Get a Verified Account on Twitter

Wouldn't it be cool if you had that white check mark in a blue cloud on your Twitter profile? Well, as of July 2016, you don't have to wait to be handpicked. Read this article to learn how you can actively request to have your account verified.

10 Second Summary

1. Go to the verification request form.
2. Confirm the username you want verified.
3. Add any missing information.
4. Enter 2 to 5 websites as references.
5. Explain why you should be verified.
6. Click the blue "Next" button, then the "Submit" button.
7. Wait to be contacted by Twitter for instructions.
8. Complete the verification process.

Steps

Submitting a Request

  1. Head to the verification request form. You'll need to be logged into your Twitter account to proceed.
  2. Confirm the username you would like to be verified. You'll automatically be asked to submit a request for the account you are logged into. Log into a different account if the one that displays is not the one you wish to request verification for. Hit "Next" when you're ready.
    • If you are a company or corporation, check the box at the bottom-left corner of the screen to indicate it.
  3. Add any missing information. If your Twitter account lacks any information that is required to submit a request, you will be notified on the next page. Add this information to your Twitter, and then return to the page to continue.
    • Check the section on Increasing Your Changes of Verification for a list of the information you'll need to have handy in order to be eligible to make a request.
  4. Enter websites as references. Provide links to 2-5 websites that can be used to identify your account.
    • You should provide instances of your appearances in the news, high-traffic content producers, or other evidence of your public influence.
    • Your official website is already provided on your Twitter profile, so don't worry about listing it again.
  5. Explain why you should be verified. In the box below, write a blurb justifying your request for verification.
    • For individuals, demonstrate your impact. Outline your public reach as well as one or two key ways in which you've changed your field.
    • For companies and corporations, outline your mission as well as your success at achieving it.
  6. Click the blue "Next" button at the bottom of the screen. You will be taken to page asking you to confirm your submission.
  7. Click the "Submit" button. Your request will be sent for review. Once a decision has been made, you will be notified via e-mail.
  8. Wait to be contacted by Twitter's @Verified account for instructions on 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.
    • If your request is denied, don't fret! You can re-submit your request after 30 days.
  9. Complete the verification process. 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.[1]
    • 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. It is designed to teach you to increase your Twitter followers.[1]
    • 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.[1]
    • 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.[1]
  10. 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.

Increasing Your Chances of Verification

  1. Maximize your public presence. The most common reasons for verification - whether you submit the request yourself or get handpicked by Twitter's verification team - 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.[2]
    • 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."[2] Similarly, the number of tweets you post is irrelevant. [3]
    • 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. Make sure you are eligible. There are a number of prerequisites you'll need to have to be able to move through the entire request process. Before submitting a request, make sure you have:
    • A verified phone number
    • A confirmed email address
    • A bio
    • A profile photo
    • A header photo
    • A birthday (for accounts that are not company, brand, or organization accounts)
    • A website
    • Tweets set as public in Tweet privacy settings
  3. Do some basic branding. Most Twitter accounts that become verified are easily identifiable across all channels of communication available on the site. To make your brand easily identifiable:
    • For individuals: Set your Twitter name to reflect your actual name.
    • For corporations and companies: Set your Twitter name to reflect your company or corporation's name.
    • Choose a high-quality profile photo that matches you, your company, or your brand.
    • Set an e-mail address that matches the one you use for business inquiries, if you have such an e-mail address.
    • Link your Twitter profile from your official web page. Also include your website's address in your Twitter profile. It's most important that you link to your Twitter account, as linking sites from the Twitter account doesn't prove that the Twitter account is legitimate.
    • Put-a-Twitter-Badge-on-a-Website. This will ensure that your readers are easily finding your real account.
    • Link to your Twitter profile in your other social profiles such as Facebook and LinkedIn. All of these links will help verify that you are who you say you are.
  4. Be an exemplary Twitter user. 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 is still very important for the verification process. Post frequently, be interesting and topical, use tags, ask questions and reply to your followers, never troll, and follow other verified accounts.
    • Get-More-Followers-on-Twitter.
  5. 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.
    • Get-a-Talent-Agent.
  6. 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][5]
  7. 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.[6]

Tips

  • 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.
  • 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.

Warnings

  • Having a verified Twitter account does not stop others from creating parody/impersonation accounts of you.
  • Don't add a fake verified checkmark at the end of your account header. Although it may look cool to you, Twitter will likely suspend your account.
  • After your account has been verified, you may notice that some of your followers have been removed.[1]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 http://mashable.com/2012/08/29/twitter-verification-validates-my-obsession/#84803Im-Verified
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Twitter.com FAQ on verification
  3. ↑ https://support.twitter.com/articles/119135-faqs-about-verified-accounts
  4. ↑ NetMagazine.com on Twitter ads
  5. ↑ MediaBistro.com on Twitter ads
  6. ↑ http://www.xojane.com/tech/how-to-get-verified-on-twitter
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