In 2024 Instagram is a jungle, and for businesses the game is all about survival in terms of visibility and authority. So, To keep major brands from flocking to other platforms, Instagram plays its trump card by launching the paid verified badge for businesses – with plenty of advantages (at least on paper).
Unlike the creator version, businesses have a choice of four different subscription plans.
The old blue checkmark – now known as Meta Verified – is no longer just a way to prove your business’s authenticity. It’s a subscription that’s enticing many with a serious, important promise: get your chance to “Stand out”
Breaking down Meta Verified subscriptions
If you want to delve into the nitty-gritty details of each plan, Meta has created a comprehensive page that we invite you to check out – especially if you’re considering signing up.
Or you can keep reading here, as Simone Zin has summarized the key features that distinguish the four plans, helping you navigate through the options.
In short, we’ve done half the work for you: Not Just talk!
Standard Plan: your business entry level
Let’s start with the Standard plan, which, for 14.99$ per month, offers the essential functions every business needs. This plan provides you with a verification badge – letting the Meta world know you’re authentic – along with identity theft protection, improved support via chat or email, and a customizable profile with the option to add images to links in bio.
Additionally, it enhances your business’s visibility in Instagram’s search results, making it easier for potential clients to find you. Simply put, when someone types words from your username, you’ll be among the top results!
If you’re a small business or just starting to build your brand on Instagram, this plan could be exactly what you need to strengthen your social presence.
Plus plan: level up your visibility
The Plus plan is designed for businesses looking to go further. Priced at 44.99$ per month for the first year (and 49.99$ per month from the second year onwards), this package includes all the features of the Standard plan but adds a few extras that can make a big difference.
The “Featured account” feature allows you to bring your profile to the forefront of the feed, significantly boosting your visibility.
Furthermore, you can add links to reels (two per month): a powerful tool to drive traffic to your products or services. If you manage multiple brands or have various locations, you’ll appreciate the ability to showcase up to three additional profiles and addresses on your main account.
This plan is ideal for growing businesses that want to make the most of Instagram’s potential.
Premium plan: advanced protection and engagement
For those who want the best in terms of protection and engagement tools, there’s the Premium plan. At 119.99$ per month (or 149.99$ per month from the second year), this subscription offers everything found in the Plus plan, with additional advantages. First and foremost, it provides the ability to make a direct call to an operator for any troubleshooting needs.
It also extends identity theft protection to your employees (up to two people), a crucial option if your team is actively involved in managing the account.
Additionally, you’ll receive four links to reels per month, doubling your opportunities to drive traffic from your videos to your sales channels. To add a personal touch to your messages, you can also customize chat themes.
This plan is perfect for businesses operating in a competitive environment and requiring extra protection and tools to maximize engagement.
Max plan: the ultimate choice for large businesses
Lastly, there’s the Max plan: if you’re a large business with a dedicated social media team, this is the most comprehensive choice. Priced at 349.99$ per month (and 499.99$ per month from the second year – it comes with the biggest discount, at 30%), this package includes all the benefits of the lower tiers, plus additional features that make it the most complete option.
With impersonation protection extended to up to five employees, active support ticket monitoring, and six links to reels per month, you’ll have everything you need to protect and elevate your Instagram presence to the next level.
Moreover, you’ll receive personalized content strategy advice: twice a year, you can have a session with an expert who will provide guidance on how to improve the content strategy for your subscribed account.
An invaluable resource to optimize your strategy and reach your business goals.
So, which plan should you choose?
Instagram’s new paid verification badge offers a range of options to suit any type of business.
And this is the main difference from the badge designed for creators, which only offers impersonation protection and access to a dedicated support channel.
On the other hand, these business packages offer significant opportunities for brands. Unlike private users, brands have more purchasing power and specific needs that these packages can effectively meet, thus bringing notable benefits.
After the failure of the first attempt at a verification badge for creators, could this be the right direction for Instagram to monetize the highly sought-after blue checkmark?
Still feeling unsure? Maybe this quick rundown can help:
- The Standard plan is for you if you’re just starting on Meta and want to mainly boost your authority.
- The Plus plan is for you if your growth is significant and visibility alone isn’t enough – you want to monetize!
- The Premium plan is for you when you’re an established company and pay close attention to every detail, including the security of your collaborators’ private profiles.
- The Max plan is for you and any businesses aiming for the top level of strategic planning.
Not Just Analytics’ Take
We know you’ve read this far hoping to find our most honest and blunt opinion. And we won’t disappoint: here’s what we find interesting and what we think is (maybe) a bit less compelling.
👍 When compared to the creator badge, Meta Verified seems much more beneficial for businesses.
👍 The addition of features to manage WhatsApp is a welcome note and a clear indication of coherence across various platforms.
👍 Impersonation protection for collaborators and employees is a very interesting aspect – especially considering how users themselves often put their accounts at risk.
👍 The profile customization features leave us hopeful for the future.
👍 The “Featured account” function – available starting from the Plus plan – is particularly appealing. However…
👎 Thinking that simply paying for Meta Verified will be enough to gain more visibility is unrealistic.
👎 The cost can be quite steep. It’s really high and could make the higher-tier plans – the ones that offer the “real deal” – appealing only to large, well-established businesses.
👎 The feedback from our community on dedicated support isn’t exactly positive. Given that this is a key feature of Meta Verified, we’re hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
👎 Links in reels are something the whole world has been asking for, for years, and we love the idea. So why list it as something that doesn’t convince us?
Because we think, unlike the other features, links in reels deserve to be available to everyone, without any restrictions. That’s just our opinion – what do you think? Should these features be paid for? Give it a thought!
Special thanks to Simone Zin – Co-Founder of Morfeus AI – for contributing to the NJL blog with this insightful guide on Meta Verified for businesses.