How to get verified on Twitter
Social media’s role in marketing and branding is at an all-time high. Its large outreach, speed and efficiency have changed the music scene, and the world forever. With branding and marketing being such a critical part of the music industry, the power that is social networks is a powerful one. However, boasting such a powerful tool can be rather wasteful, if you don’t know how to use it to its fullest potential. In this article, we delve into what it takes to become verified on Twitter and how to reap the benefits.
Act online as you would in person
Think for a moment. Upon meeting someone new for the first time, the customary thing to do is to gradually ease the conversation from small-talk, to deeper topics. Your Twitter profile is no different. Start with the small things. Tell your followers who you are and what you’re about. Attach your SoundCloud profile in your bio and share your music – but not only your music. As a professional musician/artist, it’s expected that you convey a professional persona at all times. This, however, can become stale, hence why breaking the mold can be such a refreshing changeup. This helps boost followers, which strengthens your case for verification.
Know the benefits
“Twitter was the first social media network to offer verification, making it highly desirable from a personal branding standpoint” explains James Goodnow of Lamber Goodnow, who is verified on Twitter. Much like Facebook, having the blue checkmark next to your account name signifies authority and authenticity. Branding is everything. Boasting the blue badge gives you a sense of genuineness and gives your fans a sense of security knowing they’re following a real DJ and not just a bot. Edelman’s Trust Barometer found that 85 percent of consumers choose to buy products or services from brands they trust. When users see that you are verified by Twitter, they know that they can trust your content and your brand. Verified users also have the ability to opt-out of group direct messages and restrict notifications to only other verified accounts.
Know the process
Just like Facebook, there is a criteria you’ll need to match. Be sure to fill out your profile completely with a profile picture, cover photo, name, website, and bio. Verifying your phone number, email address and setting your tweets as ‘public’ is also needed. Once you’ve done all this, you’ll need to head to the verification application page, where you’ll need to submit a 500-word message, explaining why you deserve the coveted blue-tick. Attaching 2 official and trustworthy links is required in this process. As a DJ, your SoundCloud, Beatport, Spotify or Traxsource profiles will suffice. Know that having official releases and support from prominent DJ’s and blogs will further boost the authenticity.
Keep in mind, the tick is not an endorsement from Twitter. Due to the confusion amongst users, Twitter has temporarily suspended verification requests. Twitter’s verified account has given a number of updates, which can be seen here. Having suspended their verification application process, the blue tick’s value is now once again highly-valuable, as it is no longer available to the general public.
