Instagram verification has become more coveted than ever in 2025. With over 2 billion monthly social media active users (Statista), the blue tick symbolizes authenticity, trust, and recognition on one of the world’s most influential social platforms. A study shows that 80% of users are more likely to follow verified profiles, and verified businesses experience a 30% higher engagement rate than non-verified accounts.

Additionally, a blue tick or check on Instagram increases visibility while adding credibility and influence to an Instagram profile which is important for personal and business branding in an increasingly crowded digital space.

If you are an influencer, individual, or brand, then earning this verified badge can bolster your online presence, potentially justify a subscription fee for exclusive content, and help you establish yourself as an authority. The real question however is how to get verified on Instagram badge (the blue check) and what purpose does the Instagram verification serve?

After thorough research and testing, we have come up with the best methods of getting Instagram verified in 2025. This guide from RecurPost- a social media scheduler that assists you in scheduling your Instagram posts and managing your profile. Here’s what you need to know about the verification process!

Understanding Instagram Verification

What Does Instagram Verification Mean?

Getting an Instagram verification badge on Instagram is now seen as a prestigious accomplishment that sets you apart from others. The blue check that appears next to your username means the platform has marked your profile as authentic and of importance. It is valuable for people and businesses such as global brands, celebrities, or influential companies.

Verification badges appear across social platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and Tinder, indicating the platform has confirmed the account’s authenticity.

Verified badges distinguish authentic accounts from imposters, ensuring users follow legitimate people or brands. Verified accounts stand out in search results and convey authority.

The badge functions as a status symbol due to its exclusivity and limited distribution.

Instagram clarifies that verification doesn’t directly affect engagement rates, which depend on content quality rather than badge status.

How Many Followers Do You Need to Get Verified on Instagram?

Follower count isn’t the only criterion for Instagram verification, though it carries weight. While global celebrities with millions of followers receive verification, the badge isn’t restricted to high-follower accounts.

Users don’t need thousands or millions of followers for verification. The blue checkmark can be awarded to highly active accounts with recognizable branding, even without fame.

Debunking the Follower Count Myth

Accounts with fewer than 10,000 followers have been verified when they met Instagram’s criteria. For example, MMA fighter Brian Kelleher earned his verification with a featured account at around 19.9k followers, having achieved it when he was at approximately 15k followers.

Brian Kelleher

Some smaller accounts have even received verification with less than 10,000 followers. In fact, the lowest followers verified Instagram account example is Shopify Stockroom, which had around 9k followers and was verified when it had fewer than 1,000 followers!

Shopify Stockroom

On the flip side, some accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers remain unverified because they lack public notability or fail to meet other requirements. For example, accounts like Urban Hydration with over 106k followers still haven’t been verified, proving that follower count alone doesn’t guarantee the badge.

Urban Hydration

What Actually Matters?

Instagram looks for:

  1. Authenticity: The account represents a real person or business.

  2. Uniqueness: It’s the only account of its kind for the individual or brand.

  3. Public Interest: Profiles with strong media coverage or a significant online presence stand a better chance.

Official Instagram Statements on Getting Verified Badge

Instagram has clearly outlined its verification process in its help section. According to Instagram, having a verified account means, “This is the authentic account for the public figure, its owner, celebrity or a global brand, as confirmed by Instagram.” Nonetheless, it should be noted that completing a verification request does not equal receiving an instant verification back of your Instagram account.

Requesting a verified badge requires being a public figure, celebrity, or brand and meeting specific eligibility criteria. Instagram manually reviews each verification request to confirm the account represents a public figure, celebrity, or global brand. Having many followers doesn’t guarantee verification without meeting all Instagram’s conditions.

Key takeaway? Submitting a request doesn’t guarantee verification—it’s up to Instagram’s discretion.

Requirements for Instagram Verification Badge

How do you get a verified account on Instagram?

To learn how to get blue tick on Instagram, your account must first comply with Instagram’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Additionally, Instagram outlines five key requirements for an account to be eligible for verification:

  • Authentic: Your account must represent a real person, business, or brand. In short, you have to be who you say you are! You cannot hold a meme page or a fan account and expect to get verified. 

  • Unique: Only one account per person or business can be verified, with exceptions for language-specific accounts.

  • Public: Your account needs to be public. Private Instagram accounts are not qualified to submit a request for verification.

  • Complete: You need to have a complete bio, a clear profile picture (probably the one in which your face can be seen), and at least one post. Your bio should not contain ‘add me’ links to other social media profiles.

    [Check Out : Instagram bio ideas]
  • Notable: Not everyone can get the verification badge just by being polite and asking nicely. Your account must represent a well-known entity and must be highly searched for. This is where things get subjective and confuse people about what they need to have to get verified.

Examples of Verified Profiles

  • Celebrity Accounts: Actors, musicians, and athletes with active media coverage.

  • Brands: Global businesses like Nike or emerging startups with notable online mentions.

  • Public Figures: Activists, journalists, or influencers with significant public interest.

Key Takeaway: Instagram uses a different verification system from Facebook and thus having a significant number of followers on the Facebook account does not improve your chances of getting the blue check mark on Instagram.

How to Verify a Business Instagram Account

1. Complete your profile and bio

As this is one of the first requirements that you need to fulfill to get verified, Here’s how you can optimize your profile. First, select a high-definition profile photo in which your face is visible. 

Second, fill out your bio. Write your full name, specify who you are and what’s your account all about, select a category for your account, connect your account with a Facebook page, and set action buttons.

Complete your instagram profile and bio

You can include links to your website, blog, landing pages, or other online properties, just don’t add any links to other social media accounts. Instagram insists that verified accounts can’t have so-called “add me” links in their bio.

2. Post consistently to increase followers and engagement

Post consistently to increase followers and engagement

Though the minimum requirement to apply for verification is to have at least one post, we recommend you consistently post on Instagram by knowing the Best and Worst Times to Post on Instagram. Otherwise, how will you increase your followers and prove that your account is notable? It’s also one of the criteria, after all.

You must define your niche and create relatable content to attract people to your profile. Post at least once a day and add relevant hashtags to make your posts reach more people. Attracting a niche-based audience and posting engaging content will help you increase your followers and establish yourself as a notable account.

Social media management tools like RecurPost allow you to create and schedule multiple posts simultaneously. RecurPost’s Instagram scheduler lets you pre-determine posting times, keeping your profile active. The platform’s auto-posting features target times when Instagram users are most active, increasing your profile’s visibility and interaction rates.

3. Cross-promote your social media accounts

Cross-promote your social media accounts

One key thing to do is establish your presence on platforms other than Instagram. We understand that you cannot add their links to your Instagram bio, but it makes a huge impact if people come to your Instagram profile from other platforms.

When you promote all your social channels, your Instagram followers may subscribe to your YouTube channel, your Twitter followers may like your Facebook page, your FB followers may follow you on Instagram, etc. When you establish popularity on multiple platforms, you will slowly be recognized everywhere and it will increase your chances of being verified.

4. Groom your web presence

Groom your web presence

Activity limited to Instagram reduces verification chances. Instagram evaluates web presence when determining badge eligibility. Dominating search results for your name increases verification likelihood. 

Optimize all your social media accounts to appear higher in search results. Create even more hype around your name by starting your blog, optimizing your website (if you already have one), doing podcasts, or writing guest blogs. You can try out social media trends to increase engagement and attract more people to your business profile.

5. Post at the right times to make your posts more visible

Post at the right times to make your posts more visible

To attain the highest engagement levels for your social and sponsored media content and posts, the most effective approach is to make your posts visible to as many people as possible. Find out the periods when your potential customers are going through active social media usage.

You can check your insights to see when most of your followers are active and test posting at different times. Finding out the best and worst times to post on Instagram can help you a lot to put out the right content at the right time. RecurPost can be the best way to manage multiple social accounts and automate your posts to go out at the best times with advanced scheduling features such as social media bulk scheduling.

6. Avoid bad social practices

You must avoid shortcuts and spammy activities if you want to establish yourself as an influencer and get your business profile verified on Instagram. Never try to buy followers or likes for your profile. These are nothing but bots that will make your business account appear fake.

Avoid making spam comments on others’ content. Neither Instagram nor other users will consider you an influencer if you make irrelevant ‘nice pic’ like comments on others’ posts.

7. Don’t try to buy a verification badge

You will come across many Instagram profiles claiming you can pay to get verified on Instagram for a certain amount. Please don’t fall for them and waste your money. They might offer you a full refund, but you will never get it. 

And if you notice, these accounts will not be verified. That’s because, except for Instagram, no one can verify your account. So ignore any DMs, fake accounts, or third-party apps that promise you to verify your Instagram account.

[Learn More: How to download Instagram video]

The Process to Apply for Instagram Verification

Correctly completing the verification application increases your chances of receiving the Blue Checkmark. Submit your application properly by:

  • Use your real name and submit valid identification documents (e.g., driver’s license, passport).

  • Choose the most relevant category for your Instagram profile (e.g., business, influencer, public figure).

  • Ensure your profile is complete and meets Instagram’s verification criteria before applying. Your profile should be authentic, unique, and public.

The process to Request Instagram Verification

Instagram has made the verification application process straightforward:

Step 1. Open the Instagram app and navigate to your profile.

Step 2. Tap the three-line menu in the top right corner.

Tap the three-line menu in the top right corner - Instagram

Step 3. Go to Settings > Business Tools and Controls > Tap Request Verification. This is the official way to request verification Instagram provides to all users.

Process to Request Instagram Verification_2025

Confirm Authenticity:

1. Enter your username and full name

2. Upload any one of the identification proofs mentioned in the list

Process to Request Instagram Verification - confirm authenticity

Confirm Notability:

1. Choose a category for your account (One from News/Media, Sports, Government/Politics, Music, Fashion, Entertainment, Blogger/Influencer, Business/Brand/Organization, Other)

2. Enter your Country/region

How to get varified on instagram in 2025_confirm notability

3. Include links to articles and other social media platforms to demonstrate that your account serves the public interest. This step is optional.

How to get verified on instagram in 2025_Links

Step 4. Tap the ‘Submit’ button and you’re done.

Instagram typically reviews verification applications within a few days to a week. Once reviewed, you’ll receive a response in the notifications tab. Keep in mind that Instagram will never contact you via email or phone or ask for money. If your application is approved, you’ll receive a “YES” in the notifications tab. If not, you’ll receive a “NO”.

Here’s what a YES looks like:

your ig account was verified

Here’s what a NO looks like:

your ig account wasn't verified

If you’re denied, work on improving your account and apply again after 30 days.

Benefits of Being Verified on Instagram

The blue checkmark on Instagram provides tangible benefits that boost your brand, credibility, and reach.

First, verification builds trust. When people see that blue badge, they know your account is authentic and credible, reducing the chances of being mistaken for copycats or fake profiles. It’s especially useful if you’re a business, influencer, or public figure looking to establish authority.

Next, your visibility increases. Verified accounts often rank higher in search results, making it easier for people to find you. Plus, Instagram’s algorithm tends to prioritize verified users, helping your content get more reach and engagement.

Another major perk? Access to exclusive features. Being verified can sometimes unlock early access to Instagram’s latest tools, like special stickers, engagement insights, and even better security features to protect your account.

Verification facilitates brand partnerships and collaborations. Companies prefer verified accounts for their proven legitimacy and influence, helping monetize your Instagram presence through partnerships and sponsorships.

For serious Instagram growth, verification functions as more than a status symbol—it transforms your platform potential.

Legitimate Instagram Verification Strategies (Not “Tricks”)

While many search for “tricks” to get verified on Instagram, it’s important to understand that no shortcuts or hacks can guarantee verification. Instagram’s verification process is thorough and designed to identify truly notable accounts. However, there are legitimate strategies that can improve your chances:

  • Press coverage: Actively seek media mentions in recognized publications related to your field. Instagram checks for press coverage when evaluating notability.
  • Cross-platform consistency: Maintain identical usernames and consistent branding across all social platforms to demonstrate your established identity.
  • Professional website: Create a professional website that links to your Instagram account, reinforcing your online presence.
  • Google search presence: Work on your SEO to ensure your name appears in Google search results, as Instagram often checks this during verification review.
  • Timing your application: Consider applying after receiving significant media coverage or during periods when your public visibility is highest.

Remember that these strategies require time and authentic effort—they aren’t quick “tricks” but rather legitimate ways to build the notability Instagram requires for verification.

Meta Verified: The Official Way to Buy an Instagram Blue Tick

Buy an Instagram Blue Tick

While Instagram verification was traditionally only available through application with no direct cost, Meta (Instagram’s parent company) now offers an official paid verification option called Meta Verified. This subscription service provides a legitimate way to obtain the blue verification badge along with additional benefits.

What is Meta Verified?

Meta Verified is a subscription bundle that includes verification with a blue badge, proactive account protection, and access to direct account support. The verification process still requires government ID verification to confirm your identity, maintaining the integrity of verified accounts.

Meta Verified Cost and Pricing

The subscription costs $14.99 per month when purchased through the Instagram mobile app or $11.99 per month when purchased through the web. If you want verification on both Instagram and Facebook, you’ll need separate subscriptions for each platform, totaling approximately $27-30 per month for both.

Benefits Beyond the Blue Badge

Meta Verified subscribers receive several additional features beyond just the verification badge:

  • Proactive account monitoring and impersonation protection
  • Direct access to customer support for account issues
  • Increased visibility in comments, search, and recommendations
  • Exclusive features like special stickers for Stories and Reels
  • Enhanced profile features

Is Meta Verified Worth It?

Meta Verified may be worth considering if:

  • You’ve struggled to get verified through the traditional application process
  • You need the enhanced support and protection features
  • The increased visibility would benefit your business or personal brand
  • You’ve experienced impersonation issues

However, it’s important to note that the traditional free verification process still exists. If your account meets Instagram’s notability criteria, you can still apply for verification without paying for a subscription.

Can You Help Me Get Blue Check on Instagram?

Unfortunately, no one can help you get your business account verified. As much as we’d like to assist, the verification process for genuine accounts is solely managed by Instagram. Be cautious of anyone offering to verify your account for a fee-only Instagram has the authority to grant verification.

The Risks of Third-Party Services:

  • They may violate Instagram’s policies, putting your account at risk of being banned.

  • Paying for verification is against Instagram’s rules.

Keep your content flowing with RecurPost — schedule your posts and grow your Instagram presence with ease.

What Can We Do to Help You?

We can help increase your engagement by posting your content at the right time through our Instagram post scheduler! Our social media scheduling tool enables you to schedule content for your profile ensuring that you are actively constantly engaging with your audience. Whether you’re wondering how to upload pics from PC to Instagram, how to add pictures on Instagram from pc, or understand basic information about Instagram, staying updated with the platform’s latest features will keep your profile strong and competitive.

RecurPost enables cross-channel activity, as you can run multiple social accounts, including Instagram.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to Get Verified on Instagram for Free?

Instagram verification is completely free through the official process. There is never a fee to apply for or receive verification. Simply follow these steps:
-Go to your profile and tap the menu icon
-Select Settings > Business Tools and Controls > Request Verification
-Complete the application form with accurate information
-Submit valid identification documents
The key to free verification is meeting Instagram’s criteria through organic methods: building authentic notability, maintaining a complete profile, and establishing public interest in your account. While Meta offers a paid subscription service called Meta Verified, the traditional blue verification badge remains free through the official application process. Beware of any service claiming to offer verification for a fee—these are always scams.

2. How Many Followers to Get Verified on Instagram?

There’s no minimum follower requirement. Even accounts with fewer than 10,000 followers can get verified if they are notable and meet Instagram’s eligibility criteria.

3. How to Get Fake Verified on Instagram?

Fake verification methods violate Instagram’s Terms of Service and can result in permanent account suspension. These typically involve:
-Editing profile images to include blue badge symbols
-Using special characters in usernames that resemble verification symbols
-Purchasing “verification services” from third parties
-Using apps that claim to add verification badges
Instagram’s systems are designed to detect these violations, and accounts using fake verification are regularly removed from the platform. Additionally, users who follow accounts with fake verification badges may be misled, damaging your reputation and credibility.

4. How to Get Fake Blue Tick on Instagram?

Instagram employs advanced detection systems to identify accounts displaying fake verification symbols. When detected, these accounts face:
-Immediate removal of the fake verification indicator
-Temporary or permanent account restrictions
-Potential shadowbanning (reduced visibility)
-Complete account termination for repeat offenders
The platform regularly updates its algorithms to detect new methods of fake verification. The only legitimate verification is the official blue badge granted through Instagram’s verification request process.

5. What is Request Verification in Instagram?

It’s a feature in Instagram business tools and controls under settings, where users can apply for the blue check by filling out a form manually.

6. How to Get a Public Figure on Instagram?

To become a public figure, focus on building your personal brand through consistent, high-quality content, media coverage, and a strong presence across social media platforms. If you share creative content, you might also want to put music on Instagram post with multiple pictures to make your profile more engaging.

7. What Does the Blue Checkmark on Instagram Mean?

The blue checkmark indicates that Instagram has verified the account as authentic and notable, representing a public figure, brand, or entity.