to your website, Instagram verifiers won’t care about that.

Re-apply

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. It’s a good motto for life and for getting verified on Instagram. That’s because you’re allowed to reapply if your first attempt doesn’t go your way.

There are two things to remember. First, you need to wait at least 30 days before applying again. And if you apply a second (or third) time before receiving a notification on your first one, Instagram will cancel your application altogether.

Also, if nothing has changed in your status, it’s probably a waste of time to reapply. Engage your followers, get more brand mentions, and make some news-worthy announcements. Then go get that badge.

Instagram verification FAQs

Let’s make sure you have all the answers you need to launch a successful bid for Instagram verification with a quick Q&A.

How many followers do you need to get verified on Instagram?

This is a trick question because Instagram says follower count is not a deciding factor for verification. However, the more followers you have, the more chances your brand will get mentioned. And notoriety will definitely help your bid for a blue badge.

Can anyone get verified on Instagram?

Yes. You don’t have to be famous or a huge brand to get verified on Instagram. However, you do need to prove that your brand is in the public interest and that your account actually belongs to you.

How much does it cost for an Instagram verification badge?

It’s complicated. For your personal account, you can now pay either $11.99 per month (web) or $14.99 per month (ios or Android) for Meta Verified which gets you a blue badge on both Facebook and Instagram. Meta Verified doesn’t require the same proof of notoriety as the old-school blue badge.

For brands, there’s no fee to apply for Instagram verification, but you do have to go through a more stringent review process.

Build your brand with Instagram verification

A blue check badge in your Instagram account tells visitors that your account is run by the brand it represents. That’s an important level of credibility at a time when anyone can mimic a popular account.

To get verified on Instagram, follow these tips:

• Create a killer bio and profile
• Grow your following
• Apply when your brand is in the news
• Don’t try to buy a verification badge
• Remove links to other social media platforms
• Reapply if you don’t get in on the first try

Instagram, and social media as a whole, is an incredible resource for businesses. While you wait to hear back from Instagram’s verification team, check out this complete guide to social media marketing. It has everything you need to get more followers, create brand advocates, and generate leads and sales from any social platform.

The post How to Get Verified on Instagram: 6 Steps to Get Your Blue Check appeared first on WordStream.