Social media account verification is a great way to see who’s real and who could be fake. It’s especially important for brands so customers and clients can be sure they’re dealing with the real deal. But, getting verified on popular networks such as Instagram and Twitter isn’t as easy as signing up. Here, we will discuss how to get verified on Twitter.
Social media branding is often an important part of social media marketing strategies and having an account that is verified is very important. It affects how serious users will take your account and could affect how successful your marketing is. We’ll talk about who can get verified, why to get verified and how you can get verified on Twitter with as little hassle as possible.
Why Is It Important For A Brand To Be Verified?
You would be surprised how many fake accounts are out there just to make trouble and spread false information. Sometimes, the competition may even play dirty and attack your brand’s reputation.
If, somehow, your brand and its service or integrity are pulled into question, you can act on it. If your account is verified, you can dissolve the situation much easier. Otherwise, it could look like a random account saying ‘it wasn’t me, they’re lying’ or something similar. A verified account can quickly let people know that they’ve been treated to misinformation.
Being verified can also help your brand stand out amongst the many fakes that may be impersonating you for whatever reason. It does happen! In 2017, research from the University of Southern California and Indiana University indicated that up to 15% of Twitter accounts are fake – they are actually bots.
Just Who Can Get Verified On Twitter?
Getting verified on Twitter is much a case of ‘many will try and few will succeed’. The social media platform is quite picky with who they verify. It’s not just a matter for asking to be verified and answering some questions.
The process can, to many, appear to be subjective. Twitter has to be convinced that an account holds public interest. The kind of accounts that get verified are usually controlled by people in sports, politics, government, business, media, music, fashion and acting. Religion and journalism are also given serious consideration.
However, Twitter makes sure that despite giving verification, the platform doesn’t imply any endorsement of the accounts and what they represent.
But you don’t need to be super famous to get verified. If your account is reliable, trustworthy and honest, you could get verified.
How To Get Verified On Twitter: The Basics
For a company or brand, getting verified plays a big role in how effective their social media marketing is. A verified Twitter account carries a lot of weight and instils trust in users.
When it comes to doing business, reputation is everything, even more so in the social media marketing world. There are many fake accounts that do more harm than good, and you need people to know you are legit.
In order to even stand a chance of getting verified on Twitter, you must at least meet the basic requirements.
Profile Picture
Your Twitter profile must have a proper and clear profile photo as well as a cover photo. You have to use your real name on your profile. Something like ‘Cheeky Cupcake’ won’t cut it. However, if your brand name is a rather silly one, you shouldn’t worry. As long as it’s the brand’s true name, you’ll be okay.
Bio
You have to make sure your bio is filled out and very descriptive. There must be no doubt about what your company does or the service it delivers.
If you can include extra information such as a website about your business or brand, it will up your chances to get verified on Twitter. It would be wise to link to your company’s official website.
Confirmed Contact Details
Your email address and phone number must be confirmed. It is recommended that the company’s email address is used for this purpose.
Be Public
Your account must be a public one. When you fill out the verification form, you will have to provide all the necessary documents, such as your I.D or passport.
Twitter will ask you to make your case – you have to give a good reason for wanting to be verified. You will be expected to explain why you think you (your brand) deserve to be verified on their platform. If you can share some links to websites that can help confirm your identity or brand authority, that would help a lot.
How Long Will It Take To Get Verified On Twitter?
Although there is no specific time to wait before you know if you’ve been verified, it should take no longer than 30 days.
Twitter has to go through many requests for verification, so you have to be a little patient. Just like you, millions of others want that coveted blue tick.
Once it has been decided that you were accepted or denied, you will be informed via an email. Be sure to check your email inbox regularly.
What If You Were Denied Verification?
If you find out that you did not get a verification, don’t despair. You can try again, and if you fail again, you can try again. However, you will have to wait 30 days before applying for verification again. Keep in mind that Twitter has halted verification requests for the time being as they sort out their process to make it more accurate.
Make those 30 days count and do your best to make sure that your account meets all the requirements. Beef up your account and profile, work on getting more followers and likes. You could even try to get your brand mentioned by news agencies.
Can You Pay To Get Verified On Twitter?
Fortunately, getting that blue tick isn’t about money, it’s about authenticity, offering value and being noteworthy. For Twitter, what you bring to the table is important, not how fat your bank balance is.
Why Your Verification Could Be Revoked
There are many reasons that your account could get revoked – Twitter is serious about making sure accounts are not fake or have ill intentions.
In fact, they take it so seriously that in 2018, more than 1 million accounts were suspended a day over a period of a few months. The threat of someone abusing Twitter is real, as was discovered late in 2019.
Twitter discovered that someone used a network of fake accounts to match usernames with phone numbers. This was made possible by a real Twitter feature for users to find each other easily using their contact’s numbers. The numbers of many important people were leaked using a flaw in the feature.
If you plan to keep your side clean though, you shouldn’t worry about this. To make sure you don’t unwittingly break any rules, take a look at some reasons for revoking verification:
- Changing your bio or display name to intentionally mislead other people on Twitter
- Engaging in the harassment of others or inciting harassment
- Promoting hate or violence against users because of their race, sexuality, gender, religion, disease, age or disability. Engaging in promotion of threats against users based on their ethnicity or national origin will also get your verification revoked
- Supporting organisations or individuals who promote the above-mentioned behaviour will see your verification taken away
- Dangerous and violent behaviour on Twitter
- Threatening – directly or indirectly – other users (individuals and groups) with any form of physical violence.
- Promoting terrorism
- Sharing images that are shocking, disturbing, gruesome or violent
- Promoting or showing suicide and/or self-harm
- Taking part in any activity that is against Twitter’s Rules
A Bonus Tip On How To Get Verified On Twitter
Twitter’s CEO, Jack Dorsey, shared some advice on getting verified on the social media platform. But it is suggested that this is taken with a grain of salt – it is very possible that he was just messing around.
Whether he was serious or not, Jack said that there is a chance that the guy in charge of verifications could favour users. All they have to do is send him a DM (direct message) or mention him in a tweet.
The guy, referred by Jack as Kayvon, or @K-A-Y-V-Z, is the ‘verification god’, apparently. Kayvon, full name Kayvon Beykpour, serves as Twitter’s Head of Product and is the co-founder of Periscope. (Periscope’s a US live video streaming app)
It’s very unlikely that Kayvon actually has the time to read his mentions or messages from users desperate for a verification. This ‘advice’ could very well just have been a prank by Jack to give Kayvon a hard time.
The Role Of Security In The Verification Process
Twitter wants its users and their information to be safe so it’s only natural that they have many measures in place.
As part of their security measures, the platform recommends that users have two-factor authentication. This will keep your account much more secure and prevent unwanted people from easily accessing your information. It is also a great way for Twitter to know that your account is truly yours. They also suggest that users do not allow others to have their passwords and limit the access they give to third-party applications.
Twitter’s Verification Process
Before, the platform made it relatively easy to get verified – all you had to do is fill out a form. If they thought you were eligible, you’d get that blue tick in no time. But in 2017 this program was put on hold and stated that people are seeing verification as an endorsement from Twitter. Now, they’re much more strict on who gets verified and the process is more thorough. In February 2018, Twitter has completely put on hold giving verification to new accounts. A new process is in the works, but it’s not clear what is happening here.
A Few Extra Tips On How To Get Verified On Twitter
You want to be as qualified for that blue tick as possible, and we don’t blame you. It’s a great feeling and an awesome way to look professional.
Here are a few final things to remember when you set up your account to be as ready as it can be.
Be Active
Make sure that your account doesn’t go quiet for too long. This bad practice when you’re using Twitter for social media marketing and will create the impression that you’re not a real user.
Have Verified Twitter Accounts Linked In Your Bio
This shows the world that you have social proof of being a legit user and not a bot. You can mention verified accounts in your bio, as long as you actually associate with them.
Add Numbers
You could also add specifics and numbers in your bio. You want to put your best foot forward and adding the number of years you’re in the business is a good start. Consider even adding the value of your company, if you like.
Location, Location, Location
You should be as exact about your location as you are comfortable with. For brands, this is a great way to let possible customers know where they can find you. If you offer an online service, being ‘worldwide’ is an option. You don’t actually have to go as far as giving your street address – country and state/province should be enough.
Learn By Looking
Check out the accounts of verified Twitter users and learn from them. You will see that there isn’t a specific mould to fit, but some general aspects to keep in mind. Take what you can from these users and use it to make sure you’re as ‘verification ready’ as you can be.
Conclusion
Although it may take some time while the platform sorts out their stuff, you now know how to get verified on Twitter. You can prepare your account to meet all the requirements and as soon as they start giving out verifications, you can be assured that you won’t get rejected. In the meantime, work on sharing quality tweets, perfecting your profile and gaining more followers.