Want to get a blue tick on Twitter? Here is what Twitter wants you to do

Twitter had relaunched its verification process a couple of months ago after halting the process in 2017. The micro-blogging site has opened up the verification process with a new set of guidelines and rules. However, a lot of users with a huge number of followers had complained of not getting verified on Twitter despite fulfilling all the criteria. Twitter today had listed the steps that could get you verified if you belong to the categories that are eligible to get a blue tick on Twitter.

Scores of eligible Twitter users had complained that the micro-blogging site had rejected their application form without providing any reasons. However, to fix this issue, Twitter has now said that will now give more context on why requests don't meet their criteria via emails. Normally, you get an email and a notification from Twitter saying that your application has been rejected. No, additional information is provided to you.

However, if you have been rejected once, you can re-apply after 30 days. But before you do, make sure you follow all the steps mentioned by Twitter correctly.

Here is how what you should do to get a blue tick beside your profile on Twitter

— Before applying for verification, make sure you belong to any of the categories eligible for verification. You should either be a key government official, national-level public officer, an account representing prominent organizations, news organisations and independent journalists, accounts repenting prominent film studios, TV networks, and music entities, sports personalities, activist and influential individuals. You do not belong to any of the professions listed above, you should not consider applying for a blue tick in the first place.

— Twitter does not want you to have a huge follower base to get verified but if you are a company/brand/organization and those applying as an activist/influential individual, your follower count must be in the top .05% of active accounts located in the same geographic region.

— If you are relying on a website to verify you authenticity, make sure that the account of the organisation is verified. The website must also reference your name and Twitter account.

Special guidelines for Journalists

Many journalists with a huge follower base alleged that their application form was rejected despite fulfilling all the criteria. Twitter executive Bryne clarified that a lot of journalists were rejected because of technical issues or small problems with their application, not because they are not notable. Twitter has now listed the steps you must follow before filling up the verification form

— Your Twitter profile must reference the news organisation you are associated with and link to its official website should be there on your account.

— Make sure your news organisation is notable and already verified on Twitter

— While filing the application form, journalists must link to their specific about page/bio, or to articles that reference them on the news org's official site.

— If you are a freelance journalist or an independent journalist, you must provide links to 3 articles in Verified publications in the 6 months before applying.

Twitter is under no obligation to grant you a verification badge but if you fulfill all the criteria and fill up the application form correctly, you might just get lucky.