How to Get Verified on Instagram

We will go over the Instagram verification process.

1. Understand the Instagram Verification criteria
2. Follow the top 10 strategies to boost your chances of becoming instagram verified
3. Apply for instagram verification

1. Understand the Instagram Verification Criteria

Instagram assesses each account based on the following questions:

Authentic

• Does the account represent a real person?
• Is the business registered?
• Does the account represent the entity?

Unique

• Does the person or business have only one account?

Complete

Make sure the account has:

• A completed bio
• A profile picture
• One or more posts

Public

• Is the account viewable by everyone?

Notable

• Does the profile have a high search volume (i.e., is it well-known across other platforms and media outlets)?

2. Top ten strategies for getting Verified on Instagram

Greatly Improve your chances of earning the verification badge by following these 10 strategies:

1. Use the platform regularly. You'll need at least one post, but keeping your Instagram presence up-to-date and accurate is a great way to show you care about the platform and the way it was intended to be used.
2. Become more searchable. The more people that search out your brand online (e.g., your name, company name, etc.), the greater the likelihood you’ll be approved. Instagram’s decision-making process involves auditing how many times and how often people are searching for you. To achieve this, you may want to link to your Instagram from a Facebook account.
3. Delete any cross-platform "add me" links. The platform doesn’t want you taking traffic away from them by providing links to your accounts on other platforms (otherwise known as "add me" links). Doing so is a surefire way to get denied.
4. Increase your follower count. The largest verified brands have well over 1 million followers. While you don't necessarily need that many followers — especially if you are a small business — you're more likely to get a verified badge if you have a decent-sized following. You can request people follow you in your posts.
5. Don’t buy Instagram followers. Besides breaking the platform's community guidelines, buying followers on third-party sites like Fiverr will also prevent you from becoming verified.
6. Have a completed bio. Instagram is strict when it comes to its bio requirement. If your Instagram bio is incomplete, you will likely be denied. Make sure you submit a government-issued ID, such as a driver's license. Provide your full name. You'll also want to request others follow you and get your name out there.
7. Get verified on other platforms. Verify yourself on other platforms like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and other social media sites that have similar badges that prove you are who you say you are. Getting approved on Facebook and these other sites are likely to increase your chances of obtaining a verified badge. Post at least one post on these other sites.
8. Boost Your Brand Presence. Building a strong, recognizable name that most people know about makes you more notable, which is one of the five considerations used by Instagram to determine whether you qualify for verification. You don't have to be a public figure celebrity to qualify; anyone can apply for the blue check badge.
9. Maintain a single professional profile on Instagram. Your account must have a separate business Instagram account and a separate personal Instagram account to make it far more likely to be approved for verification.
10. Keep trying. If you’re not approved the first time around, you can apply for verification every 30 days for another chance. Though reapplying does not guarantee you’ll eventually be selected for verification, you must reapply to push the probabilities in your favor.

3. Apply for Instagram Verification

Follow the steps below to apply to become verified on Instagram:

1. Go to your profile and click the hamburger icon in the top right corner of your screen
2. Select "Settings"
3. Select "Account"
4. Select "Request Verification"
5. Complete the application form fields
   • Enter your legal name
   • If applicable, type your “known as” or working name
   • Pick your category or industry
   • Submit a government-issued ID (driver's license) or business utility bill
6. Tap Send
7. Wait for approval via your notifications tab (A response should come in less than 30 days)

Recommended: If you want a fast and reputable verification agency to help you, use the SiteTrail Instagram Verification Badge to increase your business's notability.

Once you’re Instagram verified, staying verified is the next goal? Luckily, Instagram seems to award the blue checkmark in perpetuity. This means that once you have a verified Instagram account, Instagram lets you keep it verified forever.

However, there are some compliance requirements, which means your account must remain in good standing. Let's look at these:

Maintain a Public Account

Instagram tells you upfront that you must have a public account to get verified. But, you must also keep your account public to keep your verification. Also, you must represent yourself honestly, and you should avoid having multiple Instagram accounts.

Follow Instagram's Rules

Don't break or go against Instagram’s Terms of Use and Community Guidelines policies. It is a surefire way to get your account banned. Verified accounts are held to the highest Instagram standards and are expected to faithfully execute these rules and requirements. You must represent Instagram in a positive way. If you do, you have a high likelihood Instagram won't ban you, meaning you can keep the status symbol you've earned.

Verified accounts only require a single post and a profile picture. To keep a verified Instagram presence, post often. Posting often isn't just about staying verified; rather, it's about capitalizing on the perks that come with wearing the blue badge.

Having a verified account affords you many benefits not offered to other accounts. Once verified, you can quickly build more authority around your brand. This is great for public figures who want a unique presence. While this seems obvious for a high-profile celebrity or global brand featured in multiple news sources, it's true regardless of your status as a lower-profile real person, registered business, or highly searched-for public figure.

Simply put, if you have fewer followers on Instagram (i.e., you're a real person or registered business), getting your account verified will make it easier for you to get your paid or promotional content out there.

Improve your chances of earning a badge by doing the following:

1. Use the platform regularly. You'll need at least one post, but keeping your Instagram presence up-to-date and accurate is a great way to show you care about the platform and the way it was intended to be used.
2. Become more searchable. The more people that search out your brand online (e.g., your name, company name, etc.), the greater the likelihood you’ll be approved. Instagram’s decision-making process involves auditing how many times and how often people are searching for you. To achieve this, you may want to link to your Instagram from a Facebook account.
3. Delete any cross-platform "add me" links. The platform doesn’t want you taking traffic away from them by providing links to your accounts on other platforms (otherwise known as "add me" links). Doing so is a surefire way to get denied.
4. Increase your follower count. The largest verified brands have well over 1 million followers. While you don't necessarily need that many followers — especially if you are a small business — you're more likely to get a verified badge if you have a decent-sized following. You can request people follow you in your posts.
5. Don’t buy Instagram followers. Besides breaking the platform's community guidelines, buying followers on third-party sites like Fiverr will also prevent you from becoming verified.
6. Have a completed bio. Instagram is strict when it comes to its bio requirement. If your Instagram bio is incomplete, you will likely be denied. Make sure you submit a government-issued ID, such as a driver's license. Provide your full name. You'll also want to request others follow you and get your name out there.
7. Get verified on other platforms. Verify yourself on other platforms like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and other social media sites that have similar badges that prove you are who you say you are. Getting approved on Facebook and these other sites are likely to increase your chances of obtaining a verified badge. Post at least one post on these other sites.
8. Boost Your Brand Presence. Building a strong, recognizable name that most people know about makes you more notable, which is one of the five considerations used by Instagram to determine whether you qualify for verification. You don't have to be a public figure celebrity to qualify; anyone can apply for the blue check badge.
9. Maintain a single professional profile on Instagram. Your account must have a separate business Instagram account and a separate personal Instagram account to make it far more likely to be approved for verification.
10. Keep trying. If you’re not approved the first time around, you can apply for verification every 30 days for another chance. Though reapplying does not guarantee you’ll eventually be selected for verification, you must reapply to push the probabilities in your favor.