How to Get a Blue Check on Instagram

Unlike on Twitter, a blue check on Instagram means something. 

It’s a symbol of trust and shows that your business is reliable and well-established. Your audience is more likely to trust you if they see a blue check next to your Instagram handle. 

Unfortunately, it’s not easy to get that blue check; it’s only handed out to businesses that meet Instagram’s strict verification criteria, which is the reason it’s so valuable in the first place. 

It’s not easy, but things worth doing rarely are. Not every business should aim to get verified, but if social media is a big part of your marketing strategy, it’s probably worth the time and effort. To help you get verified, we’ve put together this blog post. We’ll go over:

• Who is eligible for the coveted Instagram blue checkmark?
• How to apply for Instagram verification
• Why & when should you get verified on Instagram?
• Three Instagram account verification mistakes to avoid. 

Grab your favorite drink and get settled in as we show you how to get your business Instagram-verified. 

Who is Eligible for the Coveted Instagram Blue Checkmark?

First things first, if you desire a blue check next to your business name, you need to meet certain criteria. As we’ve already mentioned, Meta has strict systems and processes in place to determine whether qualifies for a blue check or not. 

The first (and most important) factor they look at is whether your Instagram account is in compliance with their Terms of Use & Community Guidelines. Additionally, you need to make sure that your account is:

1. Authentic: You need to be a registered business or entity. You also need to show proof that the Instagram account actually belongs to the registered business. If you run a small bakery in New York and your Instagram handle is @Essenco, you must first verify that the Instagram handle belongs to the business. Also, it’s important to note that verification is limited to one account per business. Otherwise, the Meta team will reject your request. 
2. Unique: Having a distinct and unique presence on Instagram is a must. Not only will this help your case when you’re trying to get verified, but it’s also just good practice. Your business is unique, and your online community will love that about you. Let your personality shine. 
3. Complete: Your account needs to be complete, meaning it must be public and should have a profile picture and bio. It’s also important that your account is active. If you don’t post consistently on Instagram, the chances of your account getting verified will be low.
4. Notable: Instagram doesn’t just verify any and every business. To get verified, you need to be well-reputed and popular. There should be mentions of your business in multiple articles and across different news sources; Instagram loves that sort of thing. 

Another important thing to note is that Instagram doesn’t take sponsored or paid media content into consideration while evaluating accounts.  

Literally anyone can apply for verification. Even if you’re brand new to Instagram, you can apply for the blue check. Instagram doesn’t require businesses to have a certain number of followers for verification. It doesn’t matter if you have 2,000 or 200,000 followers; if you meet the above-mentioned criteria, you may be eligible for a blue check.  

Spoiler alert: Instagram won’t send you an email saying, “You’re not verified,” if your account doesn’t live up to their expectations. If you’ve applied before but it’s been a while and you’re still not verified, don’t give up. You can reapply to get a blue check anytime. (But before you reapply, make sure that you meet all the criteria we’ve mentioned above.) 

How to Apply for Instagram Verification

Ready to go for the gold (or rather, the blue)? Here’s how to apply for Instagram verification:

Step 1: Open the Instagram app on your mobile device and log in to your account (if you haven’t already). 

Step 2: Pull up the account page you’re hoping to get verified.

Step 3: Tap on the three lines in the top right corner of your screen and click “Settings.”

Step 4: Click “Account.”

Step 5:  Select “Request Verification.”

Step 6: Now, you’ll need to confirm your:

• Authenticity: Instagram will ask you for an official identification document for yourself and your business. For documents, you can choose from a passport, driver’s license, tax filing, national identification card, or articles of incorporation.
• Notability: You’ll need to verify that the business your account represents is in the public interest. You need to select the category, country/region, audience (optional), and what you’re known for (optional).

Step 7: Once you complete the required fields, click on “Submit” to get your Instagram account verification review process started.  

When & Why Should You Get Verified on Instagram?

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, not every local business should go to the effort of getting verified. If Instagram is a huge part of your marketing strategy and your target audience spends a lot of time there, getting the verification badge is probably worth the effort. 

Getting a blue check on Instagram helps you:

• Position your business as credible and reliable.
• Build trust. People are more likely to trust an Instagram account with a blue check.
• Build brand awareness. Instagram’s algorithm favors accounts that have the blue check. 
• Avoid impersonation issues. 

That being said, if your business doesn’t already dedicate a lot of time and resources to Instagram, getting verified is probably not worth the effort. 

How to Increase Your Chances of Getting Verified on Instagram

We saved the best for last. To increase your chances of getting verified, consider the following tips.

1. Complete Your Bio

This one is a must. You’re not going to get verified if your bio is incomplete. And the cherry on top? Not only will a complete bio make Instagram happy, but your target audience will love it too. 

Treat your bio like a dating app profile for your target audience. Give them a good impression and convince them you’re worth swiping on (or in this case, following). Add a profile picture (we’d recommend making this your company logo) and a well-written bio. Don’t forget to add your website URL and—since you run a local business—we highly recommend adding a location. 

2. Be As Active As You Can

Meta won’t give inactive accounts a verification badge. You can’t just go years without posting and then decide one day that you want to get verified. It won’t work. 

Post regularly—both images and reels. Add stories. Go live. Interact with your followers as much as you can. Doing these things will show Instagram that you’re serious about your presence on the platform, which will increase your chances of getting that blue checkmark. 

We know how hard it is to generate content on a daily basis. So, here are a few of our favorite tools that can help: 

• Create engaging posts: Canva or DALL·E 2.
• Write Instagram captions or come up with video scripts: ChatGPT or Wordtune.
• Produce videos: VEED.IO or Descript.
• Schedule posts: Buffer or HubSpot.

3. Focus on Earned Media

In Instagram’s own words, “Verified badges help people more easily find the public figures, celebrities, and brands they want to follow. Right now, only some public figures, celebrities, and brands have verified badges.” 

This means that to get verified, being a well-reputed brand that people are talking about is a must.

How does Instagram verify whether you’re a popular, well-reputed brand? They’ll do some social listening—they’ll monitor what people are saying about your brand online and take a deep dive into your online presence.

If your business shows up across various sites and your customers generate a lot of chatter about you, it will only help your chances of getting verified. 

Ready to Take Your Social Media Game to the Next Level?

If Instagram is a big part of your marketing strategy, getting verified should be on your priority list. That being said, not getting verified is not the end of the world. Many businesses build long-lasting relationships, engage with their audience, generate leads, and acquire customers on Instagram without ever getting verified.

While verification isn’t a worthwhile goal for every business, every business can benefit from social media marketing. Not sure where to get started? Check out our guide, Social Media Marketing for Local Businesses.