Metaplatform companies will soon be able to purchase a blue check to get exclusive features and support.
The expansion was announced today at an event by CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Earlier this year, the company announced Meta Verified for creators, a $12 per month subscription that gives creators a blue check mark and access to features like priority customer support and impersonation protection. Businesses can purchase verification on Facebook or Instagram for $22 per month or $35 for both – an increase over creator prices that range from $12 to $15. Testing on Facebook and Instagram will begin in the coming weeks, with WhatsApp to follow .
Paying companies get similar benefits as creators, including account security features and troubleshooting. Verified businesses also get greater visibility in search results on Facebook and Instagram. Businesses on WhatsApp can create a landing page that is discoverable through web searches and the ability to have multiple employees chat and respond to customers.
Meta’s first move to paid verification followed changes at Elon Musk’s X, formerly Twitter, where paying subscribers could purchase a blue check for a monthly fee. The paid X subscription immediately went out of control as users impersonated brands, celebrities and even the Pope using identical verified blue checkmarks. Earlier this month, Meta-verification for businesses requires businesses to meet certain activity and security requirements, and the person applying must prove their affiliation with the business.