If you’re active on Twitter, you’ve probably noticed a blue checkmark associated with various accounts. If you’re a brand, business, or personality, you might be wondering how you can get that verification status as well. Get verified on Twitter is somewhat of a status symbol as it indicates that a profile is authentic.
Why get verified on Twitter?
Before we go any further, let’s recap the significance of Twitter verification.
The coveted blue verification badge that appears on Twitter profiles lets people know that the account is of public interest and, most importantly, authentic. Any verified account appears with the blue checkmark next to the username both on their profile and search results and always appears in the same place.
Verification is important to accounts as a way to signal to audiences that they are authentic and trustworthy. For example, Twitter-savvy customers will want to contact a verified brand account if they have a customer service question about their product or service.
Twitter is the only entity that can provide verification badges. So any account that tries to use an image of the verification badge in their profile or background photos or implies they are verified without authentication from Twitter can face suspension from the platform.
Twitter verification criteria in 2021
Now that verification is reopened, Twitter has a few requirements about the presence, activity, and profile status of the accounts applying to get verified on Twitter. While meeting these doesn’t necessarily guarantee you will get the blue checkmark verification badge, you want to make sure these aspects of your Twitter presence are squared away before attempting to apply.
In general, there are a few key steps to demonstrate the authenticity and notability of your account:
- Authentic: You can confirm this with Twitter by officially verifying your identities, such as with photo ID documentation, or relationship to a notable organization, for example, by using an official domain’s email.
- Notable: This verification aspect has the most granularity per category, laid out in Twitter’s help center in detail. Some important factors include mentions on news sources or official sites, follower count, activity in their field and abiding by Twitter rules, and good conduct on the platform.
- Active: In addition to overall active usage, Twitter also reviews the completeness of the profile, including completing security measures like email and phone confirmation and a lack of recent suspensions due to Twitter rule violations.
Fortunately, the categories and requirements tie directly into the steps of the new verification process on Twitter, so once you have this information squared away, you are well on your way to applying to get verified on Twitter.
How to get verified on Twitter in 2021
If you feel your brand or influencer profile is ready to begin the verification process, the steps to get started are fairly simple.
- Start the verification process.
The Twitter verification process is now self-serve from within the platform. In the desktop or mobile app, access your account settings and select ‘Request verification.’
- Choose your account category.
You’ll then be asked to select your category from the six eligible ones mentioned above and taken through submitting specific requirements for authenticity and notability for that category.
- Verify your activity in your category
The next step after choosing your category will vary depending on what you choose. For example, individuals in entertainment may need to verify their status with IMDB credits, journalists by linking to recent articles, and activists or influencers will need to meet follower and mention thresholds.
- Confirm your identity
You’ll also be asked to confirm overall identity verification, such as a photo ID or official website reference to the submitted account.
- Submit the request
Once you’ve finished submitting this information, the request will go into the queue for review, which per Twitter, could take up to a few weeks depending on the current volume of requests.
If your application is approved, the blue badge will appear automatically, with no other steps needed from you. If it’s rejected, you’ll want to review your information and profile completeness, and you’ll then be able to reapply after 30 days have elapsed.
If you have been coveting to get verified on Twitter, you now know the steps you’ll need to take to ensure your profile is ready for requesting verification. Beyond just fulfilling verification requirements, you can and should still improve your brand profile’s completeness and authenticity for greater engagement on the platform.
