Understanding Twitter Verification Badge for Brand Credibility
By Kabir Abdulsalam
As a social media platform, Twitter has become a significant part of the daily lives of many individuals, businesses, and organizations. With over 330 million monthly active users, Twitter provides a platform for people to express themselves, share ideas, and connect with others from different parts of the world. However, with the increasing number of users, there is a need for a verification process to distinguish real accounts from fake ones. This is where the Twitter Verification Badge comes in.
The Twitter Verification Badge, also known as the blue checkmark, is a symbol that appears on a Twitter account’s profile page to indicate that the account is authentic and belongs to a real individual, business, or organization. It is a visual marker that distinguishes verified accounts from unverified ones.
In Nigeria, the Twitter Verification Badge has become an essential tool for many individuals and businesses, and for good reason. It is important to understand the different colors of the badge and what they represent:
Blue: The blue Twitter Verification Badge is the most common and represents an account that has been verified by Twitter and/or an active subscription which meets Twitter’s eligibility requirements.
Grey: The grey Twitter Verification Badge represents a government agency, company, or organization that has been verified by Twitter.
Gold: The gold checkmark indicates that the account is an official business account through Twitter Verified Organizations.
Recently, there has been a shake-up by the owner, Elon Musk, who has seen his $44 billion investment in the site shrivel, earlier pledged to get rid of what he described as a “lords & peasants system.” A report shows that the Twitter’s blue tick was massively removed from high-profile accounts on Thursday, including those of many reporters/journalists such as Peter Obi, Bola Tinubu, and Atiku Abubakar, celebrities, and others’ verification badges. Politicians and official bodies also appeared to have been hit, with US Senator Brian Schatz objecting to the possible effect on public confidence in the event of disasters.
Badge benefits
Authenticity: A Twitter Verification Badge provides authenticity to an account. It shows that the account belongs to a real person, business, or organization, and that the information posted on the account is trustworthy.
Credibility: Having a Twitter Verification Badge also enhances the credibility of an account. It indicates that the account has been verified by Twitter and that the account’s content is reliable.
Branding: For businesses and organizations, the Twitter Verification Badge serves as a branding tool. It distinguishes their accounts from fake accounts and shows that they are a reputable and established brand.
Increased visibility: The Twitter Verification Badge also increases an account’s visibility. Verified accounts are more likely to appear in search results, and they are often recommended by Twitter’s algorithms.
To obtain a Twitter Verification Badge, you need to complete the following steps:
Complete: Your account must have a display name and profile photo. Ensure that your account is complete and up-to-date before submitting a verification request. This includes having a profile picture, a header image, a bio, and an active email address and phone number.
Determine your eligibility: Twitter has certain eligibility criteria for accounts that are eligible for verification. Your account must be active in the past 30 days to subscribe to Twitter Blue. Your account must be older than 30 days upon subscription and have a confirmed phone number.
Security: Your account must have no recent changes to your profile photo, display name, or username (@handle). The account must not be misleading or deceptive and engaging in a platform that is manipulative and spam.
Submit a verification request: Once you have prepared your documentation, you can submit a verification request through Twitter’s verification portal. This will require you.
