Learning how to get verified on Twitter will get you closer to building a credible brand online. The coveted Twitter blue check is indeed a status symbol as it indicates that a profile is authentic.
The verification badge next to the verified account’s profile name. When you search for the account, you will see the badge next to the account name in search results.
What Types Of Accounts Does Twitter Verify?
Not everyone qualifies for verification.
Twitter has a clear guideline on which accounts qualify to be verified. The major factor in getting verified on Twitter is that your profile is of public interest. Generally, this includes user accounts in the following interest areas:
- Music
- Acting
- Fashion
- Government and politics
- Religion
- Journalism and media
- Sports
- Media
- Business
Why It’s Important To Become Twitter Verified
Before we tell you how to get Twitter verified, let’s look at…
Why get verified on Twitter?
While a verified badge does not imply an endorsement by Twitter, there are so many advantages of getting your brand verified on Twitter.
1. You Can Filter Your Notifications Stream
As a verified account, you can filter your notifications to include only replies, likes, and retweets from other verified users. You can apply the same filters for your DMs. This is especially a neat hack for brands with a large following.
2. You Gain Trust From Your Audience
85 percent of consumers will buy products or services from brands they trust. Nothing shouts “trustworthy” on Twitter more than a verified checkmark. Having the blue tick means you have passed some kind of test of worth.
3. Prevents Twitter Identity Theft
Impersonation on Twitter is quite common and can take the form of parody accounts or malicious phishing attempts.
It can be quite difficult for Twitter users to tell two identical accounts apart. However, if your account is verified, the blue check is a mark of authenticity. It shows that your account is the real deal.
4. Helps You Network with Influencers
Influencer marketing is pegged to be the next big thing in marketing. Influencers are now aware of the power they hold, and thus, tend to be selective with who they engage with on a deep basis.
If you are running a Twitter influencer campaign you want to bring your A-game so that influencers can recognize you and want to work with you. You, therefore, need to stand out from the crowd.
What better way to do so than to get verified?
When an influencer sees an incoming message from someone who is verified, they are more likely to give it more attention.
5. Build Your Reputation as an Industry Authority
The Twitter blue check is without a doubt a badge of honour, an achievement, something rare that not everyone gets. Having one puts you in an exclusive club of a few hundred thousand other accounts.
You can use this honor to your advantage outside of Twitter to reinforce your authority in your industry.
Steps You Need To Take To Become Twitter Verified
At the end of 2017, Twitter decided to work on a new verification program to improve the process and ensure all verified accounts met their new guidelines.
We get it, getting into an exclusive club takes effort.
To get the improvements done, Twitter put a pause on accepting public submissions for profile verification.
The company is planning to bring back the program soon and allow users to request for verification.
Twitter told TechCrunch that it will publicly document what qualifies a Twitter user to be verified so that people understand why the company makes the choices it does.
You certainly want your profile ready once the program opens up again, right?
Then let’s get straight to the steps you need to take to get your account ready for Twitter verification.
1. Add Your Phone Number
Most people would rather leave out their phone numbers when creating social media profiles. However, on Twitter, a phone number adds a layer of protection and is, therefore, a must if you want to get verified. However, your phone number is not public.
Adding your phone number on Twitter is simple, just follow this link.
2. Confirm Your Email Address
Go to your account settings and submit your email. Next, confirm your email by clicking the confirmation link sent to your registered email address.
3. Complete Your Profile
To increase your chances of Twitter verification, you need a complete profile. Make sure to add in:
- Name: Add your (or your organization’s) real name in the Name section. A name is not only necessary for verification but also helps your account be found on Twitter and Google search.
- Bio and Birthday: This is the part that tells Twitter why your account is of public interest. Be sure to add in your current position, employer, area of expertise, and any noteworthy accomplishments.
If this is a personal account, add your birthday. You can choose to make your birthday visible only to users who follow you back. - Profile and Cover Photo: Add recognizable profile and cover photos. The photos should be an accurate representation of you or your organization.
- Website: Reinforce your authenticity by adding your website link on your profile. The link will direct users to your work or a relevant page.
Here’s an example of a complete profile:
4. Prepare Your Pitch
Once the verification program is back, if the previous process is anything to go by, you will be required to submit an application form. In this form, you’ll have to write a “why I should be verified” paragraph. There’s no better time than today to get your pitch ready.
When writing your pitch show how getting verified will help the Twitter community. Twitter does not care much about what verification will do for you but about how it will make the experience of other users better.
So write from the reader’s perspective. Explain why Twitter users will benefit from what you do.
5. Select Your Five Links
You will also be required to submit a maximum of five links that add weight to your pitch. Even though Twitter lets you submit only two links, you want to submit the maximum five.
The links you share should show Twitter how awesome you (or your company) are. They should highlight your impact online. Share as many positive mentions of you or your business, from as many major sources as possible. This can include:
- Company profiles
- Awards
- Press you received from major publications
- Bylines from major websites or publications
- Author pages at major websites or publications
- Speaking engagements
How To Maximize Your Chances At Becoming Twitter Verified
Even though verification is not currently available, you can still create a highly credible presence on Twitter by investing some time and attention into your profile. In doing so, you not only increase your chances of getting verified immediately the program is back, but also, increase your credibility and build trust on Twitter.
Here are a few tips to help you get started:
1. Optimize Your Profile
Make sure that your profile is up-to-date and it is promoting your brand.
Why?
- So Twitter users recognize you immediately.
- To show how you are unique in your industry.
- So Twitter can confirm your identity and authenticity.
And most importantly, your followers will not take you seriously if you don’t. And neither will Twitter.
Here are a few ways to optimize your Twitter profile:
- Update account imagery and branding: Update your profile picture and background image with relevant, high-quality images. You can use either a professional photo of yourself or a custom logo of your brand or business. Make sure that the images stand out and represent your brand or business.
- Add a unique Twitter handle: Use a Twitter handle name that is unique to you or your brand. It is best to use a username that is the same across all your social media networks for consistency.
- Improve your Twitter bio: Your bio should clearly state the purpose of your profile or your brand’s mission or services.
- Add your contact information: Set your specific location and add a confirmed phone number. Don’t worry, your phone number won’t be made public. Want to tap into the free traffic from Twitter? Add your website or blog URL so users can access your work.
2. Be Active on Twitter
Make sure your Twitter profile stays consistently active by tweeting original content and engaging with your audience.
While sharing your work is great and encouraged, to build your reputation on Twitter, it is vital to share timely, interesting, and related content from other credible sources. You can share industry humor, but keep it light-hearted, good advice, relevant articles, or even original research that connects to your area of interest.
Additionally:
- Respond to social mentions. Be sure to be on top of all the conversations around your brand.
- Make use of a Twitter Analytics tool such as Keyhole. This allows you to better understand your followers, what content resonates with them when they’re most active, and much more.
Keyhole allows you to collect accurate & real-time data that you can a deeper dive into and understand what’s working in your Twitter strategy.
You want to be seen as active and involved with your audience.
Get Twitter to take notice that your audience cares about your public impact and you’ll have an easy time convincing the company that you’re worthy of the blue check.
So always create and share valuable content with your followers frequently and consistently. If you don’t have the time to do it, there are lots of content creation tools that will make your life easier.
3. Link To Other Verified Twitter Accounts In Your Bio
Another great way to gain social proof and increase your credibility is to @-mention relevant verified profiles within your Twitter bio. Show your fans that you roll with the who is who on Twitter. This trick will also help you gain more followers.
If you’re an individual, you can add your current or past employers, past employers, or connections you have with other users eg. spouse, business partners, influencers, etc.
For companies, mention parent companies or VCs that have funded you.
4. Add Numbers and Specifics to Your Twitter Bio
Do not be shy about self-promoting yourself a little bit on your bio. Showcase what you have achieved.
Here are a few ideas:
- +3 million customers and counting
- We’re a $10M startup …
- Fortune 500
- Celebrating 25 years in business
5. Display Your Real Location
While you may want to get creative with your location and add something like “Planet Earth”, showing your precise location will help Twitter verify your business. It will enable the company to understand your activity in the offline community.
Displaying your real location can also help you establish more real-life relationships with other Twitter users who relate to where you live, work, and play.
5. Connect with Leaders in your Field
Engage thought leaders within your industry on Twitter. You could initiate a chat session with them, ask them thoughtful questions, or keep sharing their content. A brand that is not afraid to engage with important people within its industry is perceived to be authentic and trustworthy.
6. Promote your Peers
People love getting some love online. When you see other people and brands do great work, give them a shout out and share their content. Follow other profiles and recommend accounts that you think your followers will find useful. Mention why you think these accounts are awesome.
7. Tell Your Story Visually
People resonate more with images than with text. According to Kissmetrics, Tweets with images get 18% more clicks, 89% more favourites, and 150% more retweets.
Take advantage of the power of images and use them to tell your story and keep your Twitter fans engaged and interested in what you do.
There is no doubt that having a Twitter verified badge is a huge advantage for individuals and brands. However, marketers are still wondering, when will Twitter open up public applications for verification again?
At this point, there’s no expected date, so we’ll have to sit tight and hope this happens soon. In the meantime, now that you know how to get verified on Twitter, go on and get your account ready for when the Twitter verification program is back.
We promise to keep you updated!
Related Articles:
Top 10 Twitter Analytics Tools in 2024
8 Killer Tips to Grow Your Twitter Follower Count Organically
Keyhole is a real-time brand and campaign monitoring tool that provides keyword and hashtag analytics for Twitter and Instagram.
