There are a few key takeaways for this post, namely:
- Getting verified can help you distinguish yourself or your brand from the rest of the competition.
- Getting verified is crucial to combat fake accounts and impostors.
- The information you use to get verified needs to be up to date.
- Use as many of your other online profiles as possible to make the case that your account is worth verifying.
- Provide as many relevant details as you can for your page or professional profile.
Facebook’s verification process isn’t overly complicated, but it might take a few tries to finally get that checkmark. However, you might be asking yourself why you’d even want it to begin with – or what it means to be verified, in the first place.
Overview
What Does Getting Verified on Facebook Mean?
If you’ve ever visited a profile or page on Facebook with a blue checkmark, then you’ve seen a verified account. Verified pages or people are entities on Facebook that have had their identities and legitimacy verified by the staff on the platform. Blue checkmarks are usually used to represent and verify public figures and brands.
Why would anyone want this? To begin with, verification provides additional authenticity to your page or profile.
Authenticity on the Internet is becoming increasingly important, not just for the sake of SEO, but for long-term reputation goals, and as a marker of quality.
Oversaturation is becoming a growing issue in industries and niches all over the web, and factors that help set you apart from the competition – even when it’s something as simple as a checkmark – can be a huge boon, not just today, but in the long term too.
But while we’re on the subject of SEO, it bears mentioning that being verified does improve your search rankings – but not on Google. Facebook will be more likely to recommend you in searches, and greatly improve the reach of your page or brand after receiving a little checkmark.
What Are The Requirements to Get Verified on Facebook?
There are a few simple requirements for getting verified. Most of these are relatively concrete, with just one variable being a little vague. Let’s get to that in a minute. The other variables are:
- Being the right representative of the company or brand you’re trying to get verified. Fans can’t make verified pages for celebrities, and in the same way, no one can set up a verified page for your company or yourself without access to the information that helps Facebook ensure that you’re the real deal.
- Running only one account or page on Facebook for your business or page. There can be a few exceptions – such as having multiple different pages for multiple different regions, or languages.
- Filling out crucial details on your page or profile correctly. Facebook isn’t likely to verify an account or individual that has barely set up their page, with little to no content, and little to nothing in the About section. Include a website, phone number, business address, and an informative bio.
- Content quality and content quantity. Facebook is less likely to verify a page with low-effort content, low-resolution and low-quality images, infrequent posts, and poor engagement. They want a frequent posting schedule that engages users, with high-effort, high-quality content and, if possible, media coverage.
The final, and least concrete variable is notability.
We’re not sure where the breakpoint is, and it might depend on other factors such as the industry or niche your company or brand is catering to, and your business’ existing reputation and outside media presence. However, there seem to be certain metrics that Facebook requires pages and accounts to meet before they can get their checkmark.
Begin the Process of Getting Verified on Facebook
Note that you will be asked to provide an existing page to verify during this process, so it won’t work if you’re trying to get a verification checkmark for a brand or business that isn’t already represented on Facebook.
So, as reiterated earlier, put time and effort into your page or profile. Fill it out to the best of your abilities, upload some content, and get some engagement.
The verification process itself is not too complicated. Facebook has its own online form to get you started. In fact, this is the only way to start the verification process. As you work your way through the form, you will need to:
- Clarify whether you’re verifying a page or a profile.
- Confirm authenticity through a:
- Driver’s license
- Tax report
- Passport
- National identification card
- Recent utility bill
- Articles of incorporation
- Confirm your notability by providing a description of your target audience, your country or region, the category your business, figure, or brand best fits, as well as up to 5 links to articles, social media accounts, and other indicators of notability.
Shortly after sending the form in, you will have to wait for Facebook’s response. They will usually continue the process by asking a few questions to confirm the authenticity of your request.
Certain pages may have different requirements. Facebook may request additional paperwork or authentication material if you are a representative of a large firm or corporation, are representing a public political figure, or a major celebrity. The larger and more important you are, the longer it will take Facebook to verify you. They do intend to be thorough.
What If You’re Rejected?
It’s possible that, upon review, Facebook will simply deny the request to get verified. That doesn’t mean you should stop trying. Facebook disallows pages and profiles from being considered for verification more than once every 30 days, so you will have to wait a month before trying again.
Use that time to improve on your page or profile. Most verification processes fail because Facebook might not feel that you meet the criteria of notability. If you aren’t sure why your request was denied, you can contact the Facebook Support Team for more information. They may be able to help point you in the right direction for your next attempt. Remember that improving your presence and following on other social media platforms will also improve your chances of getting verified.
For more info and tips on making the most of Facebook for Businesses, give us a call.
