In this ever-changing realm of 2023, Instagram verification has become a prized possession, serving as a badge of honor in the bustling world of social media. The highly sought-after blue checkmark bolsters your reputation and unveils a sea of prospects.
As the social media landscape continues to morph, the journey to obtain Verification on Instagram has undergone a series of modifications.
Recent data shows that 73.5% of people on Instagram have a verification badge.
Standing out with a verified badge requires a strategic approach in this crowded digital realm. Keep reading this guide to discover how to get verified on Instagram.
Top Reasons To Get Verified On Instagram
Instagram verification is relatively easy, but some may wonder if it’s worth the effort.
Here are some unique benefits of becoming a verified Instagram user:
#1. Prove You’re Actually You
Whether you plan to sell products, book services, or grow your online presence, the blue Instagram check mark shows your account is authentic.
Setting up an Instagram profile is straightforward, and there are many ways to get millions of fake yet real followers.
There are some services like buying Instagram followers, where you get genuine followers to grow your insta account. But the Instagram blue check can’t be fake. So either you have it, or you don’t.
Users who have it go through a process in which they need to prove that their business exists or that they are real.
#2. Makes You More Credible
Instagram users with a blue checkmark are perceived as more credible and trustworthy since they know the social media platform has done more to verify their business.
This can translate into a lot more perks when using the site. For example, people are more willing to buy from you or follow you if you’re a real person because it shows you are worth their efforts.
#3. Get Boosted By the Platform
Indeed, Instagram accounts often enjoy prominent visibility in search results, reinforcing the significance of trust in this context.
When Instagram users look for something (a celebrity, brand, or product), the platform will try to match their search with high-quality results that fit their criteria.
Apart from this, Instagram checks the accounts’ views and followers before verifying. Some account holders avail services like buying Instagram views to increase their account presence.
Verified Instagram accounts are given priority over non-verified ones, as the verification criteria elevates the standard of account quality (more details to follow).
The 2 Main Ways To Get A Blue Check On Instagram
In 2023, there are two main ways to get an Instagram verified badge: The classic verification process and the Instagram Subscription.
Check out a full breakdown of each method to see which one suits you best:
1. Instagram Subscription
In 2023, there are two main ways to get an Instagram verified badge: The classic verification process and the Instagram Subscription.
Check out a full breakdown of each method to see which one suits you best:
- Instagram Subscription
You can “buy” your Instagram blue check mark by signing up for Meta Verified, a subscription service for individuals or professionals.
Currently, the service does not allow Instagram business profiles to sign up, so if that’s your type of account, go to the second method.
Essentially, you’ll be paying a monthly fee to Meta (formerly Facebook) to get a blue checkmark on your Instagram account, as well as other perks such as:
- Exclusive stickers in Instagram stories
- Impersonation monitoring for your verified account
- Access to additional support for everyday issues
If you already paid for meta verified for your Facebook Page, please be aware that including your Instagram profile requires a separate
subscription.
Instead, you’ll need to purchase a subscription for each account you want to be verified. The monthly fee is $14.99 per month for Instagram.
Instagram Subscription Eligibility Requirements
Though you’re paying, you will still have to follow Instagram’s terms:
- Your profile must be associated with your full name and have a profile picture with your face.
- The account can be public or private.
- Even after paying for your first month, you can enable two-factor authentication.
- Have a minimum activity requirement, so new accounts still need to be eligible.
- Provide a government-issued ID.
- You must be a USA, New Zealand, or Australia resident to use this service. However, if you live in other areas, you can sign up for the waitlist and join once Meta opens access to your country.
How To Get an Instagram Subscription
If you meet the requirements and want a verified account, follow these steps:
- Open Instagram on your phone and go to your profile
- Go to your profile settings
- You’ll see an option to subscribe to Meta Verified at the top if the service is available in your area
- Click and follow the steps to set it up
- Make the payment, you’re all set
- Requesting the Blue Checkmark From Instagram
If the Instagram subscription isn’t available in your area or you don’t meet the eligibility requirements, fear not; you can still get a blue checkmark.
You can request a verified badge on Instagram directly from the social media platform. This process is for individuals and businesses so that you can go through it on your Instagram accounts.
However, you should know it will take longer to get a badge, and the requirements can sometimes be strict.
It can take Instagram up to 30 days to verify an account. If your request is denied, you can apply again in 30 days.
Moreover, the platform can also remove your verified badge if you violate their user guidelines or try to get verified through a third-party app.
Who’s Eligible to Request Verification?
Instagram will look at many factors to determine if an account deserves a blue checkmark.
The service initially aimed to distinguish accounts with huge followings as the sole recipients of a badge, but nowadays, acquiring millions of followers is not a prerequisite for earning the distinct
Here are some of the things Instagram will look for during its verification process:
Authenticity
You cannot get through the Instagram Verification application with an account pretending to be somebody else. It needs to represent a real person or business.
Account Quality
Before you get verified, you must ensure your Instagram account is complete. Add a photo and description, and make sure the account is active when you apply.
Uniqueness
Your account needs to set itself apart from others in some ways. For instance, if your account posts memes about animals, you cannot get verified since the social media platforms don’t give out the blue check to general interest profiles.
Notable
Instagram will also look at whether the person or business is notable. They can search for Wikipedia pages and mentions in news outlets. Paid content doesn’t count.
How to Apply for Instagram Verification
If you meet the conditions presented above, here’s how to get verification badges on Instagram:
- Open your Instagram app and select the account you want to verify
- Go to your profile by clicking on your photo in the bottom right corner of the screen
- Open settings, tap on Account, then Verification
- Add in the required information, such as your full name, business documents, or ID
- When finished, hit Submit and wait for Instagram to review your profile
- You will receive a notification in your activity feed within the next 30 days informing you of the approval or denial of your request
Top Tips To Help You Get Verified On Instagram
Even if you’re getting the Meta subscription, it’s still best to ensure you have a high-quality account before starting the process.
If you need to request Instagram verification, you must improve your social media game before you request it.
The social media platform will award this badge only to accounts that can set themselves apart.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to improve your chances:
Choose A Good Name
Verified Instagram accounts can’t change their usernames as they please, so it’s essential to choose one you can stick with long-term before you begin the process.
It’s best to use a username that matches your name or business, though you also have some room for creativity.
Just know that changing your username could be grounds for removing the blue checkmark from your account once you’re verified.
Don’t Try To Cheat
If you Google it right now, you can probably find lots of businesses and services that promise to get you verified on Instagram. Using them is tempting, but it will hurt you in the long run.
You can’t fake the quality level Instagram asks for in their profiles.
Even if you buy 2 million likes on your profile, when the social media staff see your photos, which only generate around 20–30 likes, they’ll immediately know your followers are fake.
Even if it takes longer, going the honest route is the best way to make sure that once you receive your badge, you won’t lose it because Instagram found out you tried to cheat.
Also, cheating can suspend your account, so ask yourself if it’s worth it.
Complete Your Profile
A strong profile makes an excellent first impression on your followers and with the Instagram verification staff.
Your profile should have the following:
- A name that represents you or your business
- A good bio that reflects you and your activity
- A link to your website
- A way to get in touch with you
- A picture of you or your logo
- Story highlights that help provide more info about your business
So, if you haven’t given much thought to your Instagram profile, now’s definitely the time to start.
Remember that the social media company is looking for real people or businesses, so don’t pretend to be something you’re not.
Read The Community Guidelines
Many internet memes exist about people agreeing to platform guidelines without reading them, but if you want to get verified on Instagram, check out their rules first.
Breaking their guidelines is a surefire way to get your request denied.
Here is a rundown of what’s inside the Instagram community guidelines:
Don’t Break Any Laws With Your Posts
There are limits regarding the types of content or services you can promote on Instagram. The general rule is that it can’t go on the social media platform if it’s illegal.
You can add selling non-medical or pharmaceutical drugs or live animals. If you advertise gambling services, you’ll need to get their consent before promoting them.
Respect Other Instagram Users
Instagram has over 1.35 billion users. The people using the platform come from all countries and backgrounds, so it’s crucial to be mindful of the content you’ll be posting. Harassment or hate speech is not tolerated at all.
Also, it’s not just the content you post on your feed or stories. Comments and even private messages must also be respectful. Otherwise, you can get reported.
Only Share Your Own Photos And Videos, or Those You Have A Right to Post
The platform doesn’t encourage intellectual property theft. You need to have a legal right to share the content on your accounts.
That means you cannot share pictures of someone else (especially without their consent) and expect to be verified on the platform.
Stick to photos you take with your phone. You can purchase footage that you can then legally use in your company’s advertising.
Keep It Classy
You can only share content suitable for a diverse audience, so no nudity is allowed except in specific contexts. For example, you cannot post a picture of a woman’s breasts, but a photo of a mother breastfeeding is allowed.
It’s best to keep your content PG-13 as much as possible to avoid being taken down.
You can appeal Instagram’s decision and argue it wasn’t nudity, but this can take some time and will affect your Instagram verification timeline.
Don’t Spam
Nobody likes spam, and that includes Instagram. You should try to build genuine connections with people, not just leave comments and likes randomly.
For instance, if you comment on many people’s posts to follow your account, that’s considered spam, and your account can be banned. You can promote yourself, sure, but do it genuinely.
Be Careful When Posting About Certain Events
Many people take advantage of newsworthy events to build some traction for their brand.
While this is perfectly reasonable for the most part, be careful regarding sensitive events such as a tragedy that may involve graphic photos and videos.
You have to be at least 13 years old to use the platform, but some of this content is unsuitable for minors.
Grow Your Following
You don’t need millions of followers just to get verified on Instagram, but it helps to show you can gather an active following through your content.
If you optimize your profile and set it up right, that’s a great first step. It will show your account is real and give people a reason to follow you.
Here are other strategies you can try:
Think About What You’ll Post
First, think of why people will want to follow you. Is it your brand or your services? Are you offering specific types of content people find appealing, such as animal photos or comedy videos?
Consider what makes you unique, and create content that reflects it.
If you are still struggling with your post, you can have a look at how to post on Instagram that will surely help you to give a complete guide on how to post.
Have Diverse Content
Don’t limit yourself to just photos. Create engaging videos to share on your stories or even on Instagram reels.
Even people who don’t follow you can see these videos, so it’s a great way to get your page noticed. If they like the video, they can follow you on the spot.
Have A Posting Schedule
Instagram will verify active accounts, so creating a posting schedule you can stick to is best. You don’t have to publish content daily, but be sure to offer content consistently.
Post every 2–3 days, but never let your account go without content for a long time.
This shows Instagram you’re not consistent, and it may result in a denied verification request.
To get better help you can have a look at best time to post on instagram which will help you to know a good time to post.
Promote Your Account On Other Sites
Try to bring people from the outside in. For example, you can share your Instagram account on other platforms, like Facebook or LinkedIn, and let people know they can follow you.
If you have a website, add your Instagram account there as well.
Try Instagram Ads
You can run ads directly on Instagram to increase brand awareness if you have the budget.
Ads can also help you sell more products and services, but if you want to get verified, you can create unique ads to increase your following.
Even better, it’s very easy to set up ads on the platform, which you can do from Facebook (if you have a connected Facebook account) or directly on Instagram.
Get Some Good PR
Instagram will determine if your company or person is noteworthy in some way and will search for news articles about it.
They don’t consider any paid content you might already have, so you’ll have to generate it organically.
This can seem impossible to do, but these tips can help get you started:
Organize Local Events
Organizing an event is a great way to get your name in the local papers.
Whether it’s a coffee shop meeting between professionals or a movie night at a shelter, these events can bring more attention to yourself or your company, which can help with the Instagram verification process.
Reach Out to A Few Local Journalists
Even if journalists don’t know about you right now, it doesn’t mean you’re not worth writing about.
Reach out to a few of them and pitch a few ideas for an interview or other content.
Sponsor A Local Team or Event
Sponsors can get featured in posts, news articles, and press releases, so if you have the funds, choose a team or an event that suits your brand and partner up with them.
Be A Speaker
Speaking at events like TEDx is another way to generate buzz around your brand and company.
Reach out to some organizations to host these events (even virtual ones) and pitch them a few ideas.
What Happens If Your Instagram Verification Request Is Denied?
So, you did all that hard work, and Instagram didn’t give you the blue checkmark. What now?
You can reapply for it after 30 days, giving you time to optimize your profile.
Here’s what you can do:
- See why Instagram didn’t approve your request and answer their specific complaint
- Gain more followers
- Change your content direction
- Compare your profile with similar accounts that are verified
- Reach out to a PR team to help you generate more buzz around your brand
- Try the Instagram Subscription to get verified
Conclusion: Requirements To Apply For A Verified Badge On Instagram
While there is no definitive trick to guarantee verification on Instagram, specific strategies can increase your chances. Instagram primarily controls the verification process, and they have specific criteria and guidelines for granting the blue verification badge.
To improve your chances, build a solid and authentic presence on the platform, engage with your audience, and create high-quality content.
It’s also essential to establish a solid online presence beyond Instagram, such as having a well-established website or being featured in reputable media outlets.
Ultimately, persistence, consistency, and genuine connection with your audience remain critical factors in pursuing verification on Instagram.
