For influencers and businesses using Instagram to promote their brand, the blue tick is a coveted mark of credibility that can really change how potential followers see your content. However, getting verified can be a mystifying process, especially with new changes to how you apply for 2021. This blog will break down the changes to Instagra’s verification process and give you tips on building a successful application and getting your account verified quickly.
Confirming Your Authenticity
The first step in getting verified is letting Instagram know you are definitely who you say you are. To do this, go to your settings, account, and click on the option ‘request verification’. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be asked to confirm your authenticity. Your username should auto-populate, but you will need to add the name of your business, or your name if you are applying for verification on Instagram as a public figure or influencer.
Next, you’ll see a space to fill in your ‘document type’. This is Instagram asking you to verify your identity with relevant documents. The document type for your account could be articles of incorporation or tax filings for your business, or if you are an influencer or blogger then you would upload a form of ID such as a driver’s licence or passport. You can attach documents by iphone into the Instagram app by first saving them to your camera roll as Jpegs.
Confirming Your Notability: What has Changed?
Once you’ve confirmed who you are, it’s time to let Instagram know why people will want to follow you and why you need that blue verification tick. This is where changes have been made for 2021 - but don’t worry, the new process for confirming notability makes it easier than ever for you to make a strong application to get your account verified!
The section for confirming notability has now been expanded so you can give more detailed information, which is your chance to really sell yourself as a verifiable account. In this section, you will say who you are, why people would want to find you online, and really prove your online credentials with evidence of your presence across platforms.
You can also select the category your account falls into. Instagram has also increased the number of available categories for 2021, so you can now identify your account as an influencer or gamer account among others. All of these changes should make the verification process simpler, and help get more influencers and new industry accounts verified than ever.
Making a Strong Case for Verification
Some sections of the application are optional, such as filling in details of your audience. That said, it’s a good idea to fill in as much detail as possible, as it will help you put forward a strong case for your account being verified and make it easy for Instagram to see why they should give you a blue tick.
In the audience section, you can describe who your audience are, already, who will want to find you, and why. What are you offering to people as an account? What does your account mean to your current and potential followers? This section should be about 1 or 2 lines long.
There is also a section to add your ‘AKA’. The AKA section is a good place to clarify your identity by adding your real name, for example if your account is under your blog name, or to flag up if you have a large online following somewhere else under a different username.
The final section of the application is a space where you can add links. This is the most important section for making your application to get verified really strong. More is more when it comes to proving your bigger online footprint, so give as much information here as possible - even aim to max out the characters. This is where you can really present yourself as an established online presence by linking to other social media accounts and sites where you have a following, as well as any articles you have written or appeared in. Every piece of media that mentions you, from blogs to pdfs of physical articles, is worth linking here.
Once you submit your application, you should hear whether your account is now Instagram verified within a couple of days.
Outside of the App: What Else Can You Do?
Making a strong case for getting your account verified isn’t limited to Instagram’s verification form. You can help your account get verified through your Instagram content strategy and how you use other sites.
Instagram is more likely to verify accounts it perceives as being run by good users. What does it mean to be a good user? Well for Instagram, posting consistently, using different post formats, and maintaining a strong presence on the app by engaging with your audience will all make you appear as a user worth verifying.
You can also help your account appear legitimate and verifiable outside of the site by pursuing earned media. Earned media is any article or piece of content that gets your name out there. Reach out to PR agencies or contact writers directly to get blogs and publications to cover your work and promote your brand.
Finally, build a following on other social media sites, such as Youtube or Facebook. If you are a big social media presence on one site, it’s in Instagram's interest to have you using their site too and bringing traffic there, making it appealing for them to verify your account and help move your audience from other apps over to Instagram as well.
To learn more about Instagram verification and how effective it can be for you, click on the link https://www.regalroye.com/socialmedia-management and you will be directed to our main page for more details.
If you would like to know more about verification methods contact Regal Roye today and we'll get you started.