Having a verified account can increase your authority on social media. Digital news publishers looking to get their accounts verified should consider these new verification guidelines from Facebook and Instagram.
The verification process for Facebook and Instagram has always been shrouded in secrecy. However, the process got even more confusing when Facebook and Instagram introduced new verification guidelines in September 2021. The new process may take some getting used to for publishers that haven’t been verified before.
Facebook’s verification badges are designed to signal authenticity and notability to social media users. When people see a verification symbol on a publisher’s Facebook or Instagram page, they know that this is the publication’s true account and not a knock-off.
Facebook is careful to note that verification symbols are not an endorsement, and being verified doesn’t mean a publisher’s content is favored by the platform’s algorithms.
Why did Facebook change its verification guidelines in September 2021? According to the company, there was confusion among people and businesses about what the purpose of verification is and how accounts get verified. In a blog post, Facebook explained that its new verification guidelines are simplified, with forms that have been reconfigured to help publishers and brands better understand the materials that must be submitted to receive a verification badge. Facebook and Instagram’s new guidelines were also developed to provide more transparency and consistency across both platforms.
According to the new verification guidelines from Facebook and Instagram, news publishers must do the following in order to receive a verification badge:
- Follow the social media company’s terms of use and community guidelines
- Represent a registered business or entity
- Accounts must be public and include a bio, profile picture, and at least one post
- Accounts must represent a well-known brand (publication, person, or entity
- The account must be the “unique presence” of the business it represents, except in cases such as publications and pets
- Only one account per publication may be verified
When filling out its new verification forms, Facebook encourages publishers to share information about their audience and the areas where they are most popular.
Facebook has said that it verifies accounts that are featured in multiple news outlets, however it does not consider paid content to be a news source. The list of sources Facebook considers to be reliable has recently been expanded to include more diverse publications.
Security for Verified Pages on Facebook and Instagram
Because verified accounts are considered to be accounts of high value, Facebook recommends that digital publishers use two-factor authentication and following other best practices to prevent hackers from accessing their accounts.
Key Takeaways — Verifying News Pages on Facebook and Instagram
- Facebook’s new verification applications have been simplified and standardized
- Verification badges are not endorsements from Facebook or Instagram
- Obtaining a verification badge has no weight in the system’s discoverability algorithm
- Once an account has been verified, the account name cannot be changed
To get started verifying your publication’s page or profile on Facebook, complete this form.
