Be honest. You need that blue checkmark, don’t you? Regardless of the platform, getting verified is one of the greatest ways to establish credibility on social media. With social media filled to the brim with fake accounts and bots, it simply makes sense that social media platforms let brand accounts get verified so customers know they’re legit. In this article, we will go through the steps you can take to get Facebook verification.
A few years ago, Facebook provided both blue and gray checkmarks as a way to signal the authenticity of smaller, local brands. They’ve done away with the gray checkmark, but the blue checkmark continues to be available to businesses on the platform who are interested in getting verified.
Does the blue checkmark really matter? Let’s take a look at why you need to get verified on Facebook before jumping into the requirements and the way you can do it.
Why Get Verified on Facebook?
What does it mean to get Facebook verification? And why does it matter?
As we touched on earlier, brands, businesses, and public figures can simply run into copycats trying to imitate them. This doesn’t need to be for nefarious purposes, either. How many times have you been excited to see that some superstar or another liked your online content only to find that it was really a fan page and not the real deal? Even if the intent is good, there’s still a risk to you, your brand, and your online reputation in case other customers think they’re dealing with you and they aren’t.
Right when you get verified on Facebook and other social media platforms, it provides your official Page with credibility and makes it less likely that different customers will mistake you for an imposter.
Plus, Facebook offers priority to get verified accounts and Pages in search results. This means that getting Facebook verification could boost your reach by showing your official content at the top of the search results.
When different customers see your Facebook verification, they know that they can get customer service, shop, and engage with you and your brand without any worry.
Facebook Verification Guidelines
Not just anyone can get verified on Facebook. There is a set of verification guidelines that your Page has to reach and follow to be eligible verified. Four verification tips are particularly essential, if highly subjective.
Authenticity
Your Facebook Page has to represent a registered business, entity, or a real public figure.
Completeness
Your Page or account needs to have an active presence. This means that you have a complete About section, profile and cover photos, and at least one post.
Notability
Your brand must be a well-known brand, entity, or person. Facebook reviews accounts that get mentions online (and paid mentions don’t count).
Uniqueness
You may only have a single account for your brand or person unless you run many language-specific accounts. It’s essential to note that “general interest” accounts don’t usually get that coveted blue checkmark.
In case you’re verifying a Page or profile belonging to a law enforcement agency, elected official, politician, or city government, Facebook might have other requirements you have to meet before they hand over that blue checkmark.
These requirements are the very least Facebook expects and even in case you meet all of the eligibility requirements, there’s no guarantee that Facebook will verify your account. The most effective you can do is take steps to make your account look as credible as possible. This means posting on Facebook regularly and often, as well as posting high-quality content that gets engagement and interaction from other Facebook users.
Let’s talk a bit more about how you can best position yourself for easy verification on Facebook.
Laying the Groundwork for Verification
As we mentioned in the last section, you’ll need to be sure that your account is, and appears to be, credible. There are tons of methods to do that.
Content
Create Facebook content that’s professional, engaging, and high-quality. Always include high-quality photographs or infographics and poll your followers or ask questions to spark engagement. Facebook also looks at independent media coverage, so look for opportunities to take part in events that get covered by TV, print, and web news sources.
You may also run Facebook ads to boost your posts, which will help with engagement.
Facebook Profile
Your Facebook profile needs to be complete and accurate. In your About section, you need to include your website and make sure your profile is public so other Facebook customers can follow you. You need to aim for around 500 followers before submitting a verification request on Facebook. Some customers have had luck converting their personal Facebook profile into a brand profile and asking friends to like the brand profile.
Facebook Page
Facebook Pages are incredibly versatile. You may include several types of information, depending on the category you select when setting up your Page. With all of these options for information, it’s essential to update everything frequently to ensure accuracy. At a minimum, you’ll need to include your website, business address and phone number, and a short bio. However, keep in mind, the more complete your Facebook Page information, the more credible the Page looks.