Many long-time social media users may be aware that social media verification was historically free.
In those earlier days, the guidelines for verification were simpler:
For the most part, many of these perks still highlight the primary benefits of social media verification today, perhaps even more so with the significant surge of bots across all channels over the last decade. However, with the added paywalls behind these verifications, essentially mimicking subscription services, verification is no longer limited to just viral accounts.
As a result, some new features are now being promised. Here are a few of the newer features:
Oftentimes, social media users want to evaluate if this monetary investment in verification will result in an increase in their post performance. We’re here to evaluate a couple major platforms practicing this system, specifically Meta and X, and give our evaluations of the services accompanying the blue checkmark.
It’s rather appropriate to begin our critique with Facebook and Instagram, as they are likely the most prominent platforms for their massive user base and seemingly high verification rates.
Meta introduced its “Meta Verified” program which introduces the following plans as of August 2024:
Of the two verification systems we are evaluating today, the Meta Verified program comes at a steeper price point, ranging up to $349.99 a month for the Business Max plan. The Standard plan would be the bare minimum price point to receive the blue checkmark, the very same checkmark that social media enthusiasts would try to seek over decades.
Based on our observations and data from accounts across various verification plans, we found no convincing or statistically significant evidence that any of these plans impact post performance, such as reach.
Numerous individual case studies by users across Meta have consistently shown that performance changes are due to normal fluctuations in social media rather than any immediate benefits from the verification plans.
This may not fully reflect the overall value of the verification program or the potential for strong performance on the respective platforms.
For example, starting from the Business Plus tier, your account gains the added functionality of including links in your reel content. Reels are a content type we’ve found to consistently perform better across all platforms that feature them, including Meta.
You also gain advantages in search optimization, where your profile can appear higher in search results. Although, this does not materialistically correlate to an increase in post performance as a significant majority in post reach is skewed towards feeds.
X has undergone significant changes in recent years, most notably its rebranding. These changes also include an overhaul of the criteria for verification, along with the introduction of a tier-based subscription model similar to what we’ve seen with Meta.
During its time as Twitter, the verification process was generally free and focused on identifying accounts that were notable, authentic, and active:
The criteria for verification on X (formerly Twitter) have changed significantly. Now, only accounts subscribed to X Premium can receive the blue checkmark. The current price points for X Premium are as follows:
The minimum price point for achieving verification status on X under these plans is $7 a month with X Premium. Comparatively, this makes the verification entry about half the cost of Meta Verified when evaluating the cost of the piece alone.
Along with the checkmark, you are also granted pretty significant functionalities within the account such as analytics. Feel free to read more about that here.
Mimicking our observations with verified accounts, X also shows no convincing evidence that verification status affects post performance.
Since the verification overhaul is still relatively new, more data needs to be analyzed to determine if this will change in the future.
However, general impressions of the platform have seen a steady decrease, as expected during its transitional period away from Twitter. Unlike Meta, it’s generally more difficult to pinpoint a clear correlation during that offset of the platform. But we are not too optimistic that paying for verification will benefit your post performance for either platform at this time.
Based on our observations shared with industry experts and social media enthusiasts, it is clear that the significance of the checkmarks has diminished over the years.
We strongly believe that the allure of having a profile checkmark itself should not serve as the basis for investing in the subscription options presented today. Additionally, investment in these plans for the purposes of post performance should also not be a consideration as evidence is lackluster at best.
The decision to pay for verification should consider a more holistic view of the benefits to your social account. You might receive enhanced authenticity, improved customer support, and possible access to early platform features. The return on investment may vary based on the account.
Need to know if any of these verifications are worthwhile for your business? Send us a message!
