How to get verified on Twitter in 2021

If reports on social media breaches and hacks are anything to go by, having a verified account does not make one invulnerable. So it begs the question “Do I really need to get Twitter verified?”. After all, the verification stamp from the blue bird is also one of the most elusive things to acquire on the internet. You never know when the platform opens request forms and when it shuts, and the platform continues to leave people guessing when they can find a window open for applications. puzzle by leaving a trail of articles that speculate when the next set of applications can be taken.

To give a bit of a background on the Twitter verification process, it was periodically opened to the public until 2017 when it was paused after widespread outcry over the platform’s decision to give a blue check to a questionable user. Since then, there have only been a few more occasions when the verification window was opened again. In early 2020, Twitter restarted the process once again by accepting applications to grant blue checks to public health officials who needed to authenticate their presence on social media to tweet COVID-19 related information.

So, this brings us to the bigger question…

Why is Twitter verification still relevant?

Social media currency—that’s the simplest answer. A profile with a blue check next to it symbolizes a certain level of authority. No matter what domain someone may operate in, the blue check comes with a level of accountability and authority that is immediately associated with their handle. Despite reports of compromised verified accounts surfacing from time to time, the fact is that brands and organizations continue to build their community and messaging on social networks, and have been vying for the verification badge to project a sense of credibility to their audience.

Trust
The blue check helps us identify “legit” brands or handles on the internet. Verified accounts are able to garner a level of trust and studies have proven just how important that feeling of trust is for a public, to engage with a business.

Authenticity
With the risk of identity theft and duplicate accounts looming large on any social media network, it’s for the best if you’re able to distinguish yourself from any copycats or spammers that may have gone unreported or overlooked.

Visibility
With the blue check comes not only a sense of credibility, but also more references and profile visits. If you’re a public figure or an organization working with people, driving campaigns, or collecting funds, it becomes all the more legitimizing to have this unofficial seal of acknowledgement from Twitter for anyone engaging with you.

Steps to get the Twitter verification badge

Step 1: Prepping your account

You might want to make note of these, since it’s going to be a fundamental but exhaustive step. When we say “prep”, we don’t mean it lightly. This means keeping your account ready for scrutiny by the Twitter team.

This includes:

Profile details – Substantiate your purpose in your bio. Fill it with relevant information, website links, date of birth, and a real photo/official logo for individual and business accounts, respectively.

Public account – Since the purpose of the verification badge is public-oriented as stated by Twitter, it’s important to note that your account has to be set to public before sending in your application.

Step 2: Send in your application for a verified badge

Twitter periodically opens up its application window, and if recent updates are to be believed, Twitter was found experimenting with a built-in verification button to simplify this process even further. The current application form asks for details of the applicant, which includes personal documentation, clear photos, URL samples that mention the applicant/brand, and a 500-character textbox to explain why Twitter should verify your account. There’s a 30-day time period in which Twitter will respond to your application if it has been accepted.

We recommend exploring how a verification badge can help you contribute to the community and including that in your application.

Tips on how to get verified on Twitter

Stay active

This one’s a no-brainer. Twitter won’t give a verification badge to an account that keeps its Twitter activity nearly non-existent. Many obtain a Twitter handle to simply claim their brand name, or for pushing out periodic PR content. However, maintaining a more steady marketing presence in the form of updates, communication, and participation in Twitter activities can increase the potential for your Twitter profile to be verified.

An extra point for consideration is posting consistently in the weeks leading up to when you apply for verification. This helps give your account the impression of being active on the platform.

Contribute to the public interest

We don’t have to think too hard to understand what “public interest” means in this context. Twitter has explicitly spelled out which categories of handles can be positioned as public interest oriented to help you identify your profile:

• Politics
• Film/Theater
  Music
• Fashion
• Sports
• Journalism or other media
• Business or companies
• Other public interest areas

Engage with credible accounts

It’s hard to say exactly how much impact engaging with spammy or fake accounts can have on your handle. However, since Twitter is a public platform, it goes without saying that organizations or individuals are not only measured on their original content, but also based on their interactions. Keeping your interactions limited to accounts with legitimate followings and avoiding engaging with spammers (use the block/mute button, instead!) can help you maintain a sense of professionalism and help your own profile look more legitimate.

So now that you know how to go about this entire process, go take a look at your account and vet it against the standards that meet a blue check— this could mean weeding out all the fake followers from your profile or simply putting up a higher-resolution logo.

Meanwhile, we will keep this space updated for when the verification window is open again. Keep a lookout, and we will be letting you know more about how to get verified on Twitter.