If you’re wondering what it takes to get verified on Instagram, here’s what you need to do:
- Follow the rules
If Instagram’s moderators feel you are not following their Terms of Use or Community Guidelines, you can kiss your chances of getting verified goodbye.
- Be real
And we mean that literally. Your account must represent a real person, a registered business, or an established organization. That also means no inspirational meme pages or parody accounts will be considered.
- Be notable
Random people can’t just get the blue Instagram badge by asking nicely. You or your brand must be featured in multiple news sources, be highly searched for, and be well known to the general public. Being featured in paid or promotional content doesn’t count.
- Only request verification for one account
According to Instagram, your account needs to be “the unique presence of the person or business it represents.” Basically, you can’t have multiple verified accounts for yourself or your brand. The only exception is for language-specific accounts (like McDonald’s Denmark vs. McDonald’s Italy, for example).
- Finish setting up your profile
You can’t get verified on Instagram if your account doesn’t have a bio, a profile picture, and at least one post.
- Be public
Private accounts can’t get verified, plain and simple.
- Don’t lie
If you provide “false or misleading information” when applying for verification, you will have your verified badge removed and face possible suspension or even a permanent ban from Instagram.
Why getting verified on Instagram is worth it?
Getting an Instagram check is just a badge of honor for many people. It looks cool, builds your clout, and makes you feel important. But those aren’t the only reasons requesting Instagram verification is worth your while.
There are three main benefits to becoming verified on Instagram:
- You prevent copycats and imposters
One of the best things about getting the blue Instagram badge is that anyone searching for you or your brand will immediately see that you’re the real one. This will ensure you don’t lose any potential followers to fan accounts, parody accounts, or imitators.
- You prove that you’re newsworthy
Getting Instagram verified proves that you’ve appeared in several independent news sources and that you or your organisation are so notable that people want to copy you – and as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. While it may just be the opinion of the Instagram moderators, this still shows your present and future followers that you’re considered a publicly known figure or brand.
- It’s great for Instagram SEO
If you want your account to rank at the top of the Instagram search results for terms relating to your account name, getting the blue check means an automatic win. Verified accounts always rank above non-verified accounts for the same Instagram search – so that’s just icing on the cake.
What to do if you can’t get verified on Instagram?
Okay, now we’ve hyped up how great having the Instagram badge is – but what if you’ve requested verification several times, and for whatever reason, the Instagram moderators just don’t think your account merits a blue check?
You can always wait until you or your brand become more newsworthy and start to have fan pages and copycat accounts pop up. In that case, you can always request verification from Instagram again, as long as it’s been at least 30 days since your last request.
However, remember that paid or promotional articles and news coverage will not count towards your account being considered newsworthy.
On the other hand, the main point of Instagram verification is to prove that your account is authentic and to tell potential followers that it’s really you. In that case, there are other measures you can take to prove you’re legit.
First, you can link your Instagram account to your company website and email signature. Adding a link to your official Instagram account on your website is a great way to ensure potential followers know it’s you.
Second, you can also link to your Instagram profile from other social media accounts like Facebook. These methods mean anyone clicking that link to your Instagram profile will know it’s you.
Finally, keep your account consistent by maintaining a similar tone in your writing and keeping the aesthetic of your posts on-brand.
Easy ways of branding your Instagram account include starting new hashtags related to you or your products and repeatedly using the same filter on each image post.
When combined, these techniques will show potential followers that your account is authentic, even if you don’t have some fancy blue check.
That’s a wrap!
It’s time to get your Instagram account verified!
While many Instagram accounts with the most followers are verified, you don’t need an Instagram badge to build a large and devoted follower base. You need to make engaging posts, post them at the right times, and build a community around your brand.
To improve your post engagement on Instagram, we recommend these 23 Tips to Massively Increase Instagram Engagement.
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