5 Reasons to verify your Facebook and Instagram pages

​The checkmark (‘tick’) icon next to the name of a Facebook or Instagram page is the result of a successful profile verification. The blue verification badges on both platforms signify the authenticity of a public figure or a brand, while the grey tick on Facebook indicates that the existence and location of a small local business has been verified.
It’s not easy to get the blue badge to show up next to your name – but it’s more than worth the effort.

Adding credibility to your page
The primary function of the verified checkmark – and the most important reason to consider verifying your page – is the credibility it adds to your profile. Verified accounts are reserved for the ‘elite’ of social media, and the blue tick is the mark of belonging to this top-level group. It proves that you have a presence that extends beyond the platform itself. This is because verification requires not only that you have an official website and a Wikipedia page, but also mentions on other sites and in media outlets.



Making it easier for users to find your page
If your page has been verified, on both Facebook and Instagram it will appear at the top of search results. This makes it more likely that your audience will find and visit your page, as well as helping you stand out from the competition. Most users, when confronted with a set of profiles of which only one is verified, will naturally pay more attention to the verified page.

Increasing the number of followers and engagements
Verified profiles are not only easier to find, but generate more interest overall. The blue verified badge suggests that a person (page) is noteworthy in some way. Upon seeing your comment or profile, users who haven’t heard of you will check out your page to see what they’ve missed.

Early access to new features and other platform-specific benefits
On both Facebook and Instagram, verified profiles form something like the elite – and as such, get to try out new or exclusive features. For instance, on Instagram, verified users can use the swipe-up feature in stories regardless of how many followers they have (the tool usually reserved for 10k+ followers). Action limits are also much higher for verified Instagram users, enabling them to like, comment, and follow more often each day.

Acting as a status symbol and fraud protection
The blue tick acts as a safeguard against fraud – it’ll set your original profile apart from those who may want to imitate you. On a subconscious level, it also suggests to visitors that verification is necessary, implying your page is important and well-known enough to make it worth the effort for someone to create an imposter page.
 
While verification is relatively straightforward for businesses on Facebook (grey checkmark), influencers and public figures will have a much tougher time getting that blue tick. It’s particularly tricky on Instagram, with only 3% of accounts being verified. Worry not, though – with the right resources and expertise, it’s possible to get just about any account verified. 

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