For many creators and businesses, getting Instagram verified is a big milestone.
Instagram account verification is an official symbol of credibility—a powerful way to gain your customers’ attention and trust. Put simply, being verified on Instagram can improve your brand’s reputation and help you meet Instagram marketing goals.
This guide will walk you through how to get verified on Instagram, including the latest steps for how to request Instagram verification, the Meta Verified subscription verification process, and more tips to help you get a blue check mark.
What does Instagram verification mean?
An Instagram verified badge is a blue check mark next to your profile name. The blue check proves an account is owned by a real person or business. Instagram describes verified badges as confirmation “that it is the authentic presence for that person or brand.”
Like other social media platforms, Instagram has evolved the meaning of its verification badge. Previously, the symbol indicated that an account was owned by a well-known, highly-searched-for person or company.
While that meaning remains, Instagram check marks also now serve a more general purpose of confirming an account’s authenticity.
Who can get verified on Instagram?
The good news is that anyone can apply to be Instagram verified. You don’t need to be a public figure or celebrity.
It’s no secret how Instagram verifies accounts. Instagram guidelines state that you must apply for verification by either subscribing to Meta Verified, which is a paid service, or applying with an account that meets certain requirements.
To apply for verification, your Instagram account must be:
- Authentic. You must be a real person, public figure, or registered business entity. You’ll need official business documents and ID to prove this criteria.
- Unique. You can’t have multiple Instagram accounts for the same person or business (unless they are language-specific accounts). Instagram also doesn’t verify general interest accounts (like memes) or fan accounts.
- Complete. At the bare minimum, your Instagram profile needs to be public, have an Instagram bio with a profile picture, and be active when you apply. “Active” isn’t defined, but you can take it to mean you post, share, or comment on content regularly.
- Notable. This is the tougher bit that most struggle with. Being notable means your account name represents a “well-known, highly searched for” person or brand. Instagram reviews accounts that are featured in multiple news sources, but they don’t consider paid or promotional content as sources that fulfill this criteria. However, if you don’t meet the notability requirement, you can still get verified by paying for Meta Verified.
On top of these requirements, you must follow the basic rules of Instagram’s community guidelines and terms of use. As long as you follow them, you’re eligible to apply for verification.
These criteria also mean you don’t have to meet a certain follower count before you’re able to get verified. Instead, you could request verification as soon as you sign up and complete your profile, if you wanted.
Why get verified on Instagram?
Here are six reasons to apply for Instagram verification:
- Stop impersonators. The main reason the verification badge exists is to make sure accounts holders are who they say they are. The blue check on your profile shows followers and visitors that you’re the real deal, not a fake account.
- Become a trusted voice that people listen to. When Instagram users see that you have an officially recognized account, they’re likely to find you more credible and trustworthy.
- Gain clout. Many see the blue check as a status symbol that shows users your verified account is worth following.
- Get collaboration offers. Instagram may say that verified badges are no longer a sign of notability, but that doesn’t stop many potential brand partners from seeing them that way.
- Boost your followers. If your account is verified, when users search Instagram for content that’s within your topic category, you may appear higher in search results than similar unverified accounts. That increased visibility means verified accounts can attract new followers directly from search, which helps with an overall increase in brand awareness.
- Boost your sales. If you sell products through your Instagram account, the increased search visibility that comes with verification may translate into increased sales.
How to get verified on Instagram
There are two ways to get a verification badge on Instagram:
- Request verification via Instagram app
- Subscribe to Meta Verified
It’s up to you which route you take to get verified on Instagram. Learn the detailed steps for each method below so you can determine which way works best for you.
Request verification via Instagram app
Pros: This verification method is totally free—no fees are required to apply or maintain your account’s blue check.
Cons: You need to provide proof of notability, which may be tricky for new brands, and the approval waiting period can be a bit long (up to 30 days).
Here’s how to get verified on Instagram via an in-app request:
1. Log into your brand’s Instagram account
2. Navigate account settings to Tools menu
3. Fill out your verification application
4. Submit your application
1. Log into your brand’s Instagram account
If you run multiple accounts, make sure you’re logged into the brand account you’re requesting a verified badge for. Tap your profile picture in the bottom right corner of the app to enter your profile.
2. Navigate account settings to Tools menu
Once you’re on your profile page, tap on the hamburger icon (three lines) in the top-right corner and scroll down until you see “Account type and tools” under “For professionals.” Select “Account type and tools.” Under Tools, tap “Request verification.”
3. Fill out your verification application
You’ll need the following information to complete your application:
- Your full name (or trading name). Confirm your identity with a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.
- Official business documents. Provide any relevant business documents, such as LLC registration papers.
- Notability. Verify your online presence by selecting your industry category and target audience. You’ll also have to list brand names you might also or otherwise be known as.
- Supporting links to confirm your notability. Link to other verified social media accounts, if you have them, news or press releases your brand is featured in, your website, or other (non-promotional) links you feel might be relevant.
4. Submit your application
Once you’ve filled in the verification application details, hit the Submit button. Congrats—you’re one step closer to getting verified on Instagram!
Generally, within about 30 days, Instagram will notify you in your activity feed whether your application was successful or not. If approved, you’ll get your verification badge right away.
Subscribe to Meta Verified
Pros: If you qualify, you’ll get your blue check much more quickly with this verification method (within hours or days, instead of weeks).
Cons: Meta Verified requires you to pay a monthly subscription in order to get and maintain verified status on Instagram.
Here’s how to get verified on Instagram via a Meta Verified paid subscription:
1. Ensure you meet the eligibility requirements
2. Go to Meta Verified on your mobile app
3. Choose a profile to verify
4. Pay your first Meta Verified subscription fee
5. Confirm your profile information
6. Verify your account
Here’s how to subscribe to Meta Verified:
1. Ensure you meet the eligibility requirements
Although Meta Verified is a more accessible way to earn a blue check mark, your account must still meet certain eligibility requirements.
To subscribe to Meta Verified:
- You must be at least 18 years old
- Your profile needs to show your full name, with a profile picture that includes your face
- Your account should have a prior posting history
- You need a government-issued ID that matches your profile name and picture
- Two-factor authentication must be enabled on your profile
If you’re a business subscribing to Meta Verified, you must also have a:
- Meta business account
- Facebook business page and an Instagram professional account with a history of activity
2. Go to Meta Verified on your mobile app
Open the Instagram mobile app and log in. Tap your profile picture at the bottom right to go to your (or your business’s) profile. From there, tap the menu icon (three lines) in the top right, then tap Meta Verified under the heading For professionals.
3. Choose a profile to verify
Select the personal account or business account you want to verify. You can verify up to two eligible profiles: one on Instagram and one on Facebook.
4. Pay your first Meta Verified subscription fee
You’re required to pay a recurring subscription fee in order to get verified via Meta Verified. In exchange, you’ll receive a blue check, along with some additional features, like exclusive Instagram stickers to use in your Instagram Stories and Reels.
For businesses, Meta Verified offers several subscription pricing tiers, starting at $14.99/month. For individual creators, there’s only one subscription offer, priced at $14.99/month.
To subscribe to Meta Verified, tap Pay and enter your payment details. You can pay through the Google or Apple app stores or with Meta Pay. After entering your payment details, tap Continue, then Subscribe.
You’ll then have three days to complete the final verification steps outlined below.
5. Confirm your profile information
Confirm or edit your profile name and picture.
If you’re a business, you’ll also need to submit your business name, address, phone number, and website, along with any other requested details.
Finally, select your business from the results, choose a verification method, and tap Submit.
6. Verify your account
Confirm your identity by uploading photos of a valid government-issued photo ID. Make sure the information is readable, then tap Submit and Finish.
For businesses, select whether to receive a confirmation code via your company’s SMS or email.
Once you’ve completed these steps, your verified badge should appear on your profile, as well as in comments, direct messages, Reels, and Stories. You’ll also get access to enhanced support and account protection features.
5 tips for getting verified accounts on Instagram
- Don’t try to buy an Instagram verification badge
- Instead of buying clout, get help with publicity
- Grow your following with real followers
- Optimize your profile and bio
- Follow Meta’s Community Standards
Don’t try to buy an Instagram verification badge
Under no circumstances does Instagram let users buy, sell, or otherwise transfer their verified badge. (Subscribing to Meta Verified is a different story.) Use Instagram responsibly. Don’t try shady tactics like buying verified badges, followers, likes, or comments. Otherwise, you could find your account banned.
If you see an account that advertises the ability to get you one either for free or for a “small fee,” like the example below, don’t fall for the scam.
Instead of buying clout, get help with publicity
Team up with a PR agency or journalist who can help you get your name out there. Some agencies also have access to Facebook’s Media Partner Support tools, where they can submit requests and get accounts verified through the portal.
To get publicity, you’ll need to do things considered newsworthy. What’s deemed newsworthy depends on your niche market, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Participate in or create a local event (for charity or otherwise).
- Make a guest appearance on a podcast or other media channel.
- Pledge to donate to a relevant cause, either a one-off or indefinitely.
- Publish a white paper or other original data relevant to your target audience.
Getting involved in activities outside of your brand is how you build awareness and get into media outlets. That way, when the Instagram verification team checks to see if you are notable, they’ll find you in these news channels.
Grow your following with real followers
Never buy Instagram followers. Always focus on the genuine, organic growth of your account.
It’s easy to tell when someone buys followers because their account will have lots of followers but low engagement. These “followers” are often bots or inactive accounts, so they don’t interact with your brand. The lack of engagement means your Instagram posts won’t show up on the explore pages or in your audiences’ feeds.
Although your follower count doesn’t matter when it comes to verified badge decisions, a highly engaged following can help.
Some ways to get more Instagram followers include:
- Using the right hashtags to get your profile in front of targeted audiences
- Publishing a mix of Instagram Stories, Reels, and feed posts
- Running giveaways
- Encouraging user-generated content
- Curating your profile grid
- Creating shareable content
Instagram followers are more than just a number, they are your community. Even if you don’t get verified, real followers will help increase traffic to your site, make more sales, and build influence in your space.
Optimize your profile and bio
All verified accounts have one thing in common: complete profiles. Each of them has a concise and punchy Instagram bio, a strong profile photo, an external link (to either their website or a link in bio that links to multiple sites), and well-designed Story Highlights.
Sure, the Instagram profile has the same structure for every account. But each Instagram bio—the small summary underneath the username—is unique. Users look at your bio when deciding whether or not to follow you on Instagram, so you have to make it count.
The bios of verified Instagram accounts accomplish a number of things, including:
- Highlighting essential information about their business (brand name, category, company overview)
- Offering a way for users to get in touch (DMs, link to shop)
- Showcasing the brands’ personality (brand voice, visual branding)
- Establishing a unique selling proposition
- Encouraging a response with a call to action
A strong profile can make a good first impression on behalf of your brand and convince people in your target audience to follow you.
Follow Meta’s Community Standards
As long as your brand is consistent and you’re only posting your own content (content that is safe and legal for public viewing), you’re most likely already following Meta’s Community Standards. However, make sure you review those community guidelines so you can confidently tick this box in the verification process.
What to do if your verification request is rejected
Even if you follow all of the tips above, there’s still a chance Instagram won’t approve your application. So what happens then? Try a few of the following actions.
Double-check the verified badge requirements
As simple as it sounds, it’s worth double-checking the four main requirements we saw earlier: being authentic, unique, complete, and notable.
Make sure you have the most appropriate business documents to prove authenticity. Be sure to delete any old accounts you might have set up. Compare your level of profile completeness to those who are already verified.
Lastly, do a Google search on your brand. If you don’t see any mentions of it outside of your own website, that could be the issue—your brand may not be considered notable enough for a verified check mark.
Wait and reapply
If your request for verification gets rejected by Instagram, all is not lost: You can apply again after 30 days. Be patient though—applying for a verified badge multiple times within 30 days will automatically get your application rejected.
Give yourself that month to figure out ways of improving your chances. Use the tips above to develop your brand and Instagram presence, rather than hope you’ll get approved in the following 30 days without making any changes.
Show credibility in other ways
If you’ve tried all of the above and can’t get approved for a blue check mark, you can still use Instagram to promote your business—you’ll just need to demonstrate your brand’s credibility in other ways.
Instagram recommends linking your account to your official website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel. As for posts, why not create content that shows you or your team behind the scenes? Showing how your business looks day to day is a great way to gain trust. It also follows the recommendation to post multiformat content as a tactic for growing followers.
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How to get verified on Instagram FAQ
Can an individual person get verified on Instagram?
Yes, an individual person or a small business can get verified on Instagram. Your profile must represent a real person or business, but you don't need to be a public figure to be considered a notable account. Instagram also requires that you have only one account that represents your brand on the platform in order to qualify for verification.
How many followers do I need to get verified on Instagram?
Instagram doesn’t give an official follower count needed for verification. That said, the more followers an account has, the more likely it is to be considered “notable.”
Can you pay to get verified on Instagram?
The verification application is free through the Instagram mobile app. Alternatively, you can pay to join the Meta Verified program, but you’ll still need to apply and verify your account to receive your blue check mark with that method.
How do I get verified on Instagram?
1. Log in to the Instagram account you want to verify.
2. Tap the hamburger icon.
3. Scroll down to Account type and tools and select Request verification.
4. Enter your name and provide the required information.
5. After you complete the form, send it and wait 30 days for a response.
