TikTok is a popular short-form video app with over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. On TikTok, verification badges (commonly known as “blue checks”) are awarded to accounts that are authentic, notable, and active. A blue verification badge appears next to a verified account’s handle on their profile. This lets viewers know that the account is the official presence of a public figure, celebrity, brand or organization. Verification is intended to prevent impersonation and help users find authentic accounts.
What is TikTok verification?
TikTok verification means an account has been confirmed as authentic by TikTok. Verified accounts on TikTok have a blue verification badge next to their username. According to TikTok’s Help Center, “A verified badge means that we’ve confirmed the account belongs to the person or brand it represents” (source). Getting verified establishes legitimacy and shows viewers that the account is not impersonating someone else.
Requirements for verification
To get verified on TikTok, your account needs to meet certain requirements around followers, content, and being authentic or notable. According to TikTok’s help center article on verified accounts, you need a public profile with a completed username, bio, profile photo, and at least one video. In addition, your account generally needs to have a substantial number of real and engaged followers. While the exact number is not disclosed, most verified accounts seem to have at least 10,000 followers or more.
Your content also needs to be authentic, high-quality, and create value for viewers. TikTok looks for accounts that are “the real deal” whether they are celebrities, brands, public figures, or other creators. As the Hootsuite blog mentions, you need to demonstrate you are truly notable in your field or industry in some way. This often comes down to being something of a subject matter expert and producing content only you can make.
Essentially, TikTok wants to verify accounts that are both popular and credible sources of engaging content for the platform. Having a large audience and posting regularly with your own unique style and perspective is key. You can’t just buy followers or artificially inflate numbers.
Benefits of verification
Getting verified on TikTok comes with numerous benefits that can help boost your account. Some of the main advantages of having a verified badge include:
Increased visibility – According to a study by Famous Influencer, having a verified badge makes you part of an elite group recognized as the most important and influential users on TikTok. This can significantly improve your visibility and help you reach a wider audience.
Increased credibility – The verification badge indicates to users that your account is authentic and credible. As Medium reports, this can help build trust with your audience.
Access to special features – Verified users gain access to certain exclusive features like analytics, advertising options, and partner programs that regular users can’t access. This allows you to further grow and monetize your account.
How do you apply for verification?
To apply for verification on TikTok, you need to submit a verification request directly within the app. Here are the steps to submit a verification request:
1. Open the TikTok app and go to your profile page.
2. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner and select “Manage account”.
3. Select “Verification” from the menu.
4. Tap “Apply for verification” and choose the appropriate category for your account – individual or business.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to submit your verification request. You’ll need to provide details about your identity and account.
6. TikTok will review your request and respond via email in 4-6 weeks. You may need to provide additional information if your initial request is not approved.
7. If approved, you’ll receive a verification badge on your TikTok profile confirming you are an authentic, notable public figure or brand.
The full criteria and requirements for getting verified on TikTok are outlined on TikTok’s verification request page.
Does verification come with payment?
Many people wonder if being verified on TikTok comes with direct payment from the platform. However, TikTok does not directly pay creators simply for getting verified. According to TikTok’s Help Center, “We don’t charge you to get verified. Any entity claiming to sell TikTok verifications is not affiliated with us.”
So while verification does not lead to direct payment, it can open up opportunities for monetization through TikTok’s Creator Fund and partnerships with brands. Verified status helps lend credibility which can lead to sponsorship deals, affiliate marketing, selling merchandise and more. But the blue checkmark itself does not come with any automatic payment from TikTok.
Monetization Opportunities
There are several ways TikTok creators can monetize their accounts and earn money, even without being verified. The main options include:
Joining the TikTok Creator Fund – This program allows popular creators to earn money from the ads displayed on their videos. To qualify, you need at least 10,000 authentic followers and 100,000 video views in the last 30 days. The amount you can earn depends on the views, engagement, and overall value your videos bring to TikTok.
Brand partnerships – Brands will often collaborate with TikTok creators to sponsor videos and promote their products. The more followers you have, the more appealing you become for potential brand deals. Negotiated rates vary greatly.
Selling merchandise – You can design and sell custom merchandise like t-shirts, hoodies, and mugs featuring your brand. Merch provides a passive income stream from dedicated fans.
Promoting affiliate links – Add affiliate links to your profile and videos to earn commission when followers purchase products through your links.
Launching paid content – Some creators offer exclusive content, livestreams, shoutouts, etc. to paying subscribers.
Leveraging fame off TikTok – Popular creators can earn income through YouTube ad revenue, public appearances, etc.
Growing your account
One of the best ways to grow your TikTok account is by consistently posting high-quality, engaging content. According to TikTok, consistency is key – aim to post at least once per day. Experiment with different video formats like challenges, duets, reactions, and tutorials to see what resonates most with your audience.
Optimize your videos for discoverability by using relevant hashtags and captions. As this article suggests, include a mix of popular and niche hashtags so your content surfaces for a wider range of users and topics. Keep captions concise, keyword-rich, and compelling.
Follow trends and topics that are gaining momentum on TikTok but also find ways to put your unique spin on them. Put effort into editing your videos using transitions, text, effects, and music to make them more engaging.
According to TikTok’s help center, consistently interacting with your audience is important. Take the time to respond to comments, like and comment on others’ videos, and go live. Collaborating with other creators can also help expose your account to new audiences.
Check your analytics to see which videos are resonating most with your audience. Make more content that is similar to your top-performing videos. Track your growth over time and continue optimizing your strategy.
Maintaining verification
Once an account is verified, it is important to continue posting authentic, high-quality content and following TikTok’s guidelines in order to maintain verification status. According to TikTok’s support page, “Keep in mind that we only review subsequent verification requests after 30 days” (https://support.tiktok.com/en/using-tiktok/growing-your-audience/how-to-tell-if-an-account-is-verified-on-tiktok). This implies that verification status can be revoked if an account stops meeting the requirements.
To keep verification, creators should stay active on TikTok and regularly post content that aligns with the values that got them verified in the first place. This might include posting educational, entertaining or inspiring videos that showcase expertise in a certain area. It’s important not to drastically change the type of content being posted after getting verified, as this could lead to losing the blue verification badge.
Additionally, following TikTok’s community guidelines and terms of service is essential. Accounts can get banned or suspended for violating policies around things like hate speech, harassment, illegal activities, and inappropriate content. A verification badge does not make an account exempt from the rules, so maintaining standards of integrity is key.
Conclusion
In summary, TikTok verification does not directly come with payment, but it does open up monetization opportunities. The blue verification badge indicates an authentic, noteworthy account, but on its own does not generate revenue. However, verification gives you access to features like TikTok Creator Fund, gifting, etc. It also increases your credibility and visibility, allowing you to grow a larger audience. This in turn leads to more views, followers and engagement, making it easier to partner with brands, sell merchandise, and earn money indirectly. While verification status itself does not equate to income, it can certainly help you monetize your account and turn TikTok into a lucrative channel over time. The key is continuing to create quality content, engage with your community, and take advantage of revenue-generating features. With persistence and ingenuity, TikTok verification can provide that stepping stone to building your brand and earning an income.
