I mean normal people like you and me – folks with just 2k, 5k, 6k, or 10k followers. If you go by what people say, then one might think the blue tick is only reserved for celebrities and popular figures. But that's not true. Even a “nobody” with less than 10k followers – can acquire Instagram’s blue tick.
If you don’t believe me? Then let me show you some proof.
Up there is Patrick Lorentz, a self-proclaimed Pro Global Makeup Artist. He’s not a celebrity. He doesn’t have hundreds of thousands of followers )as you can see, he has less than 10k). I looked up his name on Google; he doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page. He’s a simple business owner like everyone else. Yet, he got verified.
So, if you think you first have to become a celebrity or run a globally popular brand to be verified on Instagram, save that thoughts.
You can get verified on Instagram as a normal person.
In this article, I’m going to show you how.
How to get verified on Instagram in 2021?
I’m going to show you three methods you can use to get verified on Instagram.
One is about building a presence elsewhere. The second is about growing your Instagram account directly. And the last is about using a digital agency or a publicist.
Before we go into the discussion of these methods, here is how you can apply for IG verification.
How to apply for Instagram verification
1. Tap your profile picture to go to your profile
2. Go to the top-right corner of your profile and tap on the menu icon. It’s a three short line bar.
3. On the bottom-right of the screen, you’ll see a settings icon. Select this icon.
In the settings menu, you’ll see Accounts. Move down on this pane until you see
4. Request Verification. Click on it.
5. You’ll see a form with your account name pre-filled. Add your full name on this form. If a business account, the full name of the account manager will do just fine.
6. Next, tap Choose File to attach a photo of your ID. If an individual (personal and creator accounts), you can use a driver's license, passport, or national identification card.
If a business, you can use any official business document such as a tax filing, article of incorporation, or even a recent electrical bill.
7. Finally, you’ll see a Send button at the bottom of the page above. Tap this button to tender your verification request.
Method #1 to get verified on Instagram: Build a presence elsewhere and portray yourself as impersonate-able
You want Instagram to verify your account? Think of another platform you can build a presence on. This can be YouTube, your personal blog, Facebook, Tinder, Twitter, etc.
If you have a high-traffic blog, it will be hard for Instagram to decline your verification application. If you have a successful YouTube blog, you need the blue tick to differentiate you from impersonators. If you have a thriving local business, you need the verification badge to assure your customers it’s you they’re dealing with on Instagram
The idea here is to grow a community somewhere wherein people see and regard you as an authority. Once you have this, come and inform Instagram of your existence and the possibility of your account being impersonated.
Imagine you have a YouTube channel that’s performing so well, wherein users trust your recommendations, brands gladly give you sponsorship deals, and you have a thriving community.
There’s a strong tendency that someone might attempt to impersonate you someday, pretending to be you, and using your name to scam, spam, and defraud people.
Eventually, ruining your reputation in the process.
The only way to help users identify that it's you is to get that blue tick button on your name.
Even Instagram agrees with this rationale.
According to Instagram,
“A verified badge is a check that appears next to an Instagram account's name in search and on the profile. It means that Instagram has confirmed that this is the authentic account for the public figure, celebrity or global brand it represents.”
Summary of this method: be a person that's likely to be impersonated.
Don’t think you can get verified this way?
Try method #2!
Method #2 to get verified on Instagram: Grow your Instagram account directly
This second method involves building your account to the point where it’s verification-worthy. Once you feel confident in your account’s ability to be verified, the next thing is o apply for verification (more on that later).
The big question then is: how will you know that your account is verification-worthy? Is it when you get a certain number of followers or reach a certain engagement level?
Actually, no!
It’s when your IG account has gotten to the point where it’s likely to be impersonated. The main purpose of verifying accounts, according to Instagram, is to help users identify authentic account owners from impostors.
How can you grow your account to the point where it’s likely to be impersonated?
1.) Be real. And we mean that literally. Your account needs to represent a real person, a registered business, or an established organization.
2.) Be unique: It must be the only (legitimate) Instagram account representing the person or business (except for language-specific accounts).
3.) Be noteworthy. You need to be known for something. If someone is ever going to impersonate you, then there’s got to be something noteworthy and enchanting about your account.
To be noteworthy, you or your brand must have content that have users coming back to search for more, and you must be well known to the general public or the audiences in your niche.
4.) Be Insta-famous
Also, you need to be popular in whatever niche you choose, so much so that people voluntarily come to search for you on Instagram. When this happens, it means people are taking notice of you on the platform. As such, it won’t be long before someone starts dreaming of pretending to be you.
Note: To be Insta-famous, you’ll need to expand the reach of your content. That is, make sure a great number of people see your posts every time. To expand your posts’ reach, follow these tips:
- Use the right hashtags with your posts. Tools like Display Purpose, Focalmark, and AutoHash can help you find the best hashtags to use.
- Embrace the use of stories stickers like location stickers, mention stickers, hashtag stickers, etc.
- Buy automatic Instagram likes for all your posts (that will take you to the explore page faster). Click here to buy likes on Instagram.
- Buy as many followers as possible (this will give you the social proof you need to attract more real followers; the more your followers, the greater your reach).
- Use scheduling tools like Buffer, Later, Hootsuite, etc., to post regularly.
- Buy autolikes. Autolikes help you like the posts of people you don't know or follow you. When you like the posts of people this way, these people will want to find out about you, which leads to greater exposure for you and your content.
5.) Be notable: Get your name in the news regularly
Google yourself. Has your brand been featured in multiple news sources? Did a recent press release or white paper get picked up? Do you have a sound bite or a profile in a major international publication?
If no, then you need to find a way to start getting features in media channels.
Note: Paid or promotional content definitely does not count.
The more appearances and features you get in major news outlets and blogs, the greater your chances of becoming an authority in your IG niche. And ultimately, the greater the likelihood of someone attempting to impersonate you.
6.) Get into the explore page more regularly: The explore page is where users search for stuff. If you make your way into this page more often, it's highly likely impostors might try to mimic you to deceive your fans.
To get into the explore page more often, you'll need a large number of followers, likes, comments, and overall engagements.
Although you can buy IG likes, followers, and other forms of engagements from platforms like Likes.io, you’ll still need to get organic ones to make the Instagram algorithm notice you.
Method #3 to get verified on Instagram: hire a digital agency or a publicist
If you’re so determined to get that blue tick, and you have the budget for it, you can hire a reputable publicist that has access to Facebook’s Media Partner Support tools.
Digital agents like these usually have the ability to submit requests to claim usernames, merge accounts, and get accounts verified through their industry-only portal.
Alas, you should know that there is no guarantee that your account will get verified if you go down this path. But there is a huge chance of your request being accepted if it’s coming from an industry professional.
Pro Tip: Ensure your account is verification-worthy before you using this method. Else, you’ll just be wasting your money.
FAQs on Instagram verification
Do I have to have a business account to get Instagram verified?
No, you don’t. The blue badge is for everyone – be it business, personal, or creator accounts.
Is the Instagram verification application free?
Yes, it’s absolutely free.
How many followers do I need to get verified on Instagram?
As of now, there’s no official release stating the number of followers one can have before getting verified on Instagram. We’ve seen people with 10k followers or less getting verified. And we’ve also seen folks with tens of thousands of followers not getting verified. So, the number of followers doesn't really matter.
What do I stand to benefit when I get verified on Instagram?
Getting the blue tick on your name comes with a plethora of benefits. Apart from being a sign that shows you’re somebody, Instagram verification also offers the following benefits:
Builds trust: The blue badge tells users that you can be trusted. This is good for you if you’re a business owner or an influencer.
Ability to add links in stories: With a verification badge on your name, you’re permitted to add links to your stories. Other people have to have at least 10,000 followers before they can access this feature.
Free PR: With a blue tick in front of your name, people want to know who you are. Even if you don't have shared interests, they want to follow you, like your posts, and interact with you.
Increased revenue: Whether you want to sell products on your page or secure sponsorship deals, having the blue badge can be a great game-changer for you.
