For many businesses, working their way toward being verified on social media is a monumental step in the life of their business.
While you can always increase your advertising budget to generate more leads, Instagram verification is one of the elusive social media status symbols you can’t buy, which as a result makes it highly coveted and immensely valuable.
A study revealed that 73.4% of Instagram accounts that had more than one million followers had a verified badge. Out of the next group down (100,000 to one million followers), 22.4% were verified accounts. When studying accounts with between 1,000 and 5,000 followers, only 0.87% were verified.
Put simply, being verified on Instagram can have a significant effect on your brand’s image in the public eye.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know on how to get verified on Instagram, including the verification process, how to request verification, and more.
Shortcuts ✂️
Free Webinar:
How to Grow and Monetize Your Instagram Account
A free workshop with field-tested Instagram marketing tips. Learn how to grow your Instagram audience and monetize it with an online store.
Register now
An Instagram verified badge is a blue checkmark next your profile name. The check proves the account is owned by a public figure like a celebrity or brand.
As a business on Instagram, one question you may ask yourself is, “How do I get my account verified?” Most social media services have some kind of “verification” process for getting the almighty blue checkmark on your profile:
Data suggests that the majority of bigger Instagram accounts are verified.
As you grow your Instagram profile, you’ll want to get verified to stand out from the competition. Verified accounts are generally seen as more trustworthy than unverified ones and have a 30% higher engagement rate, on average.
Other reasons to get verified include:
Having a verified Instagram account, means you’re more likely to attract new followers directly from search results (in the Instagram app) and increase brand awareness.
With all of those great benefits, you’re probably thinking that getting verified is going to be pretty difficult. But is it? Let’s take a look.
The good news is that applying to be verified on Instagram is super easy (as you’ll see in the tutorial below). The not so great news is that actually getting approved can be difficult.
It’s no secret how Instagram verifies accounts. It’s guidelines state the eligibility requirements your account must meet:
You’ll need official business documents and ID to prove it. Those are on top of the basic rules of following community guidelines and Instagram’s terms of use. As bonus good news, these criteria also mean you don’t have to have a certain number of followers to get verified—you could request verification as soon as you sign up and complete your profile.
Open the Instagram app and head to your profile. Once you’re on your profile page, tap on the hamburger icon (three lines) in the top-right corner and select Settings. On your settings page, toward the bottom, you’ll see the option to Request Verification. Tap it and you’re ready for step 2.
From there, you’ll need to fill in details about your business such as:
Photo courtesy of: Unsplash
Here you can link to other verified social media accounts if you have them, news or press releases your brand is featured in, your website, or other (non-promotional) links you feel might be relevant. Once you’ve filled in the verification application details, hit Submit and congrats: you’ve sent off your request.
Photo courtesy of: PexelsGenerally within about 30 days, Instagram will notify you in your Activity feed whether your application was successful or not. If so, you’ll get the Instagram verification badge right away.
Before you go ahead and submit your application for the coveted blue badge, keep in mind the following tips that will help improve your chances of getting a verified Instagram account:
Under no circumstances does Instagram let users buy, sell, or otherwise transfer their verified badge.
If you see an account that advertises the ability to get you one either for free or for a “small fee,” like the one below, don’t fall for the scam.
Use Instagram responsibly. Don’t try shady tactics like buying badges, followers, likes, or comments. Otherwise, you could find your account banned.
Don’t buy Instagram followers. Focus on the genuine, organic growth of your account. It’s easy to tell when someone buys followers because their account will have lots of followers but low engagement. These “followers” are often bots or inactive accounts, so they don’t interact with your brand. The lack of engagement means your posts won’t show up on the explore pages or in your audiences feeds.
It's better to have 1,000 engaged fans than 10,000 followers when you want to optimize for sales.
Gretta van Riel, in an edited excerpt from the course Grow Your Business with Instagram
Although your follower count doesn’t matter when it comes to verification, a highly engaged following can help.
Some ways to get more Instagram followers include:
Instagram followers are more than just a number, they are your community. Even if you don’t get verified, real followers will help increase traffic to your site, make more sales, and build influence in your space.
All verified accounts have one thing in common: complete profiles. Each of them has a concise and punchy Instagram bio, a strong profile photo, an external link (to either their website or a Linktree, linking to multiple sites), and well-designed Story Highlights.
Sure, the Instagram profile has the same structure for every account. But each Instagram bio—the small summary underneath the username—is unique.
Users look at your bio when deciding whether or not to follow you on Instagram, so you have to make it count.
The bios of verified accounts accomplish a number of things:
A strong profile can make a good first impression on behalf of your brand and convince people to follow you.
As long as your brand is consistent, only posting your own content—content that is safe for public viewing—you’re most likely already following the community guidelines and ticking this box for verification.
Though to be more specific, Instagram has given a short version of what the community guidelines cover:
We want Instagram to continue to be an authentic and safe place for inspiration and expression.Help us foster this community. Post only your own photos and videos, and always follow the law. Respect everyone on Instagram; don’t spam people or post nudity.
No matter if you’re a global brand or the average Joe, Instagram can (and does) punish accounts that don’t follow these basic guidelines.
Team up with a PR agent or agency, or even a journalist, who can help you get your name out there. Some agencies also have access to Facebook’s Media Partner Support tools, where they can submit requests and get accounts verified through the portal.
To get publicity, you’ll need to do things considered newsworthy. What’s deemed newsworthy depends on your niche, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
Getting involved in activities outside of your brand is how you build awareness and get into media outlets.
When the Instagram verification team checks to see if you are notable, they’ll find you in these news channels.
Even if you follow all of the tips above, there’s still a chance Instagram won’t approve your application. So what happens then? Try a few of the following actions:
As simple as it sounds, it’s worth double-checking the four main requirements we saw earlier: authentic, unique, complete, and notable.
Make sure you have the most appropriate business document to prove authenticity. Be sure to remove/delete any old accounts you might have set up. Compare your level of profile completeness to those who are already verified.
Lastly, do a Google search on your brand. If you don’t see any mentions of it outside of your own website, that could be the issue.
If your verification request gets rejected by Instagram, all is not lost.
You can apply again after 30 days. Be patient though—repeated applications within 30 days will mean the request will be canceled.
Give yourself that month to figure out ways of improving your chances using the tips above rather than hope you’ll get approved in the following 30 days without making any changes.
If you still can’t get approved for a blue check, there are other ways to show your brand’s authenticity without it.
Instagram recommends linking your account to your official website, Facebook page, YouTube channel. Another way to show your authenticity is by creating video content of you or your team behind the scenes.
Showing how your business looks day-to-day is a great way to gain trust, but also follows the recommendations of multiformat content to grow followers.
Getting the verification badge on Instagram (or any social media for that matter) is a big milestone for your business.
It proves your account is worth watching and engaging with. However, all the benefits come with a challenge—it can be hard to get approved.
Getting the basics right matters, and so does building your brand outside of your immediate social bubble. Following the tips in this guide will help you toward fulfilling those requirements.
That said, verified or not, making money on Instagram is still possible by funneling traffic to your ecommerce store, setting up an Instagram shop, becoming a brand affiliate, and more.
Illustration by Dan Page
An individual person or small business can get verified on Instagram. The profile must represent a real person or business, and it must be the only legitimate Instagram account representing you or your business.
Instagram doesn’t give an official number needed for verification.
One study found that accounts with as few as 1,000 followers had verification badges. It also found that the more followers an account has, the more likely they are to have a verification badge.
The verification application is free through the Instagram app. There are businesses you can pay to help you through the process of getting verified, but that’s not recommended.
If you want to know how to get verified on Instagram, you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, we’ll tell you how to apply for that coveted blue badge (that’s the easy part) and provide some tips to help you qualify (that’s the hard part).
What does Instagram verification mean?
Who can get verified on Instagram?
How to get verified on Instagram in 6 steps
10 tips to get verified on Instagram
Instagram verification FAQ
Bonus: 14 Time-Saving Hacks for Instagram Power Users. Get the list of secret shortcuts Hootsuite’s own social media team uses to create thumb-stopping content.
Instagram verification is the process of getting a blue checkmark badge that tells other users on the platform that an account really belongs to the user, artist, brand, or organization it represents.
You’ve probably seen plenty of verification badges around. As with Twitter, Facebook and, yes, Tinder, the little blue checkmarks are meant to indicate that the platform has confirmed the account in question is trustworthy, or at least they are who they say they are.
These badges are designed to make the real accounts stand out, so that Instagram users can be sure they’re following the right person or brand. They’re easy to spot in search results and on profiles, and they convey authority.
Source: @creators
It’s easy to see why verification badges are also a coveted status symbol. They’re rare, and exclusivity lends a certain amount of prestige—which may or may not translate to better engagement.
That said, Instagram is clear that verified accounts (just like business accounts) don’t get special treatment from the Instagram algorithm. In other words: if it is true that verified accounts earn higher engagement on average, it’s because they’re posting great content that resonates with their audience.
Anyone can request a verified badge on Instagram. However, Instagram is notoriously picky (and in many ways mysterious) about who actually gets verified. So, if you’re running an account that’s right on the cusp of “notable,” how do you know if you meet the criteria?
Just because you have a blue checkmark on Twitter or Facebook, for instance, doesn’t guarantee you’ll get one on Instagram.
Instagram is blunt, saying that “Only some public figures, celebrities, and brands have verified badges on Instagram.” In other words: “only accounts with a high likelihood of being impersonated.”
Here is what we do know about eligibility.
First, you must adhere to the network’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. On top of that, your account must meet each of these criteria:
”If you’re relatively confident you meet these criteria, or you just feel like rolling the dice, it’s time to go ahead and verify your Instagram account.
If you’re a visual learner, watch our video that covers everything you need to know about getting verified on Instagram. Otherwise, keep reading!
The verification process on Instagram is actually quite simple:
According to Instagram, after their team reviews your application, you’ll receive a response in your notifications tab. Because of historical and ongoing issues with scammers, Instagram is very clear that they will never email you, ask for money, or otherwise reach out.
Within a few days or a week (some say it can take up to 30 days), you’ll receive a direct yes or no. No feedback or explanation.
This is what a no looks like:
And here’s a yes, break out the bubbly:
So, yes, anyone can apply for verification on Instagram.
But actually getting approved is a lot tougher.
We’ve gone ahead and compiled all the best practices that will maximize your chances of getting verified as you move forward with your quest to prove your brand’s noteworthiness.
We’ll get this one out of the way first: that guy in your comments who says his friend works for Instagram? Please do not give him money.
The same goes for any third-party app or random account that offers “full refunds.” And for any random account that DMs you because they want to sell you their badge because they “don’t need it anymore.”
Instagram scammers know that people and businesses feel outsized emotions about the blue check, and some are pretty effective at appearing legit, so stay on your guard. And remember that Instagram will never request payment, and will never contact you.
Tl;dr: The only way to get verified is through the official form, unless you are Jennifer Aniston (in which case, scroll down to Tip #7: Work with an agency or publicist, or maybe stop reading this article entirely because you’re doing great!).
If you’re struggling with persistent unauthorized, fake, or fan accounts impersonating your brand, then we have good news for you. You’re a prime candidate for verification on Instagram. After all, distinguishing real accounts from fake ones is verification’s stated purpose.
Your annual social media audit should make it clear whether impostor accounts are a problem for you. You’ll want to monitor and document these accounts using a social media monitoring tool like Zerofox’s Hootsuite integration.
Look, we don’t have the numbers but it honestly feels sometimes like you need a ridiculous number of followers in order to get verified. There is absolutely no evidence that this is a real rule, but—it can’t hurt? Or maybe correlation does not imply causation after all?
Actually, what is more likely is that as people or brands get more noteworthy on and off Instagram, follower counts rise alongside.
If you want to hedge your bets and play it both ways—chicken and egg—here’s some inspiration for how to get more Instagram followers.
Pro Tip: Just don’t try to take a shortcut and buy your Instagram followers. (Plus, breaking the Community Guidelines and then asking Instagram to examine your account is a very effective way to get your account shut down.)
In what some might call a slightly petty move (we would never dare), Instagram insists that verified accounts can’t have so-called “add me” links to other social media services in their Instagram profiles. You can include links to your website, landing pages, or other online properties, just definitely don’t link to your YouTube or Twitter account.
On the other hand, if you have a blue checkmark on your Facebook profile but not on your Instagram account, Instagram does explicitly encourage you to link to your Instagram account from your Facebook page to help prove your authenticity.
Social media is all about serendipitous, organic discovery (this is what the Instagram Explore page is for, anyway—and making it big there can have a real impact on your engagement and follower count).
But when it comes to verification, Instagram wants to know if people care about you enough to tear themselves away from the seductions of the feed and spontaneously type your name into the search bar.
While Instagram doesn’t provide analytics on this data, we’d put money on the fact that Instagram’s verification team does have access, and will check up on how often users are searching for you. Which leads us to our next point…
Google yourself. Has your brand been featured in multiple news sources? Did a recent press release or white paper get picked up? Do you have a sound bite or a profile in a major international publication? Paid or promotional content definitely does not count.
If PR hasn’t been a priority for your brand thus far, you might have a more difficult time proving how “notable” you are.
Especially because there’s no place to submit your proof: Instagram does its own research, so it’s up to you to make sure your news is above the fold and impossible to ignore.
If you’ve recently experienced a windfall of attention, or you’re planning a big announcement, think about capitalizing on it and applying for that checkmark while your name is hot.
If you have the budget and the ambition, hire a reputable digital agency that has access to Facebook’s Media Partner Support tools. Your publicist or agent will be able to submit requests to claim usernames, merge accounts, and get accounts verified through their industry-only portal.
Is verification guaranteed? Of course not. But a request from an industry professional through the Media Partner Support panel carries more weight and distinguishes you from the crowd.
This tip should be a no-brainer, but because the consequences are dire we feel compelled to highlight it.
In your application to be verified, you have to be truthful above all else.
Use your real name. Choose an appropriate category. Definitely don’t falsify any government documents.
If you stretch the truth anywhere in your application, Instagram says that it will not only deny your request, but it may delete your account as well.
Instagram’s listed requirements for verification (a bio, a profile pic and one post? really?) are a low bar. You don’t just want to meet it. You want to hurtle over it.
Optimizing your Instagram bio will not just impress the verification team when they come to check you out, but can pay ongoing dividends in the form of new followers and conversions.
If, after all your hard work, Instagram comes back with a rejection, embrace the opportunity to zero in on your goals and redouble your efforts.
Hone your Instagram strategy, build a dedicated following, and earn buzz off the platform as well.
And then, whether you wait the 30 required days or spend a few fiscal quarters hitting your KPIs, you can apply again.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Smash Transit (@smashtransit)
Technically, there is no minimum follower count for getting verified on Instagram. As long as you are able to prove that you are a “notable,” or highly searched for, person (or your account represents a widely recognized business or organization), you can get your account verified regardless of your number of followers.
Instagram verification is free. Instagram will never ask for payment for the verification badge, and if someone is offering to verify your account for money, they are trying to scam you.
To get a blue check on Instagram, you have to prove that your account may be impersonated because you are a notable public figure or represent a widely recognized organization.
Save time managing your Instagram presence by using Hootsuite to schedule and publish posts, grow your audience, and track success with easy-to-use analytics—all from the same dashboard that you run your other social media profiles on. Try it free today.
Get Started
Grow on Instagram
Easily create, analyze, and schedule Instagram posts, Stories, and Reels with Hootsuite. Save time and get results.
Free 30-Day Trial
Many influencers, athletes, musicians and various media people, as well as brands, try to get a tick on Instagram, but not everyone succeeds and often not the first time. In the article, we analyze what the blue tick on Instagram means, to whom it is given and what needs to be done for this. We share tips on how to increase the chances of verification.
Some Instagram profiles are marked with a badge with a tick. This means that the account belongs to a famous person or brand, and the owner has confirmed its authenticity.
An example of a verified accountIt is believed that verification on Instagram increases coverage and reduces the likelihood of a ban. There is no evidence for this, however, a tick in the profile still provides some advantages.
People who have achieved a certain popularity sooner or later have fans and imitators. When trying to find an account of a famous person through the search bar, there will be many "left" pages. If the profile is ticked, the target audience will immediately understand who to follow. The same goes for brands.
A verified account is immediately highlighted. Another plus is that the checkmark reduces reputational risks. As your fame grows, you may encounter a common problem: scammers create fake pages and deceive gullible people on your behalf. For example, they offer to buy merch or an information product, invest in a “reliable project”, and the like.
It is much more difficult to do this with a verified profile. When searching, users will first of all pay attention to an account with a check mark. In the header, you can indicate that this is the only genuine page, and all others are fakes. If you are in sales, having a badge will increase the confidence of potential buyers.
Select the desired segments among subscribers: by age, interests, gender.
Instagram profile can be verified by public figures who are something of themselves and have reached a certain level of media: actors, athletes, models, politicians, musicians, various representatives of the arts, and so on. There are verified accounts of various areas - makeup artists, lawyers, authors of information products and much more.
Brands that have gained some recognition and fame, at least locally, can also get a tick on Instagram.
There are a number of criteria that a profile must meet in order to receive a badge:
Of course, the account must comply with Instagram's terms and conditions of use.
The official position of Instagram management: accounts that meet all the requirements are verified for free. Any attempt to get a tick around the rules is considered fraud. If the fact of this is revealed, the page will be blocked.
However, there are people who offer to buy a tick, and the demand for this service is quite high. It is safer to cooperate with agencies that work under a contract with a guarantee against deletion and take payment only after verification. However, you need to understand that you agree at your own peril and risk and may lose your profile if something goes wrong. In addition, the cost of the service reaches several thousand dollars, so weigh the pros and cons.
Go to settings, click "Account" and select "Request Verification".
Select the desired item in the settingsAn application form for verifying an Instagram account will open. First step: you need to add an official document proving your identity or company registration. Options:
A nickname will be automatically loaded in the "Username" line, and below you need to specify the full name.
How to get a blue tick on Instagram: fill out the verification applicationHow to get a blue tick on Instagram: fill out a verification application
Second step: confirm that the person or brand you represent is of public interest. Choose a category that characterizes the direction of your profile: media, sports, music, digital content creator, and so on. Indicate the country or region in which you are most popular.
How to get a tick on Instagram: provide as much information as possibleYou can also describe your audience: who these people are, what their interests are and why they follow you. Next, list the names or titles by which the person or brand is known. Both items are optional, but we recommend that you complete them to increase your chances of getting a checkmark.
Add links to publications in the media, accounts in other social networks and other sources that prove that you are interesting to people and have a certain media weight. All information is carefully analyzed, so custom articles and other paid content can harm your reputation.
Check the specified data and send a request for verification. Within 30 days you will receive a response with approval or refusal. In the latter case, read the reasons and try again after a month.
Even if your account is 100% compliant with the requirements above, there is no guarantee that you will receive a verification badge. It is useful to take a number of actions that will increase the chances of success.
Accounts with more followers are more likely to get ticked. This is not a mandatory requirement, but there is such an observation. We have articles on how to increase reach and gain an audience on Instagram.
Draw is one of the effective ways to promote Develop accounts on YouTube, Telegram, TikTok and other social networks. Gain followers so that Instagram staff sees interest in you across platforms. It’s great if you can confirm profiles on other sites - this contributes to a positive decision on verification on Instagram.
Try to increase the number of mentions of yourself in the media. Participate in events, express an expert opinion on the topics you specialize in, write articles, agree to interviews - perhaps you yourself will be able to propose your candidacy.
We advise you to read:
A full account creates a positive impression of the owner. It is advisable to post content at least a couple of times a week, while its uniqueness is important. At this stage, it is better not to duplicate photos and videos from other social networks on Instagram, especially those with a TikTok watermark.
Recommended reading:
All social networks compete with each other, so you should not invite subscribers to YouTube or TikTok in posts, headers and pinned stories - at least until you get a tick. Show that you are primarily interested in growing your Instagram account. Alternatively, you can place a multilink and specify all links there.
SendPulse has a block constructor for quickly creating websites and multilinks. You can add buttons for messengers and social networks, buttons to go to the site and chat bots, a gallery with pictures and videos, multi-channel subscription forms, and also accept payments through popular payment systems. Internal statistics and integration with Google Analytics are available. You can place a Facebook pixel and add a custom code.
If you want to verify your identity, it is better to take a photo of documents next to your face so that Instagram employees have no doubts about the authenticity.
It is also desirable that the usernames on Instagram and other social networks to which you provide links are the same or as similar as possible.
Monitor the internet for fake accounts with your name and content. If you find such pages, file a complaint immediately.
Found out what the Instagram checkmark means, who can get it and how to do it.
Use the SendPulse platform for marketing and online sales. Our tools include a website and multilink builder, chat bots for Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook, email, SMS, Viber mailing services, a free CRM system, browser notifications, and a universal platform for creating courses.
Nowadays people are are tied to their devices. Without the device in hand, we feel that something is wrong, as if something is missing.
via GIPHY
Social media has become a hive of engagement and engagement . Now this is the main form of communication for the majority.
Question "did you do it at all if it's not on social networks?" is common among the younger generation. Documenting your life and sharing those moments has become almost obsession.
The development of technology brings to humanity and the world as a whole many positive results , but it is not without its drawbacks.
One of the negative aspects of social media is that some people's happiness now depends on the number of followers or likes on their social media account. Worst of all, some people are willing to do anything to feel a rush of endorphins...
via GIPHY
In this article, we'll go over some of the finer points of using Instagram and tell you everything you need to know about getting verified on this major social media platform.
Important Disclosure: We are proud partners of some of the tools mentioned in this guide. If you follow an affiliate link and subsequently make a purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you (you pay nothing extra).
Sign Up Now To Never Miss Out ⭐️
We're sure most of you, if not all of you, have heard of Instagram.
However, if you've been living under a rock since 2010 and haven't heard of him, we're here to tell you.
Instagram (IG) is one of the largest social media platforms worldwide.
Instagram is estimated to have over 1 billion users.
This application, purchased by Facebook in 2012, is a photo and video sharing platform.
Instagram brings people together and gives them a glimpse into each other's lives. Whether your profile is private or public, Instagram is a great way to share moments with your followers, friends and family.
When using Instagram, you have your profile, which is made up of any content you have shared, and your feed, which is made up of any content shared by the accounts you follow.
It is in your feed that you can share your love by liking, commenting or saving any of the materials that appear.
via GIPHY
Anyone over 13 with a valid email address can join Instagram and create their own account. And when we say anyone, we really mean it: your old neighbor, your favorite movie star, or even your gym trainer.
Any means any .
Sounds amazing, doesn't it? 💕
Yes, it is. However, not everything that glitters is gold. Next in line is the rise of 90,165 fake accounts and fake profiles.
People have started creating fake profiles that most often imitate another Instagram account. How to distinguish scammers from fakes?
This is where Instagram verification comes in . IG verification is one way that allows people to verify the authenticity of the accounts they search for, follow, and interact with.
Verified account = Real account
Any account that becomes verified on Instagram is adorned with a blue verification badge. A small blue badge of honor among the Instagram community.
The verification icon is literally a blue circle with a white check mark inside . Sounds relatively unconvincing for the sheer power he wields, right?
Screenshot Source: InstagramIf you become a verified Instagram user, this blue badge will appear on your profile and in searches next to your username. This will show all your followers that you are who you say you are.
Although anyone can submit verification requests, not everyone can get verified.
No, you don't need to be famous or have millions of followers (although the number of followers matters).
However, you need to meet a few of the key criteria that Instagram has established to describe what they think is "notable user" or "notable account".
It may seem simple, but Instagram is especially picky and strict when it comes to rewarding someone with a blue check mark badge.
Instagram says it's keeping the blue badge for celebrities, public figures and status brands.
Wow! 😱
However, has hope for for those who feel they don't quite fit.
Here's how to find out if your account meets the verification criteria:
Verification of requires that your account is in the CROWD criteria .
Reading this word says almost nothing, however, if you decompose it into abbreviations, then everything will become much clearer.
CROWD Verification CriteriaHaving a full account means that you must have an active account that posts regularly. Your account must also have biography and profile picture of and it must be open to the public.
Your account must represent a real person , a genuine organization or registered business
A person can only request verification of one of their accounts or businesses. The exception is accounts with language specifics.
This is the most difficult requirement to complete.
Your account must be recognizable by people and must be an account that often search for and link to even outside of Instagram.
For example, if your account is organically mentioned in news sources, blogs and articles, then you are more likely to get verified.
Your account must be specific in its niche and unique in its presence. Random accounts that have 9 in common0167 (but still common) interests will not be verified.
If you meet all five review requirements, you are more likely to have your application accepted by the review team.
In addition to meeting these five criteria, however, you must ensure that you have read and followed the Community Guidelines and Terms of Use at all times.
Let's take a look at some of the Instagram accounts that managed to get the blue checkmark next to their name.
This name is recognized by most people around the world, so don't be surprised that her account is verified.
Kim Kardashian has almost 300 million followers on Instagram . Each of her posts receives millions of likes and tens of thousands of comments. In other words, her level of engagement is off the charts.
In her bio, she links to her business website as well as two other Instagram accounts/business profiles.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian)
She is a famous celebrity and public figure, so the level she achieves with her Instagram may not be possible for you . But her account is still a good example of what Instagram is aiming for.
Nike is the sportswear brand that most people know and love. We provide this example to show you that brands can be verified too, not just individuals.
Nike has almost 200 million followers . Each post gets hundreds of thousands of likes and several thousand comments. This proves that yes, they have a much-needed level of engagement. A post shared by Nike (@nike) , which gives potential subscribers an idea of what they stand for.
Here's a example of a influencer and celebrity who gained such notoriety and such a large following that Instagram awarded her an honorary verification badge.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Courtney 🌈 NYC Color Queen (@colormecourtney)
0165's engagement rates are much lower than 's for the two accounts we talked about above. Each of her posts receives only a few hundred comments.
Her biography lets the Instagram community know what she's up to and gives them a glimpse into her ebullient and eccentric personality.
GoodLuck is a South African band that has done several international tours in other parts of the world. There is a chance that if you do not live in Cape Town, you have not heard of them, however, their account is still verified on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by GoodLuck (@goodlucklive)
GoodLuck is an example of a verified account with achievable followers (33K to be exact) and achievable engagement.
On average, there are only 10-40 comments per post. In our opinion, this is quite doable.
The name of the account is a little misleading because although it is called KaleSalad, this account is neither. Actually, this account is meme account.
This is one of the few verified meme accounts proving it's possible if your niche is humor or comedy. This is most likely due to the high number of followers, and less likely due to their mediocre engagement.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Memes (@kalesalad)
Their bio includes what the account does, email address, so that potential subscribers can contact them, and a link where subscribers can submit their own memes.
We're pretty sure you've never heard of (unless you're the biggest rugby fan the world has ever seen).
JC Pretorius - a real person (same as me and you) and a minor athlete. He is a junior rugby player who played once in the Olympics, and although he has potential, he is not the athlete whose name is on everyone's lips.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by JC Pretorius (@jc_pretorius_6)
He has a total of 10k followers gets only a few thousand likes and averages less than 20 comments per post. However, sticks to his niche and has proven to Instagram that he is worthy.
If he could do it, so can you!
Sign Up Now To Never Miss Out ⭐️
Luckily for you, requesting verification on Instagram is a fairly simple process. Here are the steps you need to follow to make a request:
- Your username and full name
- The category/niche your account belongs to
- Identity Documents/Photos
8. Fill in any additional information you wish to include :
- Description of your audience
- Any organizations or people your account represents
- Any links to articles and other accounts that prove that your account is of interest to the public
9. Click the submit button
Once you've gone through this verification process and submitted your request, Instagram decides whether to accept or reject it. This may take up to 30 days.
Once a decision has been made, you will be notified and can view the final decision in your Activity.
If your request was rejected, you can try again after another 30 days, so all hope is not lost!
However, you don't get any other information than "yes" or "no", so be sure to review the account verification tips below before calling again.
Although there is no set course of action to follow, there are some key pros and cons that can help you get your account verified.
1. Complete Your Profile
This is required if you want to be verified.
Completing a profile means having a distinctive profile photo, at least one post, a descriptive and memorable biography, a relevant external link, and a compelling story.
The most important and often overlooked part is your biography.
Your Instagram bio is a unique short description of your profile, created by yourself to inspire others to follow you.
Your biography is limited to no more than 150 characters , therefore, before you start creating and show your individuality, be sure to highlight important information first.
You can also use your bio to provide a way for subscribers to get in touch with them, encourage feedback with call to action and clearly articulate your selling proposition.
Your profile is your first chance to impress so make sure it's good. We suggest using all kinds of Instagram tools to make your profile functional and attractive.
Most often in social networks, people judge a book by its cover.
2. Connect All Your Other Platforms
Connect your Instagram account to your website to show legitimacy and provide more information to about yourself and your brand. Not only does this affect verification, but it also helps your subscribers by making you more accessible.
You must link your other social media profiles and accounts to Instagram, not the other way around.
This will attract more people to your Instagram account and this indicates authenticity.
👉🏼 Here's a pro tip: have a strong authentic presence on other social media platforms and please verify on these platforms first. This does not guarantee that Instagram will consider you verified, but it will show them that other platforms consider you popular and legitimate.
3. Engage With Your Audience
By responding to any comments you receive on your posts, you show Instagram that you are active and are actively trying to connect with your audience.
Interaction with the audience and increase the engagement rate also shows that people are interested in your account.
HOW TO INCREASE YOUR INSTAGRAM ENGAGEMENT IN 2021 | Tips, Tricks & Algorithms!
How to increase your Instagram engagement in 2021. From story views to in-feed posts, here are the tips and tricks to conquer the algorithm!VIDEOS YOU MIGHT ...
Audience engagement can also help you increase your following ( more on this later).
4. Get Your Name on the News
This is the most difficult advice to achieve, and, unfortunately, it is that has the most power.
Getting your name or your brand name in the news is proof to Instagram that people are interested in what you have to offer and that you have enough influence with the general public to merit scrutiny.
Here are some things you can try to increase your visibility and news coverage:
All of these will help raise awareness brand, and will also show the Instagram gods that you are noticed by . Try to do something within your niche, however, any deed worthy of attention is a point for you.
5. Check if you have Accounts impersonating you
The main function of the verification badge is to distinguish real accounts from fake ones. If you can prove to Instagram that there are multiple accounts impersonating you, they may find it necessary to verify you.
Conduct a social media audit of to find any copycat or fan accounts, then track them with multiple social media monitoring tools such as SocialBee, KeyHole and SproutSocial.
6. Increase Your Followers
While having thousands of followers and a strong online presence is not an absolute guarantee of getting verified, it does help.
Here are some of the ways you can get more REAL followers:
Increasing the number of your followers has positive consequences, in addition to checking.![]()
It also means you can increase your website traffic, build a stronger community, have more influence and increase sales of everything you sell.
7. Hire Someone to Help
Hiring someone, like social media manager , to run your Instagram account is one way to shift the responsibility onto someone more experienced.
You can also hire a publicist who will help you get your name across the world.
Obviously, this method is only applicable to if you have the budget to afford a good digital agency, social media service company, or PR firm.
1. Don't Buy Verification, Followers, Likes Or Comments
You may think you can get away with it, but trust us, you won't. Instagram will know about it.
The fake followers you buy are often inactive Instagram accounts or bots, meaning they are nothing more than a number and not offering you no engagement.
Lack of engagement means that your posts will reach a narrower audience.
is full of scammers around offering easy verification.
Fraudsters prey on anyone they can and ask for thousands of dollars in exchange for a verification badge. Don't give in to temptation.
The only way to become verified is to do it officially through Instagram.
Screenshot from writer's personal account2. Don't link other social media accounts to your Instagram
Link other social media accounts to your Instagram account, just don't link from your Instagram account. Unless you're already verified with Facebook. In this case, links from your Instagram account to Facebook are not only allowed, but encouraged.
Instagram of course wants more traffic on their platform.
Instagram is unkind to any account that sends traffic to other social media platforms (especially those not under the "Meta" umbrella).
3. Don't Lie
Instagram will penalize you if it finds that you were untruthful anywhere on your profile, in your feed or during the application process.
They can not only reject your verification request, but even completely disable or delete your account.
4. Don't Violate the Community Rules or Terms of Service
If you violate the terms and conditions of service that govern Instagram, it's very unlikely that you will ever become verified.
Basic rules to look out for include:
Follow them and you are unlikely to encounter any problems in working with the well-known social media tool, as during the passage verification, and during further use of the application.
You may be asking yourself what are the benefits of getting (and save) verification? Why is it worth going through all these difficulties just for the sake of a blue tick?
Here are just a few of the main benefits of verification:
This blue badge shows everyone that you are a reliable and trustworthy source. This is especially important if you are a person or business that is trying to sell something or make an impact on the world.
The verification badge signals to everyone that you, your brand or your business is relevant and important. It's makes it easy to attract followers, sponsors, and even influencers if you plan to run influencer marketing campaigns.
We won't delve into this topic, but currently having a great social media marketing strategy is a key factor in the success of a business or brand.
The blue checkmark makes your account stand out among millions of other accounts.
When a user searches for something on Instagram, verified accounts appear at top of the list.
Also, if you believe in Instagram's elusive algorithm (and we do), it also favors verified accounts, placing them higher up on the explore page.
Both of these benefits mean your account reaches a wider audience.
via GIPHY
Verified accounts gain access to certain features that the general Instagram community does not .
Does Instagram have new features? 🤷
Then, most likely, you will get access to these functions before others. These features often enhance your Instagram game by improving the user experience and performance of your profile.
An example of this is the coveted "Swipe Up" feature, which makes it easy to share links with your followers. This is an effective marketing technique that can increase the conversion rate of users into buyers.
This is the main reason why most people seek a verification pass. They don't want to be impersonated. Having a blue check next to your account name shows your followers that you are who you say you are. This also highlights any other fake accounts impersonating you.
How To Spot A Fake Account On Instagram
how to spot fake account on instagramfake accounts on IGhow to tell fake IG accounts#AyoMrCru2 #TheHardestWorkerInTheRoomwww.MrCru2.com______________________...
superiority.
Having a blue check mark shows everyone that you are a part of this club and that you should be followed.
Exclusivity gives you more strength and confidence.
Yes, you can. But in doing so, you lose all the benefits.
Your verification badge and blue checkmark can be removed at any time via Instagram.
How can this happen? 👀
You might be thinking: "Oh, Instagram will never notice if I do this."
Trust us, it will.
The key to being verified is, yes, being a itself , but also be a prominent presence of in your niche and in what you do.
And, of course, follow the guidelines and steps set by Instagram.
If your verification request was denied, there are other ways to show your followers that you are who you say you are. For example, you can link your Instagram accounts to other social media accounts, to your blog, to your Facebook page, and even to your official website.
The good news for businesses that can't get verified is that you can still make money with Instagram.
