So, like many other businesses these days, you have started building your social media presence through Twitter. But has it ever happened that people have started following another account of the same name instead of your official one?
It can be a real bummer, right? Not anymore. Now, Twitter has a verified blue checkmark badge option to sort this out.
But how will a blue checkmark help your business or fan page? And what difference does it make?
Let’s explore this Twitter marketing strategy in detail and why you need a blue checkmark in front of your Twitter account to build brand trust among your audience.
Why Do You Need a Verified Twitter Account?
Well, no one can answer this question better than Twitter itself.
So, according to its official statement, “The blue verified badge on Twitter lets people know that an account of public interest is authentic.”
This means a blue verification badge on your Twitter account signifies that the account is of public interest and genuine. And to make it clearer, only Twitter is entitled to give the blue checkmark badge in front of an account name.
So, if anyone tries to use an image or the same symbol in their account without getting verified, it can lead to suspension of the account from the platform.
That being said, who can earn a blue checkmark?
For Twitter verification, the account needs to be of public interest. Generally, it means user accounts of:
- Government bodies
- Brands, companies, and non-profit organizations
- News and media
- Entertainment (music, acting, fashion, etc.)
- Sports
- Organizers, activists, and other influencers
How to Get Twitter Verification for Your Account?
For starters, to get yourself a verification badge, the account needs to be notable, authentic, and active.
To break this down, here’s what you need for increasing your online reputation.
- Notable – The account needs to be notable on Twitter as well as off-twitter for gaining the badge. It is not just about the online presence, but more about public searches.
- Authentic – To build brand trust, the account is verified with either an ID, official email address, or official website. This will prove the authenticity of the brand.
- Active – It simply means to adhere to the Twitter guidelines. So, a complete profile, secured verification of phone number and email address, regular logins, and no suspension are the requirements to stay active on this platform.
A Step-by-Step Process for Gaining the Blue Badge on Twitter
Step 1: Make sure the profile is complete
This is a non-negotiable option for getting your account verified. To do this, visit your Twitter profile, and click on the edit profile button located on the right side of the stats at the top itself. This will take you to various editable aspects of the profile.
Add your name and birthdate – and this means the real name of the person or brand as on the documents. Then, add an appropriate picture that can describe your brand in the best possible way. Finally, add a bio that specifies your area of expertise.
After you are done with these three main fields, complete all the other fields too. This will simply help with your Twitter marketing strategy.
Pro Tip: While adding the birth date, you can enable the lock feature to choose who all can see your birthdates and the ones who cannot.
Step 2: Set Tweets to Public
Go to the security and privacy page from your account and uncheck the ‘Twitter privacy’ checkbox.
You must make sure that the checkbox is unchecked to make your tweets visible to the public (one of the reasons why your account is of public interest).
Step 3: Verify Your Phone Number and Email ID
You may have already added your phone number and email ID while creating the Twitter account. But if you haven’t, now is the time.
Also, get them verified by entering the verification code sent to the contact number. Similarly, a link will be sent to your email address, and clicking on that link will verify the email ID.
Step 4: Verification Process
When you go through this process, Twitter will ask if the account name is the one that needs to be verified. It will also ask you for the reasons why the account needs to be verified. You can share some links to support your case.
Ideally, this is what the verification dialog box will look like:
Once you submit this form, you just need to wait for the verification mark. And you are done.
Conclusion
Twitter verification badge, commonly known as the blue checkmark, is super important for your Twitter marketing strategy. Whether it is something to do with Twitter B2B marketing or simply PR marketing strategy, a blue badge in front of your account name does instill more trust in your audience.
So, what are you waiting for? Get your Twitter account verified today!