How to: Become Verified/Certified on Twitter
Why should you be verified?
Does having a blue tick next to your name on Twitter really make a difference? In truth - no. It is mainly a status symbol, with those accounts that are Twitter Verified able to unlock certain features that the rest of us can’t get. It also shows whether the owner of the account is authentic and not a parody account. Music artists, journalists, politicians and those of significant interest to the public seek to get the iconic blue badge on their account and if you are reading this, you probably want it too.
We have included some steps below to show you how to get verified on Twitter, although this is not 100% guaranteed and we will explain why.
What do you need?
Take a look at the form on their website. Their verification process is on hold for the moment, and we can understand why! But if you want to be ready for when it is back on track, then keep reading.
There are a few bits of criteria to meet before you start the process, so while you wait for the go ahead, make sure you have the following information in your account
It is likely that you are using the same photo across all of your social media accounts, but if not then it is time to choose one that visually identifies your organisation.
Make sure that your profile picture on Twitter is your organisation’s logo, or if it is a personal account then a clear picture of you (preferably smiling!).
A good bio is not only going to illustrate what your account stands for, but Twitter can see that it is legit when you use the right terminology for your branding.
Sometimes overlooked is the header photo on Twitter accounts. The best way for Twitter to see that you have completed your profile to the highest level is that you are using a header that can link to your profile picture and shows a level of creativity.
Add a verified phone number onto your account in Settings. A working, contactable number that you have access to at all times is vital.
The email address that you use to log in must be have your organisation’s name in it, ie. marketing@yourschool.org.uk. The more information attached to the account that represents the name and branding, the more likely you are to be granted to the blue tick. If it is a more personal account, make sure it is your professional email address.
Make sure that your website is visible in the link on your profile. Test the link out and make sure it redirects to the homepage, not a random contact page on your site.
In settings, you can change your Tweets to public or private. It is hard to be recognised as a public figure when no one can see your Tweets, so make sure it is on public.
The birthday of your account is only really relevant when you are confirming your identity of a more personal profile. You can also change the audience preferences in the setting to control who can see this.
The Nitty Gritty
At this point, your profile should be the best it has ever been. It is time to start the process of claiming the blue tick. At the start of the form, you need to enter the account handle. Hopefully this is something that perfectly represents your company, with as little numbers and special characters as possible. If you can do better, then don’t worry! You can altar your Twitter handle in settings as well.
Next, Twitter will ask you to provide 5 websites that best represent your organisation. Ideally, you want to put any websites that you have heavy involvement with, but a great tip here is to include websites that feature your organisation, such as news articles or magazine editions. Make sure the articles are positive and show your organisation's public influence.
Now it is time to use your writing skills. You have 500 characters to prove to Twitter why you should have a verified account. Including notable achievements, public impact and heritage of your organisation will help your argument. Everything that your organisation contributes to make the world a better place should be detailed in this box.
Once you have reviewed your application, you can submit it for Twitter’s approval. They will get back to you via email with a decision to whether your application has been accepted or rejected.
Congratulations/commiserations
Many times the application will be rejected due to your account not adhering to Twitter’s terms and conditions, or if the account has previously been used for something other than what the application dictates.
You can apply for the verification again after 30 days, so hopefully this time round you will see the little blue badge next to your account name.
Admittedly, this application process used to be a lot less convoluted, but in a way it is great that the second biggest social media entity goes to such extremes with regards to fraudulent activity and account replication/parodying.
If you want to know more about why your Twitter account has been rejected, or you want to simply find out more on the procedure then don’t forget to email one of our #DigitalJedi on the matter. Good luck!