How to Get Your E-Commerce Brand Verified on TikTok: 5 Simple Steps
Ah, the elusive little blue checkmark on your TikTok profile. Many want it, many elude it. And for good reason. A verified account check mark gives your e-commerce brand credibility, brand presence, and added exposure when advertising. As an added bonus, it has a knock-on effect on your other platforms where you may also be seeking verified status.
Big heads up here! You cannot request or buy verification; you need to be contacted directly from TikTok or have a source there to support you to get verified on TikTok. Staff members at TikTok are going to check on a number of factors to determine if your e-commerce brand is, in fact, who you say it is. Think of it like a hall pass from the TikTok Gods…you can’t make one up and expect to get away with it (looking at you, impersonator accounts).
With that being said, the TikTok verification for your e-commerce brand can be easier to get up and running than you think. Let’s take a look at the top 5 steps…
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Leverage Existing Platforms
Utilize the power of being verified on other platforms – specifically Twitter and Instagram – to support your case in getting your e-Commerce brand verified on TikTok. Utilize the accounts @TikTokSupport and @TikTokCreators on Twitter and @TikTokCreators on Instagram. (UK/Europe folks can use @tiktok_uk as well.) Hit them up in their DMs showing them you already have verified account status on another platform and are looking to establish it on TikTok.
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Tag Along Model
We especially like this method, as the power of partnership is a phenomenal tool in business. Often, when a large, already verified brand is launching a campaign it likes to nest other creators under itself as part of that initiative. Ideally, these creators are already verified. But if you are working with them and not verified yet, you can use their leeway to support you in getting in touch with a TikTok representative to get verified. Think of it like having an (actually supportive and non-annoying) big brother or big sister.
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Pull the PR Strings
Another powerful way to increase your eligibility for verification is to utilize public relations pieces. Here’s a great (and inspiring) example of a family unit getting press about their surprise-to-parents TikTok account. Being that they didn’t reach the from scratch follower account yet (or at least at the time of that video), they would be able to perfectly position themselves for verification by resharing their PR video to a TikTok verification handle. In order to do this one consider: where in the news has your work been shared? Was your e-Commerce brand recently in a newspaper, press release, or news segment? Use these pieces of evidence to support your case. Bonus points if you make a TikTok to react to your PR piece.
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Play Nice with Others
It goes without saying that you aren’t likely to get verified if you are doing spammy things on TikTok including only recycling other people’s content, trolling people, being abusive in people’s DMs, getting reported etc. Simply put, if you are doing things that are causing red flags to your TikTok account it’s unlikely the TikTok Gods will be handing you that elusive hall pass.
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Bake from Scratch
The camp that most new accounts will fall into is this one. By making use of the platform and steadily growing viewership and followers, you can establish the verification check the 100% organic way. In order to do this, make use of several best content making practices:
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Be consistent. Keep producing content.
An account with one post – even if it does have a ton of views – is unlikely to get verified if it reflects a poorly used or updated account. Ideally, your e-Commerce brand will be looking at amassing 500 – 2,000 new followers per day in order to get into the verified status camp.
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Find your own version of “original” and stick to it.
While some TikTok trends might ripple through the masses, there is ultimately nobody doing it exactly like you. Find your right path in the space and keep creating for your audience. Don’t just recycle other people’s content without producing any of your own.
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Engage with your followers.
Use the comments section to interact with your followers and facilitate more whimsy, fun, and dialogue about your content. This will help ensure more viewership.
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Follow other related accounts and influencers.
You never know which TikTok-lebrity (or frankly, original celebrity) might pick up your content and engage with it. Follow others you like and foster engagement through these connections.
Finally, don’t try to be the next Addison Rae or Charli D’Amelio. Be yourself. Be your own brand. You never know what musical cooking dance party is on its way to becoming the next Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical!
We can help your e-Commerce brand navigate all things TikTok so feel free to reach out and take advantage of our expertise and our incredible relationships with the platform’s best representatives.
About the Author: Julie Ann Howlett is a freelance writer who enjoys marketing, entrepreneurship, and writing. She has degrees in science and teaching and has done advanced coursework in data analytics. She runs her own small businesses and is especially passionate about gender equity in STEM, technology, and business. You can connect with her on LinkedIn via customized note.
