Exclusive features, better customer support, and a little blue badge — is it worth $15/month?
Meta Verified is Facebook and Instagram’s new subscription-based social media verification service, similar to the little blue checkmark that Twitter uses to indicate verified accounts. The program is currently only open to individual content creators (not businesses) in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Meta is currently asking users to join a waitlist.
The Pros
On the positive side, having a verified badge can add legitimacy to your profile, which can be particularly important for content creators looking to establish themselves as authorities in a particular niche. Additionally, the badge can help followers be sure that they’ve found the right account.
Meta is also promising new features, including exclusive stickers for Facebook Stories and Instagram Reels, as well as proactive account monitoring and two-factor authentication to protect against impersonation.
The Cons
Notably, it’s a paid service. And yes, you do have to subscribe separately on Facebook and Instagram, meaning creators will pay $30/month to be verified on both apps. Some content creators may find the verification process to be inconvenient. They must show a government-issued photo ID that matches the name and picture on the user’s Facebook or Instagram account. Meta has confirmed that users will not be able to change their name, profile picture, or username without first unsubscribing. This rigidity is likely to be a nonstarter for many creators.
It’s also unclear if the badge will carry any weight to attract new followers. Instagram has issued a statement saying, “A verified badge is not a symbol to show importance, authority or subject matter expertise,” which seems to indicate that the company will not offer any advantages to help verified accounts appear higher in search results.
Expert Advice on Social Media Strategy
If you’re looking to grow your social media presence or if you have questions about whether Meta Verified may be a worthwhile investment, speak to one of our digital strategists. Coalition Technologies is an industry leader in SEO and online marketing, and we’re glad to offer a free strategy review to help you reach a wider audience.
