Everyone likes to feel validated, whether it’s unanimous support of your idea in a meeting or winning an award for the most perfect cartwheel in the fourth grade (I still have the trophy).
For social media marketers, validation is often synonymous with verification. Most major social networks have a system of verification that sets certain accounts apart from the general population—Instagram included.
Unfortunately, getting verified on Instagram isn’t an easy task. Read on to learn about the current state of Instagram verification and what you can do to ensure your audience knows your profile is authentic to your business.
Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps an adventure photographer used to grow from 0 to 110,000 followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear. Plus we’ll show you how you can use Hootsuite to grow your own following on Instagram and other platforms.
Benefits of getting verified on Instagram
Being verified means your account has been confirmed as authentic by Instagram. This helps people avoid imposters and easily find the brands or public figures they want to follow. Verified accounts have a little blue check mark beside their name.
This seal of approval from Instagram is in high demand, which is precisely why they don’t verify just any account. If everyone could get verified on Instagram, the designation would lose its value.
Can I get verified on Instagram?
As per Instagram, “right now, only some public figures, celebrities, and brands have verified badges.” So if you manage a well-known figure or brand that has a high likelihood of being impersonated, you may be able to get that little blue check mark. If you have a contact at Instagram, let them know you’d like to be verified and hopefully they can work their magic (but no promises).
If you don’t have a contact at Instagram and the chances of your business being impersonated aren’t super high, you’re unfortunately out of luck. For now, there’s no way to request or purchase a verified badge on Instagram.
What are my other options?
If you can’t get verified, there are other ways to convey the authenticity of your Instagram account.
- Link to your Instagram account on your website and other social profiles. Not only will this help more people find you on Instagram, it will clear up any confusion about which accounts are your official ones.
- Aim to get featured on the Explore tab. Have a crystal-clear idea of your audience, pay attention to the type of content getting featured on your own Explore tab, and post content that encourages engagement.
- Use Instagram’s little-known features. Do you archive your posts? Use UTM codes in your Stories? Your audience will feel confident about interacting with your brand on Instagram if you’re actively using the newest features to give them relevant, exciting content.
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