Meta announced today that it is expanding Meta Verified to businesses after initially launching it for creators earlier this year. The company will first test the verification program on Facebook and Instagram with select merchants, and later expand it to businesses on WhatsApp.
Businesses can subscribe to Meta Verified for $21.99/month per Facebook page or Instagram account, or pay $34.99/month for both platforms. Pricing for verification on WhatsApp has not been disclosed.
Similar to verification for creators, Meta Verified for Businesses offers a badge, better reach, and impersonation protection. Verified businesses will receive the same badge as creators, indicating their authenticity. However, it is unclear if the impersonation protection for businesses differs from that of creators.
Verified businesses will benefit from better reach in two ways. Firstly, their accounts will have improved placement in search results, increasing visibility. Secondly, verified businesses will be recommended to users in a new carousel in the feed called “Recommended Meta Verified Businesses.”
To subscribe to Meta Verified, businesses must meet eligibility criteria, such as phone, email, or domain name verification, as well as maintaining a certain level of activity on their pages or Instagram accounts. Meta has not shared specific details regarding these requirements but will provide more information during the rollout.
Meta is also developing a verification program for businesses on WhatsApp. The paid tier will include features such as the ability to create a custom WhatsApp-based web page and multi-device support for up to 10 devices. This will enable multiple people to handle customer queries and orders more efficiently.
WhatsApp already offers similar features to businesses with its WhatsApp Premium program, which is currently being tested in limited regions. Meta plans to expand the feature set for verification on WhatsApp once it launches and will provide more information about the roadmap for existing WhatsApp Premium customers.
Meta Verified for Business will begin rolling out to select markets in the coming weeks, while the release date for verification on WhatsApp for businesses is yet to be announced.
Meta’s pricing for Meta Verified is significantly more affordable compared to X’s business verification offering. X’s base subscription costs $1,000 per month, with an additional $50 per month for every affiliated account. This makes Meta Verified a more accessible option for smaller organizations.
However, The Information reported that some individual subscribers to the Meta Verified plan were unable to reach the promised human support, causing dissatisfaction among those users.
Sources:
– Meta (no URL)
– The Information (no URL)
