How to Get Verified on Twitter

If you're an avid user of Twitter, you might notice a blue checkmark in a circular pattern next to certain accounts. This infamous "blue checkmark" is the goal of many influencers that want to make it big and make a name for themselves on the platform. This is because this blue check mark means that an account is verified.

What Does it Mean to Be Verified on Twitter?

According to Twitter, for an account to be verified, it must meet the following criteria:

• The account must be authentic, meaning it is not a fan page and belongs to the official owner. This holds for individuals, companies, and even websites that have their own Twitter accounts.
• The account must be notable, meaning that it is of some sort of significance to the public. This requirement prevents many people from becoming verified on Twitter but allows platforms with huge followings and loyal fan bases to have trust in this verified account.
• The account must be active, meaning that it is currently operated and is complying with Twitter rules.

How to Get Verified on Twitter

If you're wondering how to get verified on Twitter, it's not as easy as it seems. Getting verified on Twitter is a process with very strict rules that users need to follow to be eligible to receive a blue check mark. Below are some of the many rules that twitter has set for those that are curious about how to become verified on Twitter.

How To Prove Authenticity

To prove authenticity, you need to send a couple of verifying documents to Twitter. If the account is for a website of which you are a part, you'll need to provide a link to the website that mentions your name as part of a member. For individuals, you will need to provide verifying documents such as a government-issued ID, driver's license, or passport. You must also provide a verified email address that has the name of a domain that is verified on Twitter (Google, Facebook, etc.).

How To Prove Notability

For Twitter to determine notability, you must prove that your organization or you are of interest to the public. Just like Vice News is notable, so too can the wrestler "The Rock" be notable. To prove notability, there are several methods you can use. You can submit news stories that prove how notable and of interest to the public you are. 

A Wikipedia article is also acceptable for people to be notable. However, because Wikipedia can easily be edited by people that aren't journalists and have false information, it's important to prove that your Wikipedia page is stable. You must also prove that it was not written by you or another party with your interests.

Notability can also be proven by showing Twitter a series of industry-specific references. For instance, if you've been published on the cover of Guitar magazine, you can be verified as a musician. 

Google Trends are also another way to get verified. Simply show Twitter that your name, website, or company is trending. This can help prove the public is interested in you and your work. 

How To Prove Active Status

You must prove to Twitter that your profile is complete. This is done by adding a picture, name, and other identifiable information to your page.

You also need to prove to Twitter that you are an active user. This means that your account has someone managing it, whether it's you, a social media manager, or a public affairs representative. 

You must also show Twitter that you are compliant with their posting guidelines and are not using your platform to spread disinformation. For instance, if you use your platform to spread lies about other people, bully others, or post hateful messages, Twitter will not consider your account to be in active status even if you have a loyal following.

You will not be considered for verification if your account has been locked for 12 hours or 7 days within the past 12 months. However, if you have successfully appealed your ban, you can still be eligible for a blue check mark.

These rules are easy to remember if you remember the term CAST (Complete, Active Use, Security, Twitter Rules).

How many followers do you need to be verified on Twitter?

There is no set number of followers you need to be verified on Twitter. According to the platform, Twitter also considers people notable if they are in the top 0.5% of the follower count for a geographic location. This means that you have more followers than 99.5% of the people in your geographic area.

How many verified accounts are on Twitter?

Twitter currently has around 294,000 verified accounts on its platform. This is vastly different than the 330 million active users that Twitter has.