LinkedIn verification has become an increasingly popular topic as more users look to add credibility to their profiles. With over 722 million members worldwide, LinkedIn is the largest professional networking platform and a go-to site for making business connections and finding jobs. Verified profiles stand out by displaying a blue checkmark badge, signalling that LinkedIn has confirmed the identity of the account holder. But is getting verified on LinkedIn worth it, and is the process legitimate?
What is LinkedIn profile verification?
LinkedIn verification, also known as blue verification, allows members to confirm their identity and showcase that their profile authentically represents them. The blue verified badge shows other members that LinkedIn has checked and validated your profile to be sure it matches your real identity.
The requirements to qualify for verification are:
- Your profile must be complete with elements like a profile photo, work experience, education history, and skills.
- You must be a real person, not a company or fictional entity.
- You must provide government-issued photo ID that matches the name on your profile.
LinkedIn states that they look for professional reputability and notability when reviewing verification requests. Having an established presence, being featured in news articles, having a Wikipedia page, and having existing verified accounts on other platforms are beneficial.
Why get a verified profile?
There are several potential benefits to having a blue verified badge on your LinkedIn profile:
- Increased credibility and authority – It conveys your identity and professional reputation have been checked.
- Higher visibility – Verified profiles stand out and LinkedIn’s search algorithm may favor them.
- Expanded reach – You can have up to 30,000 followers once verified versus just 500 prior.
- Higher engagement – Followers and connections may be more likely to interact with verified profiles.
- Distinction – It distinguishes you from others with common names.
- Prestige and clout – It carries a certain level of prestige and social proof.
In summary, the blue checkmark badge signals trustworthiness and influence which can improve your personal brand and allow you to establish a stronger professional presence on LinkedIn.
Who is eligible for verification?
LinkedIn has established profile criteria and requirements needed to qualify for verification:
- Your profile must be public.
- You must have a profile photo clearly showing your likeness.
- Your profile needs to have complete sections like About, Experience, Education, Skills, and Recommendations.
- You must be a real person and provide government-issued photo ID.
- You should have an established identity outside of LinkedIn.
Essentially, LinkedIn is looking for authentic, active profiles from real professionals who have a public presence and reputation in their industry or community. Verification helps prove someone’s professional identity and status.
How to get verified on LinkedIn
Here are the steps to request LinkedIn profile verification:
- Make sure your profile is completely filled out with key details like photo, headline, summary, work history, education, skills, etc.
- Go to your profile settings and look for the Verified badge option. Click “Request Verification”.
- Check that you meet the eligibility requirements listed.
- Submit a copy of a government-issued photo ID like a driver’s license, passport, national ID card, etc. Be sure the name matches your profile exactly.
- LinkedIn will review your request and may reach out for additional verification of your credentials and identity.
- If approved, a blue verified badge will appear on your profile.
LinkedIn states that the wait time can take a few weeks or longer in some cases. There is no way to expedite the process. They will notify you by email after reviewing your request.
What happens after you’re verified?
Once your identity has been confirmed and your profile is verified, here is what you can expect:
- A blue verified badge will display on your profile under your name.
- You will gain the ability to have up to 30,000 followers.
- You may get priority ranking in some LinkedIn search and feed algorithms.
- You can participate in LinkedIn’s invitation-only Influencer program.
- Your profile may be featured more prominently in search results and recommendations.
- You will need to maintain your profile accuracy and integrity.
In essence, the blue checkmark signals to others that LinkedIn has vetted your identity and credibility. This allows you to amplify your professional brand and presence on the platform.
Pros of getting verified
Here are some of the key advantages that come with having a verified LinkedIn profile:
- Increased authority and trust – The blue checkmark badge conveys credibility and demonstrates your identity has been confirmed.
- Improved visibility – Verified profiles stand out in search and may be ranked higher by LinkedIn’s algorithms.
- Expanded reach – You can have up to 30,000 followers which greatly extends your professional network and audience.
- Added prestige – Verification carries a certain level of clout and social influence on the platform.
- Higher engagement – Followers and connections may be more likely to interact with a verified profile.
In short, verification enhances your personal brand, establishes you as an authority figure in your industry, and overall allows you to get more value out of LinkedIn for professional networking and opportunities.
Cons of getting verified
While there are many benefits, there are also some potential downsides to having a verified badge on LinkedIn:
- The verification process can take weeks and requires sharing sensitive personal ID documents.
- It can attract unwanted attention and messages from people you don’t know.
- Scammers or imposters may try to leverage your verified status for their gain.
- It may be revoked at any time if LinkedIn finds violations of their policies.
- You lose some privacy and your profile will appear more prominently in searches.
- It requires ongoing maintenance to keep your profile complete and accurate.
Additionally, some people see verification as elitist or unnecessary for networking and job seeking. Weigh the pros and cons based on your own professional goals and comfort level with increased visibility.
Verification request denied
If your request for a verified badge on LinkedIn is denied, here are some potential reasons why:
- Your profile is incomplete and missing key sections.
- You did not provide a clear, professional headshot photo.
- The name on your government ID does not match your profile name exactly.
- You do not have enough of a professional reputation or public presence.
- Your account was recently created without much activity.
- You are associated with multiple LinkedIn profiles.
To improve your chances if denied:
- Fill out all profile sections, like About, Experience, Education, etc.
- Make sure your profile photo clearly shows your face.
- Double check that the name on your ID matches your profile name.
- Try building up your LinkedIn presence and connections.
- Maintain a long-standing, active account in good standing.
You can reapply after 30 days. However, verification is at LinkedIn’s discretion based on their criteria.
Is it worth getting verified on LinkedIn?
Here are some key factors to consider when deciding if LinkedIn verification is worth it for you:
- Your professional goals – If expanding your reach and establishing authority matter, it may be worth it.
- Your comfort with visibility – Verification leads to more public exposure.
- Your position and reputation – Those with an existing public presence tend to benefit more.
- The time investment – Completing your profile and getting approved takes time and effort.
For social media influencers, thought leaders, executives, public figures and other professionals seeking to build their personal brand, LinkedIn verification can be advantageous. But it may be unnecessary for some roles where anonymity is preferred.
Can you pay for LinkedIn verification?
No, LinkedIn specifically states that they do not offer any paid verification services at this time. There is no way to pay, expedite or shortcut the verification process. Attempting to pay someone to get your profile verified goes against their terms and could result in being banned from the platform. Verification is only granted based on meeting their eligibility criteria for a stand-out professional reputation and identity.
Is LinkedIn verification safe? What data is required?
LinkedIn verification requires providing personal identification documents to confirm your identity. This raises reasonable safety and privacy concerns. However, LinkedIn states they protect all data submitted as part of the verification process and will not misuse it. Here are some key points on whether it’s safe:
- You must submit a copy of a government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, national ID card, etc.
- LinkedIn states they will not retain your ID data longer than necessary for verification and account security purposes.
- Your documents are handled by LinkedIn’s Trust & Safety team and stored encrypted.
- LinkedIn will not use your ID documents for any other reasons beyond identity verification.
- You can remove your blue badge at any time which will delete the ID documents from their systems.
While handing over personal documents always carries some risks, LinkedIn has strong data protection policies in place and has verified millions of profiles successfully. Many consider the process safe and accept the temporary data access trade-off for the benefits of verification. However, it’s a personal decision whether you are comfortable providing your private identification.
Are there verified badge scams?
Yes, LinkedIn warns members to be aware of verification badge scams. Here are some red flags:
- Offers to get your profile verified immediately or in 1-2 days. LinkedIn’s process takes weeks in most cases.
- Claims you can pay to get verified. LinkedIn does not offer paid verification services.
- Requests your LinkedIn login credentials. LinkedIn will never ask for your password.
- Asks for additional personal data like credit cards, bank account details, etc.
- Offers of verification through third-party apps or sites other than LinkedIn.com.
These types of offers are almost always cons attempting to steal your money, data or account access. Report any suspicious verification offers within LinkedIn as soon as possible. Only follow the official process through your account settings.
Are all badges on LinkedIn verified?
No, there are various profile badges on LinkedIn, only the blue “Verified” checkmark specifically means your identity has been validated by LinkedIn. Some other common LinkedIn badges include:
- Open To Work – Indicates you are looking for job opportunities.
- Creator – Shows you are posting engaging content.
- Job Seeker – Signals you are actively searching for a new position.
- Volunteer Experience & Causes – Displays your volunteer work and causes.
- Education – Shows off your educational background.
These badges don’t imply any kind of external verification. Only the blue checkmark indicates your profile has gone through LinkedIn’s identity confirmation process.
Are verified profiles ranked higher in LinkedIn search?
LinkedIn does not directly confirm whether verification status influences search ranking. However, many verified users report their profiles appearing higher and more prominently in keyword searches after getting the blue badge. Some key points:
- Verified profiles must keep all sections filled out which improves search optimization.
- The badge may act as a visual signal that boosts click-through rate from search.
- Verified profiles tend to have more connections which factors into LinkedIn’s algorithms.
- Greater visibility and authority may lead to more profile views and endorsements.
So while not a direct ranking factor, the credibility and completeness verification requires likely gives an indirect SEO boost to profiles on LinkedIn search and related algorithms.
Should businesses get verified on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn profile verification is intended only for authenticating individuals, not companies or other entities. However, having verified staff members and executives can still benefit brands and businesses on LinkedIn by:
- Adding credibility to employee profiles connected to the company.
- Potentially improving company page visibility through employee verification.
- Letting employees showcase verified profiles on behalf of the brand.
- Conveying trust and authority in the market by verifying leadership profiles.
While companies themselves cannot get a verified badge, supporting eligible employees going through the verification process can still be advantageous as part of a brand’s overall LinkedIn strategy.
Do all LinkedIn users want verification?
No, not all LinkedIn members are interested in pursuing profile verification. Here are some reasons why some may choose to skip it:
- Don’t want the added public exposure and visibility it brings.
- Uncomfortable sharing private identification documents.
- Don’t have enough of a notable profile or reputation to qualify.
- Primarily use LinkedIn passively just to maintain connections.
- Want anonymity or separation between personal and professional brand.
- See limited professional benefit for their industry or position.
For many everyday LinkedIn users focused on networking and job seeking, verification may be unnecessary and unwanted. But for public figures, influencers, thought leaders and professionals actively building their brand, it can amplify their presence and authority.
Conclusion
LinkedIn profile verification can deliver enhanced visibility, credibility and professional opportunities for many users. But the application process requires time and sharing personal data, and it’s not guaranteed. While the blue checkmark badge signals trust and authority, it’s up to each individual whether pursuing verification aligns with their goals and comfort level. Ultimately, a stand-out professional reputation stems from expertise, networking and quality content – not a badge alone. But for public-facing leaders and rising stars, verification can help boost their personal brand and success on the platform.