RS127 Get Verified on Instagram

09/15/20 • 0 min

1 Listener

Hi, it’s Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. I’m your Marketing and PR Expert here to help you grow your business and brand

Even if you apply to be a verified business on Instagram, getting that little blue checkmark isn’t a given. So how do you encourage the approval stamp?

Here are 6 tips to help you get verified on Instagram

Cross promote your content on other platform accounts. Share your posts to Facebook. Invite your LinkedIn and Twitter following to follow you on Instagram.
Grow your following and post things that get high engagement. Be active on your account every day. Well, almost every day if you can.
Don’t be tempted to buy followers though. It’s spammy and Instagram knows that you aren’t actually popular in the Himalayan mountains.
Confirm that your account is public. Private accounts can’t get verified. Neither will accounts that have zero earned media. Being visible on the internet to everyone is the best way to get verified.
Boost your visibility through trending hashtags and industry-specific hashtags. This will also help with growing your following and engagement.
And lastly, be honest and stick to one account. Each user can only have one verified account, so choose the one that best represents your brand, whether that’s your business or personal profile. I’m all about using your true personality on Instagram. Please don’t lie or be misleading in your verification application. If you do, you may get suspended instead of verified. And that would be a problem.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute.

Hi I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. I’ve just created a new infographic especially for Alexa listeners. It’s called 7 Marketing Strategies with a new normal. They are Marketing strategies you can use right now to grow your business and promote your brand. Download it at fastmarketingminute.com/newnormal/

Hi, it’s Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. I’m your Marketing and PR Expert here to help you grow your business and brand

Even if you apply to be a verified business on Instagram, getting that little blue checkmark isn’t a given. So how do you encourage the approval stamp?

Here are 6 tips to help you get verified on Instagram

Cross promote your content on other platform accounts. Share your posts to Facebook. Invite your LinkedIn and Twitter following to follow you on Instagram.
Grow your following and post things that get high engagement. Be active on your account every day. Well, almost every day if you can.
Don’t be tempted to buy followers though. It’s spammy and Instagram knows that you aren’t actually popular in the Himalayan mountains.
Confirm that your account is public. Private accounts can’t get verified. Neither will accounts that have zero earned media. Being visible on the internet to everyone is the best way to get verified.
Boost your visibility through trending hashtags and industry-specific hashtags. This will also help with growing your following and engagement.
And lastly, be honest and stick to one account. Each user can only have one verified account, so choose the one that best represents your brand, whether that’s your business or personal profile. I’m all about using your true personality on Instagram. Please don’t lie or be misleading in your verification application. If you do, you may get suspended instead of verified. And that would be a problem.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute.

Previous Episode

RS126 What to Do in a PR Crisis

Hi, it’s Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. I’m your Marketing and PR Expert here to help you grow your business and brand.

If you’re in business, you need to have a plan in place to deal with bad press. At some point or another, it may happen to you, whether it’s a slanderous article or something as simple as a steady flow of bad reviews. Either way, you need to know how to deal with it.

First of all, you need a strategy in place so if there’s an incident, you can get ahead of the story. Scrambling to get your stuff together will just delay you from taking control of the situation. Write a brief crisis communication plan, even if it’s just a couple of pags long, and make sure your marketing, PR or social squad is in agreement and on board.

How do you find out about this bad press? Hopefully not from your top client! Monitoring brand mentions through social tools or even just Google Alerts can help you find out about negative brand mentions before they get out of control.

During a PR crisis, and assuming the claim is true, the first thing you should do is take responsibility. Arguing publicly won’t get you anywhere, so react immediately with a transparent tone, and communicate with sensitivity. Even if there’s been a misunderstanding, it’s best to apologize upfront. Then take action or create a plan to rectify the problem.

You should also be prepared for a storm on social media. Everyone has something to say online. Managing your reputation by having a loyal following can help you create a strong base in case of a PR nightmare. Make sure you release any statement you make publicly on social media too. Pin it to the top of your Facebook page. Add it to your Instagram story. Post it multiple times on Twitter, so it’s visible. Don’t hide.

Once you handle the initial situation, assess the problem and come up with a solution. Knee-jerk reactions usually aren’t the best solution. As many before me have said, “Act; don’t react”. Make sure you share your solution publicly and make a promise that “X” will never happen again and explain the plan you have in place to prevent that. It makes people feel safer and more secure, and gives you an opportunity to make amends. I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute.

Next Episode

RS128 Make Your Home Office More Productive

Hi, it’s Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. I’m your Marketing and PR Expert here to help you grow your business and brand

If you’re a small business owner, work usually follows you home or maybe you work out of your home. Raise your hand if that’s you? So how do you stay focused and get things done, when everything and everyone around you is demanding attention.

Dedicate space, time, and boundaries. Don’t work from the couch while watching the Season finale of Peaky Blinders. Structure is important, so set up and stick to a schedule as if you had an office you had to go, and find a quiet spot that’s just for working. Close the door and walk away when you’re done. It will be there tomorrow.
Don’t procrastinate with displaced productivity. That means instead of writing a blog that needs to get done, you’re doing laundry or buying groceries online because you’re having company tomorrow night. Yes these things need to be done, but you should be focusing on your business priorities. What’s important right now to grow your business.
Don’t isolate yourself or work in a silo. I’ve done that and it doesn’t work. Get lunch with a friend or go for a walk. Take scheduled breaks, even if you’re in the thick of it, and be human. Pay attention to your dog. And scrolling Facebook while you wait for your leftover spaghetti to heat up doesn’t count.
End the day with a win. If you have an hour left of your work day and just finished a huge project, be done with it. Call it a day. Finishing on a high note helps you feel like you accomplished something instead of feeling like you left in the middle of a project.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute.