Is It Worth It to Pay for Verification on Instagram?

Perhaps taking a cue from Twitter, Instagram users will now be required to pay to get verified on the platform. The announcement, made alongside the Meta Verified rollout, came from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who is already testing the subscription service in Australia and New Zealand. So, what exactly is the Instagram verification process? If you’re curious about the criteria, cost, benefits, and steps to obtaining a badge, we’re breaking it all down.

The benefits of an Instagram Verification Badge

Paying for the badge comes with four benefits:

Authenticity confirmation

The badge lets Instagram users know that the account has been confirmed for authenticity. In a time when accounts are being spoofed, it can be difficult for social media users to determine which accounts they can trust.

Verified badges are visible in the following locations on Instagram accounts:

• On your profile
• In Reels, Stories, and Feed
• Next to your profile photo in direct messages
• In search results, next to your name and profile photos
• Next to your profile photo in the comments section

If you have multiple profiles on Instagram, each profile must have its own Meta Verified subscription, and purchasing a Meta Verified subscription on Instagram won’t transfer over to your Facebook account.

Monitoring for impersonators

Zuckerberg also referred to “proactive impersonation protection” on profiles that verified accounts. Essentially, Meta will put more effort into monitoring authenticated accounts for impersonators than they would non-authenticated accounts.

Customer service access

Because a common complaint from Instagram users has been an inability to get help from the platform’s customer service reps when needed, paying for verification will get you access to a real person.

Exclusive features

Verified account holders can get exclusive stickers on Instagram Stories.

Increased visibility

Although it’s too early to confirm the impact, Meta is claiming that verified subscribers will get more visibility as suggested accounts to follow, recommendations under Explore and Reels, and in search and comments on other people’s photos and videos.

Who can get Instagram Verified?

If your account is already verified, you won’t be required to pay for a subscription for now.

Because the Meta Verified program is new, not every profile is currently set up for Meta Verified options. Individual profiles for adults in the United States, Australia and New Zealand can activate a Meta Verified subscription on their account. Business profiles are not eligible for Meta Verified subscriptions yet.

Minimum eligibility requirements to verify your Instagram profile include:

• Be a public or private profile associated with your full name, align with naming standards, and have a profile picture that includes your face.
• Have two-factor authentication enabled. (Can be completed after payment.)
• Must meet minimum activity requirements 
• Meet Meta’s Terms of Use and Community Guidelines.

Those who don’t yet have Meta Verified in their region can join the Instagram waitlist to get notified when it does become available.

The cost of Instagram Verification 

The Instagram verification costs $14.99 a month. If, for any reason, your identity can’t be confirmed, your money will be refunded, although refunds can take up to 60 days. 

Subscriptions can be canceled anytime up to 24 hours before your subscription renews.

How to get verified on Instagram

While Facebook verification is available on the app or through the website on desktops, Instagram verification is only available in the app (iOS or Android).

Go to Settings on Instagram and click on Accounts Center, then Meta Verified. If verification is available for your account, you’ll see “Meta Verified available” under your name and photo.

You’ll be required to confirm your identity — with a government-issued ID, document, and/or selfie video — which may take up to 48 hours. 

Before you pay to get verified on Instagram

Still weighing the costs and benefits of coughing up $15 per month for verification on Instagram? We have a few more things for you to consider.

• If you’re an influencer who uses a nickname or pseudonym to protect your identity, you may not be able to get authenticated. That’s because Meta Verified subscriptions only support real names on profiles. 
• Once your profile is verified, you won’t be able to change your name, photo, date of birth, or username without going through the verification process account.
• Do you own other Instagram accounts with the same name and profile photo? They may get disabled through impersonation monitoring once you verify the first account. To prevent this, add all your accounts via the Accounts Center.
• Instagram can remove verified badges if you switch your accounts from public to private too many times or attempt to advertise or transfer your verified badge.

Curious about how to get verified on Instagram for free? You can try applying for the verified badge by contacting Instagram if you are a public figure or brand — as long as you represent a real person, registered business or entity. 

It’s too early to determine if it’s worth paying for verification on Instagram, so you may want to sit on it for a while. Keep an ear on Instagram’s community of creators to see what the reaction is. Until then, you’ll need to decide if the benefits of being authenticated are worth $15 per month.

Influencers:

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Marketers:

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