Meta has announced the expansion of its Meta Verified program to businesses, following its initial launch for creators earlier in the year. Here are the key details:
- Platforms: Initially, Meta Verified for Businesses is being tested on Facebook and Instagram, with plans to extend it to WhatsApp later.
- Subscription Pricing:
- Businesses can subscribe to Meta Verified for $21.99 per month per Facebook page or Instagram account.
- They also have the option to pay $34.99 per month for both platforms.
- Pricing for verification on WhatsApp has not been disclosed yet.
- Benefits:
- Verified businesses will receive a badge, better visibility in search results, and protection against impersonation. The badge offered to businesses is the same as the one for creators, but it’s not specified if impersonation protection differs.
- Better reach includes improved placement in search results and being recommended to users in the feed. Paid business users will have their accounts near the top of search results and appear in a new carousel called “Recommended Meta Verified Businesses.
- Eligibility Criteria: To purchase subscriptions, businesses will need to meet certain eligibility criteria, such as verification through phone, email, or domain name, and demonstrating a minimum level of activity on their pages or Instagram accounts. The specific requirements have not been detailed yet.
- WhatsApp Features: Meta is also working on a verified program for businesses on WhatsApp, which will include the ability to create a custom WhatsApp-based web page and multi-device support for up to 10 devices for business accounts.
- Release Timeline: Meta Verified for Business will begin rolling out to select markets in the coming weeks, but there is no release date available for verification on WhatsApp at the moment.
- Comparison with X (formerly Twitter): Meta’s subscription pricing for verification is lower than X’s business verification offering, making it a more cost-effective option for smaller organizations.
- Customer Support Concerns: There have been reports of individual subscribers to the Meta Verified plan facing issues with accessing the promised human support.
Please note that specific details on eligibility criteria and the rollout plan for WhatsApp verification have not been provided by Meta at this time.
