What Does It Mean To Get Verified On Instagram?

Let’s not kid ourselves; everyone would love to have that elusive blue tick next to their Instagram handle. Not only does it look cool, but also gives you insane bragging rights. While we may have all seen the blue tick, not many know what it actually represents! In this article, we will cover what it means to get verified on Instagram and you can go about it too.

What is ‘Verified’ on Instagram?

As Instagram’s user base keeps growing, the number of users that have similar names keeps growing too. Another problem that arises is that of fake or impersonation accounts on Instagram. These accounts usually try to emulate famous people and try to convince users that they are the official account.

That is why Instagram introduced the ‘Verified’ feature back in 2014. Verification of accounts allowed users to let their followers know that they were the official account. It also helped others easily locate the celebrity account they were looking for. Verified accounts can be identified by the signature ‘blue tick’ (also known as the ‘verified badge’) that appears on their account. This indicator also appears when you search for accounts, which makes it much easier to locate the account you want to follow.

How to get verified on Instagram

There is a lot of confusion and mysticism surrounding this question. But the fact of the matter is that it is quite a simple process to apply to be verified on Instagram. All you need is a copy of any government-issued photo ID. This is to help Instagram confirm your identity.

To request a verified badge on Instagram, launch the app, and go to your profile by tapping the ‘Profile’ button in the bottom right corner. Now tap the hamburger menu in the top right corner.

Now go to Settings > Account > Request Verification. Fill out the form provided. You will need to attach your government-issued photo ID on this page.

Who can get verified on Instagram?

Well, there is good news and bad news on this front. The good news is that even though Instagram claims that verification is only for well-known, highly searched for person, brand, or entity, there have been cases of random people getting verified on the app. Instagram does not provide any details as to how famous the person has to be. Which means there is a chance that anybody could get it.

The bad news is that that rarely happens. Even if you meet all the criteria to qualify for verification, there is just no guarantee that your account will be verified.

Related: How To Cite An Instagram Post

What are the criteria for getting your account verified on Instagram?

Instagram has a list of criteria that must be met in order for your account to be eligible for a verified badge. Keep in mind though, that even if you meet all the critters, Instagram does not guarantee that you count will be verified.

Authentic: Your account must belong to you. This is very important since the whole point on verification is to eliminate fake accounts.
Unique: The account must be a ‘unique presence of the individual‘. This means that you cannot have an account of another celebrity like many fan accounts are.
Complete: The account must be complete with a bio, profile photo, and at least one post at the time of verification request. Additionally, your bio cannot contain links to your other social media profiles.
Notable: This is the controversial one. Instagram claims that the account must belong to a ‘well-known, highly searched for person, brand, or entity.’ While there is no clarity on the definition of ‘well-known’, this seems to indicate celebrities and public figures.

Related: How To Center Instagram Bio

Is it easy to get verified?

Ask any content creator on Instagram and they will say the same thing. Getting verified on Instagram is pretty much a shot in the dark. More often than not you will not get verified even though you meet all the criteria. That being said there is no limit to how many times you can apply for verification. So maybe if you try hard enough, you might annoy them into verifying your account?

How many followers do you need to get verified?

This is actually a huge misconception. Your follower count does not have much to do with getting verified. While it is true that the more famous you are, the more followers you would tend to have, Instagram is more interested in if you are indeed who you say you are.

Unlike the ‘Swipe Up‘ option which requires users to have a specific minimum number of followers, account verification does not need any specific number of followers.

What are the benefits of being verified on Instagram?

Besides major bragging rights, getting a verified badge on your account does come with its perks.

Higher trust: Seeing that verified badge beside your brand immediately sends the signal to users that your brand is legit. While it is quite normal to be cautious on social media sites, the blue tick is instant relief for anyone doubting the authenticity of your page. This helps to build trust among your potential followers.

More followers: Higher trust among your audience inevitably leads to more followers and higher engagement. Users want to know that the account they are following is legit. Verified accounts also show up higher in searches. This in turn means more engagement from users.

Increased opportunities: That verified badge acts as a beacon calling businesses and clients alike toward you. If you are an Influencer on Instagram, getting the verified badge could mean more promotion opportunities. Brands want to work with verified accounts since it gives them peace of mind that they are in business with a legit account.

Can Instagram remove verification?

Yes. Instagram states that if it finds your account going against its set out Community Guidelines, it can revoke your verification. Additionally, if your account gets reported by a certain number of users (Instagram does not disclose how many), they may take your badge away and even suspend your account.

How often can you apply for verification on Instagram?

As mentioned above, it is no easy task getting that verified badge on your Instagram profile. Luckily there is no limit on how many times you can reapply for verification. However, you cannot apply every single, as a lot of people would like to. Instagram only lets you apply for verification once every 30 days. So you need to wait 30 days before you can apply for your verified badge again (assuming that you did not already get it).

We hope this article helped. If you have any queries, feel free to reach out to us in the comments below.

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