Verification is becoming a hot-button topic for many businesses that rely on social media. In this Lucie Blog, we'll dive into the new verification services and whether or not they are best for your business.
Lucie Blog
Does my Company need a blue checkmark?
The past few months have been interesting for social media to say the least. Twitter was acquired, Tiktok gained momentum, and subsequently was banned on government devices in the US and UK. One of the more interesting topics has been verification or as some might know them, blue check marks. In this article, we’ll dive into the blue check mark, what it means, how it helps, and whether or not your company needs one.
The blue check mark began with Twitter. As journalists, celebrities, and people of influence began joining the platform, the blue check mark was a status symbol. Those with large followings wanted to be recognized and those with influence wanted to prevent fake accounts from highjacking their fans.
While the verification process started with Twitter, Instagram quickly adopted the blue badge to protect its high-profile users as well. Having a blue badge or check mark meant that you had arrived in the world of social media.
Users who were celebrities, politicians, or large brands were typically given check marks or badges simply by validating who they were. For everyone else, there was a criterion that included mentions from recent, reputable articles, bios on prominent websites, and decent follower counts on the platform.
So what’s the big deal now? After acquiring Twitter, Elon Musk re-introduced “Twitter Blue,” a subscription-based verification service, in an effort to improve the platform’s profitability. The initial rollout of Twitter blue saw a number of fake or parity accounts buying verification to further their ability to trick their target’s followers and spread disinformation. The second iteration now comes with better protection against fake accounts.
So what do you get with Twitter Blue? Twitter Blue users will get the ability to edit tweets, upload 1080 videos, and a reader mode along with their check mark for $8/month on the web or $11/month for IOS users. This subscription also comes with a reduced number of ads, the ability to share extended video content, and preferential treatment by Twitter’s algorithm.
Seeing the success of the second iteration of Twitter Blue, Meta has decided to join the verification business for both Facebook and Instagram.
Announced February 19th, “Meta Verified” will charge $11.99/month on the web and $14.99 on IOS for a blue verification badge and added security. Meta plans to proactively monitor for fake accounts and offer direct customer support to subscribers.
You might be wondering at this point how all of this affects you and your business. The first consideration to think about is security. Hackers no longer need to steal your password. They can just impersonate you and hold your audience for ransom. This can affect your brand in a major way as misinformation spreads. Having priority access to support also helps from an internal security standpoint. Lost passwords, suspicious device logins, and other things that come with social media are a lot easier to handle with priority support.
The next thing to consider is how you use your social media account. Do you provide service on Twitter? Do your customers rely on you to support them out in the open? If so, having the favor of twitter’s algorithm and knowing your customers are reaching the correct account will play a large role in what you do.
Third, If you’ve been using social media for any significant amount of time then you know that support is hard to come by. Priority support for your business’s account could be the difference between a major and minor crisis. Managing passwords, account access, and being able to edit tweets provide a major advantage.
So does your company need verification from these services? As these programs continue to roll out they will change and make adjustments, but the nefarious side of social media will as well. There will always be issues with being first to market with a new offering as we’ve seen from the first iteration of Twitter blue, but the security ramifications of the product are an undeniably attractive feature. A business’s brand and message are sacred. In a world where content can be created at the drop of a hat, if you aren’t protecting your brand and messaging by telling your story, then you run the risk of allowing someone else to tell that story for you. Controlling your narrative is the best way to protect your brand in any public space. Whether you decide to take advantage of verification or not, the storytelling part can be handled by your Lucie Content team. Contact us today to discuss what would work best for your business and audience.
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