Bonafide. Verified. Authentic. Thanks To Twitter

I’m verified on Twitter.

I know this because of the blue verified badge that sits next to my profile, and because Twitter sent me a congratulatory email.

According to Twitter, this badge lets people know that my account is of public interest, and it’s authentic.

Verification on Twitter is the equivalent of a wedding band.

When I first got married, a good friend said the wedding band was as a seal of approval. “The wedding band makes you slightly more attractive because it shows that someone vouches for you,” he said.

My wife liked me enough to put a ring on it. So did Twitter.

The process of Twitter verification is not an automatic one. Case in point: the @Vindicator account. One would assume that Twitter would automatically verify our renowned, award-winning newspaper.

Not so.

It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that the @Vindicator received the blue badge of approval, thanks to The Vindicator’s social media Sherpa, Sean Ferguson.

“The process was really easy and user-friendly,” Ferguson said. “Within two days, The Vindicator account was verified and there was a jump in followers, all due to that little blue (verified badge).”

Ferguson went to the verification form, entered some basic information, and voila, The Vindicator received Twitter legitimacy.

For media outlets, the process for verification is simple. For the rest of us, the process is a little more cumbersome, and it can take months. It took me a few shots before receiving verification, which really makes Twitter’s review process all the more genuine.

If Twitter denies your verification request, they require you to wait 30 days before submitting a new one.

To start the verification process, go to support.twitter.com and search “verify an account.” You’ll find a list of requirements for making your account verifiable.

Start with the basics. Your account must have a verified phone number, confirmed email address, bio, profile and header images, and website. You also need to set your tweets to “public” in the privacy settings.

If you’re verifying an individual account, have a copy of your government-issued photo ID ready to upload (e.g. license, passport).

That’s the easy part. The tough part is proving your account is of public interest. Regardless if you’re in music, acting, fashion, government, politics, religion, journalism, media, sports, business, or some other key interest area, you need to prove your worth.

Be ready to tell Twitter why your account should be verified. What is your impact on your field if interest? If you’re a company, what’s your mission? Next, find some URL’s that help express your newsworthiness or relevancy in your field.

Twitter also suggests the following:

• Your Twitter name should reflect your real or stage name.
• Your profile and header images should be of you (we should see your face).

Follow these steps and you’ll be on the path to that coveted blue badge.

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