Join award-winning photographer Jan Mayo as he shares his journey, insights, and expert tips on how to achieve that coveted blue badge
Getting verified on the ‘Gram is like an online badge of honor, but unfortunately, not all people who deserve it can get it. In a world where celebrities and influencers seem to effortlessly acquire the coveted blue verification check on Instagram, independent creatives often find themselves facing an uphill battle to attain the same recognition.
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Jan Mayo, a talented and passionate photographer, recently achieved the milestone of getting verified on Instagram, defying the odds stacked against independent artists who contribute greatly to pop culture but lack the same level of visibility in the media.
MEGAStyle sat down with Jan for an exclusive interview to uncover the secrets behind this coveted blue badge. Get ready to dive into Jan’s journey as we figure out how exactly you can get that check!
When Jan found out about the verification, we were curious to know about his initial reaction. “I was at a shoot during that time and I did not really read the notification because I thought it was another rejection,” Jan revealed. “You see, I applied once last year and twice this year. But when I exited the notifications page, I was surprised that my account had a blue badge beside my name. I was really happy because I know how incredibly hard it is to get one.”
What were the key factors that contributed to Jan’s verification as a creative? “I researched online before applying, and most sources said that one has to be a ‘notable’ figure to get verified,” Jan shared. “And I have to be honest; I think that’s really vague. But of course, one measurable factor is online presence—not just any online content, but features from credible news sources. The more credible the news source, the better, and Instagram does not consider paid ads and sponsored content.”
Curious about the application process, we asked Jan to walk us through it. “I applied three times—I got rejected twice,” Jan explained candidly. “On my first try, I got rejected because my birth date on Instagram did not match the one on my license. When a person applies for verification, they are required to submit an ID. That is important because the platform has to know that the account is unique, and one way to verify one’s identity is through documents. So it is important that one’s account profile name matches the submitted document or else the verification will be rejected. And to reapply, one has to strictly wait 30 days. Even if the application is correct but does not follow that rule, it’s most likely an automatic rejection.”
“On my second try, I got rejected because I still did not have a sufficient online presence and I put myself in the wrong category. When requesting verification, Instagram will ask the category to which the person belongs, and since there was no photographer—fashion and media were the closest, but media is reserved for journalists and news agencies—I put in ‘Others’ and got rejected. Only on my third try did I realize I had to put ‘Online Creator’ since I create content on their platform.”
Jan continued, “So on my third try, I made sure that my birthday was correct, my category was correct, and I had at least five credible news and magazine features. I reapplied on my phone. I went to my Instagram settings, typed in ‘Request Verification,’ and put in my ID and all the necessary links. Et voila, after four hours, I was verified.”
Building a strong Instagram presence is crucial, so we asked Jan about his strategies and approach. “In my opinion, followers and engagement rates do not affect verification. Most sources say that to be verified, you just have to have at least one post and must represent a highly searched individual or brand—that’s it,” Jan explained. “As for strategy, I was fortunate enough to have a notable win and relied on the news features that came along with it. For individuals and content creators that would want to get verified, my advice is to pitch your content and brand to editors and have them feature you and what you do. It’s one way of building online credibility and notability.”
Photos: JAN MAYO (via Instagram)
The post How Do You Get Verified as an Independent Creative on Instagram? appeared first on MEGA.
How Do You Get Verified as an Independent Creative on Instagram?
Source: Insta News Pinoy
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