It’s no secret that marketing yourself on social media is the new way to grow your brand. Promoting yourself on sites like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook is no exception. Getting verified on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook can increase your brand’s awareness and legitimacy. Read on to learn what you need to know to get verified on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram in 2021.
What Is Verification?
To be verified on a social media platform means that the platform recognizes your account as official. The purpose of verification is to prevent impersonation. As a growing brand or business, you’ll want to get verified to make sure other pages can’t pretend to be you and possibly damage your reputation. It shows up as a blue checkmark next to your name or url.
Requirements To Be Verified
To be verified on TikTok, you’ll want to make sure you have the following:
- Consistent follower growth: your TikTok profile gains followers daily and at a steady rate. The more followers and notoriety you have, the higher the chances of someone wanting to impersonate you are. Remember, the sole purpose of verification is to prevent impersonation! People often want to impersonate those with some type of notability so that they can have it themselves or use your image to promote themselves or their business.
- Engagement: it’s one thing to have millions of followers, however, if they don’t engage with your content, then the outcome is essentially the same as having a small amount of followers. The number is important but those that interact with you are arguably more important.
- High quality, viral content: It’s not enough to have one good video on TikTok. You’ll want to make sure you’re consistently posting content that is being shared and thus, gaining views and followers to your profile. Don’t attempt to apply for verification on Tiktok if you only have one semi-popular video. There’s no guarantee that the attention to your profile will stay after merely one video.
- Press outside of the platform: You could be super popular on TikTok with one million followers, however, if you don’t have press outside of TikTok, you will not be able to get verified. Make sure to take time to curate your brand or businesses’ image outside of TikTok. Being featured in verifiable news outlets like Forbes, Entrepreneur or the Today Show will help you look more legitimate and professional when applying for verification on TikTok.
Tips For Verification
Getting verified on TikTok will be easier if you do the following:
- Become verified on other social media platforms: if you’re already verified on other platforms like Instagram or Facebook, your chances of getting verified on TikTok will be much higher. If you meet the criteria for verification on those platforms, you’re probably meeting most or all of the criteria for verification on TikTok.
- Start creating high quality content NOW: Being consistent and posting content that people will love is the key to getting verified. Don’t wait to start posting! The sooner you post, the more content you’ll have to show off. Just make sure it’s high quality and well thought-out. If you’re posting often but it’s on topics that won’t gain traction, your videos will not go viral.
- Engage with other users: collaborating with other TikTokers can help you each gain followers and visibility. Liking and commenting on others’ posts is also a great way to establish and familiarize yourself with the platform.
- Work with a PR agency: PR agencies can help you gain the press coverage and media attention you need to get verified on TikTok. It might be hard to bring attention to your business or brand on your own, but a PR agency (like Otter PR!) has the connections with the media that you’d need to get featured in publications.
Tips For Creating High Quality Content
You know you need to create well-made content to get verified on TikTok. Here are some tips for bringing your content to the next level:
- Create content on trending topics. Look at the trending page on TikTok and see what people are watching. Can you recreate any of the most popular topics in your own way? What songs are being used often?
- Be creative! Content that goes viral connects with people, shocks them, or makes them laugh. Really put thought into your videos and think from your audience’s point of view.
- Use high quality equipment. No one will sit through even three seconds of a video that is poor quality. If people can’t see or hear you well, you won’t be able to get your message across. Make sure you’re using a high quality camera and the audio is discernible, as well.
- Make sure your environment is key for filming in. Do you have great lighting? Is your background aesthetically pleasing?
- Edit your videos! Editing your videos will make them more unique. You can also edit your videos to increase their quality, as well.
Watch Out For Scams
There are tons of scams out there for getting verified on Tiktok. To avoid wasting your time and money, make sure you’re careful about the following:
- People guaranteeing you verification for a large sum of money
- Currencies that are not USD; these could be scammers from other countries
- No offer of a guaranteed buyer protected payment or no refunds
In Conclusion
Unlike Instagram and Facebook, there’s nowhere to apply to get verified on TikTok. In order to get verified, you will need the TikTok team to reach out to you. Though this may give the impression that getting verified on TikTok is harder than other platforms, the good news is that TikTok is still a relatively new platform. This means that TikTok is still trying to get verified users to join the app and help gain its popularity! If you want to know more about getting verified on TikTok in 2021, watch our latest YouTube video:
How To Get Verified On Instagram
It’s no secret that that blue checkmark next to your username on Instagram is so coveted. Verified profiles on Instagram get all sorts of perks that non-verified accounts don’t get. They get access to new features before the general public does, are allowed a “swipe up” feature on their stories, and their comments show up at the top of posts. Read on to learn how to get verified on Instagram in 2021 and receive the advantages you were previously missing out on.
Purpose
Before you learn how to get verified on Instagram, it’s important to remember the purpose of verification. The purpose of verification is to make sure that no one else on Instagram can impersonate you. For example, think of a major celebrity. How would you know that that celebrity’s Instagram account is real or simply a fan pretending to be them? That blue checkmark next to their signals that they are who they say they are.
It’s important to keep this in mind when getting verified because depending on the type of Instagram account you have, you might have a harder or easier time getting verified. If you have a job or some type of notability that would warrant you at risk of impersonation, verification will be easier. If you’re trying to get your pet’s Instagram account verified or a meme page verified, your chances of getting verified on Instagram are significantly lower unfortunately.
How To Get Verified On Instagram Without PR
It’s entirely possible to get verified on Instagram without help from a public relations agency. For example, if you are a celebrity, well-known athlete or public figure, or have a brand that is at risk of impersonation, then you or your managers probably have access to a media portal where you can apply for verification. This media portal is not accessible to the general public; if you are not well-known, then you will have to apply natively through your phone.
The problem with applying for verification through Instagram’s option on their app is that your application will get thrown into a pile of other applications from general accounts who want to try and apply and see if they’ll get verified. Applying through the app is simply not the preferred method for getting verification if you want to get verified in a timely manner.
How To Get Verified On Instagram If You’re Not Well-Known
So, you’re not a celebrity, big-time athlete, or popular brand that is at risk of impersonation. However, you still feel you deserve to be verified on Instagram. You know it would help your brand or business build credibility and trust with your target audience. How do you get verified on Instagram in these circumstances? Here’s what you need to get verified on Instagram.
You Need Press
To get verified on Instagram, you’ll need substantial press coverage from mid-to-high tier media outlets. A good way to check which media outlets are considered relevant for verification is to check out those media outlets’ Instagram profiles. Are they verified on Instagram themselves? If so, that’s a good indication that being featured on that outlet will help you when it comes time to apply for verification. Some examples of media outlets that are relevant for verification include Entrepreneur, Forbes, Newsweek and other similar media outlets.
Press is important when it comes to getting verified on Instagram (and social media, in general) because it shows that you have a significant presence all over the internet rather than just on Instagram. Instagram wants to know that people are searching for your name and that you are relevant. They want to see that you have a multi channel presence that is worth someone impersonating you. Establishing yourself on other social media channels outside of Instagram and through popular media outlets will help you gain the omnipresence you need to be considered for verification.
You Need Feature Articles
When it comes to getting verified on Instagram, it’s not enough to just be featured in a mid-to-high tier media outlet. If your name is featured in a popular media outlet in merely one sentence and you are not the main subject of the article, then that will not count as actual press coverage in the eyes of Instagram.
You will need a feature article on these media outlets for the article to be considered relevant to helping you get verified on Instagram. To make sure your article is categorized as a feature article, it helps to have the following:
- You are the main subject of the article.
- Your name is in the title of the article.
- The article conveys significant, relevant, and truthful information about you. This means that your article must market you using your real name!
Your Branding Needs To Be Consistent
If you’re trying to establish yourself as an actor who needs verification on Instagram, but all of your feature articles brand you as a chef, you’re not going to be able to get verified. In order to get verified on Instagram, you need to market yourself consistently across all platforms that you are public on. You want to show that the image you are portraying is legitimate and one that you are serious about and that if you want to be a verified actor, you are actually qualified to call yourself one.
Types Of Accounts That Are Hard To Get Verified
If your account falls under any of these categories, please be aware that it will be more difficult to get Instagram to verify you:
- CBD products
- Gambling
- Any topics that may be more taboo/not family friendly
Types Of Accounts That Are Easier To Get Verified
If your account falls under any of these categories, it will be easier for you to get verified as you are naturally at a higher risk of impersonation. Accounts in these categories can easily get verified, even with as little as 500 followers!:
- Reporter
- Doctor
- Writer for a news station
In Conclusion
Getting verified on Instagram is a great way to build credibility and trust as a brand or business. If you want to learn more about getting verified on Instagram, watch our video about Instagram verification on YouTube!
How To Get Verified On Facebook
So, we’ve covered getting verified on TikTok and Instagram. Getting verified on Facebook is the final component of the trilogy. Read on to learn how to get verified on Facebook and get that coveted blue checkmark.
Two Types Of Accounts For Verification
Before getting verified on Facebook, it’s important to note the type of account you have. Here are the two types of Facebook accounts:
- Personal account. This is your account that represents you, yourself, and not just your business. It’s a more personal page.
- Business account. This account is obviously more suitable for businesses. You can run ads from your business page.
It’s important to note that you can only verify a business page or a personal one! You cannot have both simultaneously verified. So, choose wisely when deciding which account you’d like to verify. Typically, when making this choice, a business page is more often chosen as they have the ability to run advertisements from them.
Gaining Press Across Multiple Platforms
The main requirement for getting verified on Facebook is to show that you’re worthy of verification! Remember, the purpose of verification is to make sure no one can impersonate you. People typically want to impersonate the identities of others who have a significant media presence. This means that even if you’re popular on Facebook, Facebook won’t consider you in danger of impersonation unless you have press coverage. This is why it’s important to be featured on several mid-to-high tier media outlets.
A good way to decipher whether a media outlet is relevant for verification is to check their Facebook profile. Are they verified? If so, that’s a good sign that being featured on their platform can help you get verified, as well!
Increase Your Presence On Other Social Media Platforms
You might be thinking, “I’m trying to get verified on Facebook! Why do I need to increase my presence on Instagram or YouTube?” While your sights are set on Facebook, it’s still important to be active on other social media, as well! Having consistent branding across all social media channels increases your credibility. Let’s say you’re trying to brand yourself as an actress. However, there’s no proof of you actually being an actress! Because of a lack of evidence, Facebook is not going to view you as credible.
Pro tip: if you’re having trouble establishing yourself on other social media platforms, schedule a call with us! Social media exposure is our specialty!
Applying For Verification
Facebook often likes to switch up when they allow users to apply for verification through their website or not. Sometimes, the form is up! Sometimes, it’s nonexistent. Really, you’ll just have to check for yourself. It’s always worth it to try and apply organically through the form if you can! This way, it’s free.
However, if you don’t see the form, or if you’re getting consistently rejected by Facebook, it would be a great idea to hit up a public relations agency (like Otter PR!). We have the connections you would need to media panels where we can submit your profile directly for verification! Of course, this does come with a price, as submitting to media panels is not free. This is why it’s important to make sure you’re substantially ready for verification. You don’t want to waste time or money!
Bonus: Hack For Getting Both Your Personal and Business Page Verified
For some, having just your business page verified is enough. If you own a business and you don’t want to necessarily be the face of it, you don’t need to get your personal account verified. However, for those whose faces are their brands (like influencers, inspirational speakers, etc.), getting your personal page verified is also a good idea. This is because you are more likely to be impersonated. Here is step-by-step to getting both your business and personal accounts verified:
- First, get your Facebook business page verified.
- Once it has been verified, temporarily deactivate it.
- Then, get your Facebook personal page verified.
- That’s it! Now you’re left with two verified Facebook pages!
In Conclusion
Getting verified on Facebook can be great for your brand or business. It increases brand authority and trust within your audience. It also helps increase interest from investors or business partners. Just make sure to think critically about the account you wanted to get verified! Then, make sure you’re prepared with all the components in place to help you become ready for verification. Watch our latest YouTube video to learn more about getting verified on Facebook.
Tags: how to get verified on tiktok, Social Media, social media verification, tiktok, tiktok verification, verification