The infamous blue check. We’ve seen it on the accounts of celebrities and influencers, and next to brand names like McDonald’s and Nike. But verification isn’t just limited to the biggest and most famous social media players. Getting verified can also benefit smaller businesses.
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Verification benefits vary slightly across social media platforms, but generally, it conveys legitimacy and helps distinguish brands from fake or similarly-named accounts. Verified accounts typically appear higher in comment sections and search results.
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The verification process varies by platform. You may have to fill out an application, gain a certain number of followers, or pay for a subscription.
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Learn how to get verified on each social media platform:
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Want help getting your social media accounts verified? Schedule a 30-minute help session.
How to Get Verified on Facebook
There are two ways to get verified on Facebook:
A verified badge
A paid subscription to Meta Verified
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Verified badges are given to Facebook Pages or profiles that:
Follow Facebook’s terms of service and community standards
Represent a real person, business, or entity
Have a complete profile and at least one recent post
Are well-known and often searched
Are featured in multiple news sources
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You can learn more about eligibility criteria here. If you believe your business meets this criteria, you can fill out this form to apply for a verified badge.
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Meta Verified costs $11.99/month if you subscribe on the web or $14.99/month if you subscribe in the app. You can subscribe one Facebook and one Instagram account.
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Meta Verified benefits include:
A verified badge
Added account protection and impersonation monitoring
Extra support for account issues
Exclusive features
Increased discoverability
100 stars per month, which you can use to reward your favorite creators
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To subscribe to Meta Verified, you need to meet these requirements:
Be at least 18-years old
Be located in a country where Meta Verified is offered to businesses
Have two-factor authentication enabled
Have full control of business portfolio
Follow Facebook’s terms of service and community guidelines
Have a Facebook business Page with a profile picture, cover photo, and category
Be active
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To sign up for Meta Verified, follow these instructions.
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How to Get Verified on Instagram
Like with Facebook, there are two ways to get verified on Instagram:
A verified badge
A paid subscription to Meta Verified
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Verified badges are given to Instagram accounts that:
Follow Instagram’s terms of service and community standards
Represent a real person, business, or entity
Are public
Have a bio and profile photo
Are active
Are well-known and often searched
Are featured in multiple news sources
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You can learn more about eligibility criteria here. If you believe your business meets these criteria, you can request a verification badge in Instagram. Go to Business tools and controls > Request verification.
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Meta Verified costs $11.99/month if you subscribe on the web or $14.99/month if you subscribe in the app. You can subscribe one Facebook and one Instagram account.
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Meta Verified benefits include:
A verified badge
Added account protection and impersonation monitoring
Extra support for account issues
Exclusive features
Increased discoverability
100 stars per month, which you can use to reward your favorite creators
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To subscribe to Meta Verified, you need to meet these requirements:
Be at least 18-years old
Be located in a country where Meta Verified is offered to businesses
Have two-factor authentication enabled
Have full control of business portfolio
Follow Instagram’s terms of service and community guidelines
Have an Instagram professional profile with a profile picture and category
Be active
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To sign up for Meta Verified, follow these instructions.
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How to Get Verified on Threads Â
To have a verified badge on Threads, you must have one on Instagram. See Instagram instructions.
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How to Get Verified on X (Twitter)
To be verified on X, you must have an X Premium or Premium+ subscription. There are three X subscription tiers, with different costs and benefits:
Basic ($3/month):Â Access to editing posts, longer posts and videos, text formatting, and more.
Premium ($8/month):Â Access to Basic features plus a checkmark, reduced ads, Media Studio, and AI features.
Premium+ ($16/month):Â Access to Basic and Premium features plus no ads, top reply prioritization, and Articles.
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You must also meet eligibility requirements, including:
Having a display name and profile photo
Active within the past 30 days
Having a confirmed phone number
Not using your account in a way that is misleading or deceptive
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You can learn more and subscribe to X Premium here.
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How to Get Verified on TikTok
To be eligible for verification on TikTok, your account must:
Have logged in within the past 6 months
Represent a real person, business, or entity
Be public
Have a completed profile with a username, bio, profile photo, and at least one video
Be featured in multiple news sources
Have 2-step verification
Adhere to community guidelines and terms of service
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If you believe your business meets these criteria, you can request verification in the TikTok app. Go to Settings and privacy > Account > Verification. Be sure your account is a Business account, not a Personal account. You can learn more about TikTok verification here.
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How to Get Verified on YouTube
Unfortunately, you can not apply for verification on YouTube. To be eligible for verification, your account needs to reach 100,000 followers. At that point, YouTube will review your channel to verify that your channel is authentic and your profile is complete. YouTube may verify channels with fewer than 100,000 followers if the entity is well-known outside of YouTube. You can learn more here.
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How to Get Verified on LinkedIn
LinkedIn does not have verified badges for business pages.
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How to Get Verified on Pinterest
Pinterest’s verification process is currently paused. You can learn more here.
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How to Get Verified on Snapchat
To be verified on Snapchat, you must have set up a Public Profile for your business. You must also meet the following criteria:
Represent a real, registered business
Be broadly known by the public
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You can request verification by going to Settings > Email. Learn more here.
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Scenda is a social media agency that uses month-long programs to help businesses set up, brand, and optimize their channels. Along the way, we provide tools, templates, and training so that after finishing the program, businesses can manage accounts on their own. Visit scendasocial.com to learn about our services, and follow us on social media.