Wouldn't it be cool if you had that white check mark in a blue cloud on your Twitter profile? If you get one, it means you hold a "verified account." Twitter uses verification to establish the authenticity of tweeters, and does so proactively—they concentrate on "highly sought users in music, acting, fashion, government, politics, religion, journalism, media, advertising, business, and other key interest areas." If you (or your boss/client) fit the bill, here is how to go about getting your Twitter account verified.
Part 1 of 3: Understanding the Verification Process
1
Determine if you qualify for a verified Twitter account. Twitter verifies as few accounts as possible and only for legitimate reasons.
- Reasons for verification include being a highly recognizable public figure (musicians, actors, athletes, artists, public officials, public or government agencies, etc.), or if your name and likeness is parodied or impersonated on multiple Twitter accounts, leading to identity confusion.[1]
- Twitter will not consider you for verification based on your number of followers. Twitter urges Tweeters to "Please note that follower count is not a factor in determining whether an account meets our criteria for verification."[1] Similarly, the number of tweets you post irrelevant.
- For more information, read the Verified Account terms. These terms explain what a verified account is, what it means to be verified, who has the verified badge, identifying a verified account, etc. They can be found here.
2
Ask nicely. Although Twitter do not officially accept requests for verification, you may be able to speed up the verification process by sending a message to them directly (but only if you meet the criteria outlined above). Send a direct message to this address, making sure to include the following information:
- Account name
- Full name
- Location
- Official website (you will be given a suggestion to put the Twitter logo or badge on your official website to speed up verification)
- Bio information (information about yourself in fewer than 160 characters)
- Primary contact name (referring to the individual who manages the account)
- Additional Contact Information
3
Wait for Twitter to respond. If you don't get a reply shortly, you can contact Twitter by snail mail or through Twitter. Keep in mind that Twitter deals with a high volume of verification requests, and that it focuses first on the most "highly sought users."[1]
4
Follow Twitter's instructions for verifying your account. If Twitter decides that you qualify for a verified account, they will reach out to you via direct message. Click the link in the direct message to be taken to finish the process.
5
The final part of the process has 3 parts: (1) Learn how to Tweet effectively, (2) Connect with other Interesting Twitter Users, and (3) Protect your Account.[2]
- Learn how to Tweet effectively gives you a choice between 2 tweets and asks you to choose which one is better. It has the form of a quiz, but there will be no negative effects if you do not answer correctly.[3]
- Connect with other Interesting Twitter Users gives you the option to follow other verified accounts. Twitter believes that this gives you more legitimacy as a verified user.[4]
- Protect your Account asks you to enter a phone number that Twitter can call if there are any problems with your account. Once you have completed this step, your account will be verified.
6
Do not change your account information. Once you have received a verification badge, it is important to keep your account information the same. Changing information, such as your profile image, can cause Twitter to remove the badge, forcing you to contact them again.
Part 2 of 3: Maximizing Your Chances
1
Be an exemplary Twitterer. Although Twitter claims that the number of tweets a user posts does not affect their decision to verify an account, being an active and engaged Twitter-user cannot hurt. Post frequently, be interesting and topical, use tags, ask questions and reply to your followers, never troll, and follow other verified accounts.
2
Hire an agent. Most celebs don't petition Twitter for a verified badge by themselves; they have an agent do it for them. Hiring an agent will lend your "public figure" status more legitimacy, especially if you can find an agency with prior connections to Twitter.3
Buy advertising. Though Twitter does not have an official stance on this, several Twitter-verified companies have indicated that spending $5000/month on Twitter advertising will also get (and keep) your account verified.
4
Get your fans to campaign for you. If you have a large follower base, you could consider asking your fans to do your dirty work for you. If they inundate the @Verified page with enough pleas for your immediate verification, Twitter might just give in.
5
Get a job in a high-profile company. Some high-profile companies (such as Buzzfeed) have a deal with Twitter whereby all of their top-ranking employees are automatically granted verified accounts. This may not be the easiest option, but it's something to think about.
Part 3 of 3: Considering the Alternatives
1
Embed a "Follow" button on your website. Twitter recommends embedding a Twitter "Follow" button on your official website as the best alternative to verification. You can learn how to do this here. This allows you to obtain followers directly from your official site, which is very helpful if there are multiple Twitter accounts that use your name.
2
Provide a link to your official website on your Twitter account. Twitter also recommends including a link to an official website as an alternative to verification.3
Hack it. If you're really desperate, you can strategically copy and paste an image of the verified badge onto the background of your profile page. To the undiscerning eye, this will make it look like your account is verified. However, it is important to be aware that Twitter takes this type of behavior very seriously, so you could end up being banned from the site entirely if you choose to go down this route.
Tips
- We all want a verified badge but, let's face it, they are not going to give badges to just anyone. So don't bother hassling them with requests unless you absolutely know you would be seriously considered for a badge.
- If you do not qualify for a verified Twitter account, the best way to prove that your Twitter is the "real" you is to include a link to your page on an official website.
Warnings
- Having a verified Twitter account does not stop others from creating parody/impersonation accounts of you.
- Applying for a verified account is no guarantee that Twitter will respond to you.
- After your account has been verified, you may notice that some of your followers have been removed.
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