Is Meta Verified Worth It?

Meta recently released their verification subscription option in the United States. With a monthly cost of $11.99 – $14.99, the first question on most people’s minds will be whether or not Meta Verified is worth the annual investment. This feature allows users to pay a monthly fee to receive a blue check along with a few unique benefits. Despite these benefits, there are a few drawbacks, including one major drawback that affects business owners.

In this article, we’ll look at the benefits and drawbacks of Meta Verified, how to get verified, and whether or not it is worth it.

The Benefits of Verification

Meta launched the verification subscription option overseas in New Zealand as a beta test. As of March 2023, they have established it as an option in the United States. According to Meta, the results in New Zealand were impressive. They encouraged them to expand their testing to other countries as well.

Meta states that there are a few key benefits that come along with the verification subscription. These currently include:

• A verified badge means receiving the coveted blue check next to your username on the Instagram app.
• Protection from impersonators: a verified check means that you are less likely to be successfully targeted by users seeking to impersonate you online. Meta also states they have “proactive account monitoring” for verified users.
• Customer support: Meta is notorious for being impossible to reach when customer service is needed. They now offer subscribers access to an actual customer service representative.
• Greater reach and visibility: subscribers to Meta Verified will receive greater prominence in search results, comments sections, and recommendations
• Exclusive features: Meta states that Verified subscribers will also receive exclusive features that allow them unique ways to express themselves.

The Drawbacks of Verification

Cost: Most users will likely subscribe for $14.99 on iOS and Android. This amounts to around $180 per year before tax. While this may not seem like a substantial sum, the features listed above may not necessarily equate to the cost of the Verified subscription.

Eligibility: A massive drawback is that brands cannot purchase a Verified subscription. This means that if you’re seeking to verify your business on Instagram or Facebook, you are presently unable. You may still apply through the traditional route of submitting your business’s details to the platform. Still, there is no guarantee that you will receive the blue check. That being said, Meta states they intend to make verification more accessible in the future.

If you can’t verify your business’s brand on Meta, don’t worry! You still have the option to leverage your personal profile for your business and get that profile verified. For example, we cannot verify Agency 8 on Facebook, but we can verify our executives, who can use their increased visibility to promote the company online.

We offer social media consulting if you want more help with social media or need to learn how to leverage your personal brand for your business. This is the perfect option for business owners seeking clarity on social media and learning to take their online presence to the next level.

Meta-Verified Eligibility Requirements:

Furthermore, at this time, only some are eligible to be Meta Verified. To be eligible, you must be:

• At least 18 years of age
• Meet minimum activity requirements
• Submit a government ID that matches your username on the platform and a selfie video.
• Have your real name as your username.

Reach: Currently, Meta is not include increased reach as one of the subscription perks. You could pay for a Verified badge, yet your engagement could still be low. Meta states they are gathering more feedback and data to better understand Meta Verified before making this a subscription option. Therefore, it could be a while before you receive the benefit of additional reach by paying for the Verified subscription.

Multiple Subscriptions May be Needed: if you want verification on both Facebook and Instagram, you must have a subscription for each account. If you pay for verification on Instagram, you will not automatically be verified on Facebook and vice versa. Ultimately, paying for verification individually on each platform may not make sense for each individual, nor may it be cost-effective.

How To Get Meta Verified on Instagram

The first step is to submit your account for verification. This process takes around 48 hours but may be longer due to the volume of applications. During this stage, Meta will ensure that your account meets the eligibility requirements (see here).

During this process:

• You cannot change your username, profile photo, date of birth, or profile name for the profile you are applying for
• You must submit your information within three days; otherwise, your subscription will be canceled

Additionally, suppose you provide false information at this stage. Your subscription will be canceled, and Instagram may take further action against your account.

You will receive a decision about your verification within 48 hours of submission. If you are denied, Meta will send you a list of links explaining why. You will be refunded if you are not approved and do not re-apply a second time. If you are approved, you now have a blue check and are free to reap the rewards of Meta Verified!

How to get Meta Verified on Facebook

The process of getting Meta Verified on Facebook is very similar to Instagram. You submit your details and cannot change your account information when your application opens.

A decision will take a minimum of 48 hours. Once Meta decides whether or not to verify your account, you will receive a notification.

In Conclusion, Is Meta Verified Worth It?

Ultimately, whether or not Meta verification is worth it depends on the needs of each business owner. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here! That said, those who decide that verification is suitable for them should weigh both the potential benefits against the costs to make an informed decision about their purchase decision.

I decided to get Meta Verified just 24 hours before releasing this article. I have not had it long enough to do a more in-depth analysis of the pros and cons or share my personal experience, but I will do so in about a month.

Getting verified could provide business owners with increased visibility online. Even if you can’t verify your business’s brand, there’s still the option to bolster your brand.

If you want to learn more about social media and how to leverage it for your business, check out our blog for more articles like this! We also offer social media consulting for business owners looking to invest in taking their social media to the next level.