Similarly to Twitter Blue, Meta has been rolling out a paid verification subscription service called Meta Verified in Australia and New Zealand, with plans to expand globally in the near future. By paying a monthly fee starting at $11.99, Instagram and Facebook users can now request a verification tick on their profile to legitimate their accounts. Since verified accounts stand out and are favoured by the platform's algorithm, there's no surprise that users are keen to get the much-sought-after blue tick on their profiles. 

So, how will this impact business accounts? Unfortunately, business accounts are excluded from Meta Verified, with verification requests still being processed in the same old way. Verified or not, curating your brand’s business account on Instagram and Facebook is more important than ever to ensure you’re still getting the attention you deserve from our audience. 

Here are our top tips on how to improve the credibility of your brand online:

1. Staying Unverified is an Option

Remember that the majority of business accounts are unverified and their content still performs well. The expansion of Meta’s verification is not the doom of business accounts and while getting verified might be one of your social media marketing goals, it’s not the finale. Most strategies for developing your brand on Instagram or Facebook are not reliant on verification.

If you still choose to request verification of your business, you can do it manually through the old system. The best part? It’s free for businesses!

2. Have a Clear Brand Presence

With the first tip in mind, you must establish your business account to instead communicate to your audience the authenticity of your business. This will involve being active on social media platforms, developing a consistent visual style, and unique branding. In this way, you can indirectly “verify” your business account.

3. Consider Influencer Marketing

Since the Meta Verified accounts will appear at the top of algorithm suggestions, collaborating with (paying) verified influencers allows you to experience the boosts Meta is giving their Meta Verified subscribers through top spots on explore pages or users’ feeds. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about your own verification if you partner with influencers who align with your business and both of you can benefit from the exposure. Influencers will be able to engage with your audience and you can reach out to an influencers’ network.

4. Work on Engagement

Apart from posting content onto your Instagram and Facebook accounts, whether this is entertaining visuals or informational announcements, interacting with those who view, like, or comment on your content will strengthen the connection with your audience.

You can also interact with other accounts and related content on Instagram and Facebook to bring your business more visibility. While it may not seem the most productive path of action, engagement actually boosts your posts in the algorithm and positive interaction improves brand image.

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All of these tips can be difficult to implement, which is why you can reach out to Balans Social if you need an extra hand. We specialise in helping our clients achieve their marketing goals in the rapidly-changing digital landscape.

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