Verification on Instagram has been an elusive badge to secure. While verification has started out as a coveted badge for celebrities, brand accounts and newsworthy individuals, it's often felt out of reach for many photographers.
Still, with photographers as their own personal brands and also acting as photojournalists and otherwise specific sources of content in this age, verification makes sense for us as creative professionals.
After years of applying every so often, I was recently verified. Here's the approach that worked for me and the key differences that helped me get verified.
Previously when I applied for verification, I would submit features on me as a photographer or mentions of me on social media by prominent verified accounts. I focused on content that was more about highlighting me as an individual. Interviews, features on me as a photographer or mentions from brands, and so forth.
In the final verification request, I submitted some references that I'd included before, but made a small change: editorial photo credits.
The Important Difference in Approach:
We'll do a step by step walkthrough for how to apply to be verified, but before we get into that, I'll cut to the chase. The main difference that helped me get verified was providing external sources where I was credited as a professional photographer by established editorial outlets.
That's it. Nothing else about my application has really changed. Not my work or clients or professional status. It's simply the materials that I submitted that were slightly different.
Sourcing your supporting links
Before the actual process of applying, take a the time to compile up to five links that would support this approach. I looked for prominent photo credits at the top of an article by known publications, such as this placement in Rolling Stone.
Two out of five of the total links I submitted for verification were editorial placements of this nature, where I was credited as a photographer. The other links were more features of me as a photographer, but were not specifically credited like this editorial feature.
I feel it helps to have a mix of both published credits as well as feature on you as a photographer if you have them, but the main difference between not being verified in the past and being verified now is including those strictly editorial credits.
Applying for Instagram Verification: Step by Step
OK, with the general approach out of the way, we'll cover the process for actually applying for verification in the Instagram app. Have your links ready, then follow this process.
Step 1: Settings and privacy
Go to the the menu in the upper right from your Instagram profile page. Go to the “Settings and privacy” at the top of the menu. Do not click “Meta Verified” — this is Meta's paid verification service that is a premium fee for verification.
Go down to the “For professionals” section and click on “Account type and tools.”
Step 2: Choose “Request verification”
In the account type and tools menu, click on “Request verification” This is take you to a form where you can provide information for verification and provide supporting material for your case of notability.
Step 3: Confirm authenticity
After entering your full name, you'll be asked to upload a government document to confirm your identity.
I uploaded a drivers license — you can take a photo from the app or upload an existing image. You can also upload a passport, identity card, tax filing or a recent utility bill.
Step 4: Confirm notability
You'll be asked to identify a category for your notability.
I chose the category of “Digital creator/blogger/influencer” as a photographer. It's possible that other categories could be appropriate, but I feel digital creator is pretty accurate for photographers and this is what worked for me.
I did not specify an audience when I requested verification, but this is an optional field.
Step 5: Add links supporting notability
I added five links to support my request of verification. Three fields exist by default, and you can choose to add up to two additional links. Adding links is an optional step, but I feel this is an important area to provide proof of notability for photographers.
I chose to link to five “news” articles. More details on this.
Two of the links were editorial articles that featured my image as the lead photo with credit to me in the following publications, while three were features or pieces including me as a photographer.
- Rolling Stone editorial placement
- Vogue editorial placement
- Live Nation feature
- My Nikon Ambassador page for Nikon USA
- Whalebone Magazine editorial feature/placement
My approach was to use a couple of the larger editorial publications that I could think of where my work has been published. I feel using entirely editorial publications would be fine if it clearly shows your work and a photo credit.
The intent is to prove notability, so with that intent, the more notable the publications, the more this may support your own individual case.
I did not link any social posts (ie, posts on Instagram from a verified account like the Tonight Show or a celebrity with a tag/mention in the caption). I had tried this approach in the past, but Instagram seems to weight external news outlets far more heavily than social posts like this, so I'd recommend avoiding social posts.
Verification Timeline
I requested verification in the morning, maybe around 9am. I was noticed a priority message under my notifications in Instagram around 9pm that evening that I'd been verified. So, the turnaround time was relatively fast in this case, which was a nice surprise.
End Notes
Overall, the one thing that I've changed has been including editorial placements instead of just features on me (interviews, profiles, etc). It's hard to say for certain, but photo credits in editorial publications seem to hold the most value here. In the past, I'd included associations with prominent brands in the form of features or interviews, but it's the inclusion of editorial features with a clear photo credit to me that made the biggest difference in being verified.
In addition, my feeling is that Meta is broadening the scope of who can be verified. It is possible that they're loosening the standards for who is verified. I'm certainly far from very notable in the grand scheme of things. I don't have that many followers. But I'm a working photographer and my images are in wide circulation, especially in my work as the staff photographer for the Tonight Show.
If they verified me, why not you?
If you're not approved for verification, you can re-apply to be verified very 30 days. This was my approach, I hope something similar can work for you.
