By Jake Hugo
Social-media verification is accessible now more than ever, and it can work wonders for your business or personal brand. Here, let’s take a look at five reasons why social media verification for entrepreneurs is the need of the hour and no longer a choice to opt-out of.
If you’re a modern-day entrepreneur, that one blue tick beside your username on a social media platform speaks volumes about you and your business. After all, a verified social media account is one of the first steps to building a successful social media marketing strategy.
A blue verified check can usually be found on the profiles of public figures, global entities, or celebrities. Social-media verification is accessible now more than ever, and it can work wonders for your business or personal brand. Although your social media branding and identity is a constant work in progress, the checkmark gives it a boost, enabling your business to flourish online.
Here, let’s take a look at five reasons why social media verification for entrepreneurs is the need of the hour and no longer a choice to opt-out of.
Authenticity and social proof
People log on to social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc., to make sense of the world around them. Amidst the myriad of echo chambers in the age of social media, where everyone is dictated according to their AIs and algorithms, it is the authenticity and credibility of your business that act as social proof. This authenticity is derived from a verified account, which distinguishes it from other fake accounts to avoid fraudulent companies from selling duplicate copies of your products. Considering that in 2020, Facebook reported that almost 5 percent of accounts (about 137 million users) on the platform were fake, verification is of utmost importance to entrepreneurs and business owners.
The Chance to become an industry leader
Social media verification pushes your company to the industry’s forefront as a trusted option. Businesses that turn to social media to put their content out there and engage with the masses assume the role of industry leaders once their accounts get verified. The verification symbol leads consumers to believe it is safe to engage with your business. Instagram has adopted Facebook’s business profile model, which contains a ‘contact’ call-to-action, allowing users to email, text, or call the business for inquiries.
Grow your social media presence
Only those who have created a niche for themselves on social media tend to get verified. Having that badge of proof indicates that your account is worth following and helps you grow your social media follower count organically. This is especially useful to tap into the youth, who are the prime social media demographic.
Expand your business online
Not only have social media platforms evolved, but along with them, the marketing strategies used on these platforms have evolved as well. The blue check of verification is also a game-changer in terms of conversion rates. Consumers are more likely to incline towards a brand that is verified on social media. Thus, by leveraging verification, you can foster brand awareness, increase visibility, attract other brands and entrepreneurs for collaborations, build a robust network, and gain the trust of potential sponsors.
Gain a competitive edge
Social media verification puts you ahead of your competition and gives you an added edge over your rivals. You stand to benefit enormously from a verified account. For instance, you get direct access to the swipe-up feature through verification that allows users to link websites from their Instagram stories.
How do entrepreneurs get verified on social media?
Every individual or brands to follow a set of protocols to prove it is worthy of verification on the different social media platforms. The process and criteria for verification differ across platforms. However, some parameters that remain constant across all of them are press or media references, proof of identity, and the relevance or uniqueness of social media account.
Getting verified on social media is a challenge, but it is one worth it once your efforts come to fruition. You can also hire a professional PR agency specializing in social media verification services to ease the process.
