Having a verified LinkedIn account can be very beneficial for establishing credibility and authority in your industry. However, getting that coveted blue checkmark next to your name doesn’t always go smoothly. Many users report issues getting their LinkedIn account verified. So what are the main reasons LinkedIn may not verify your account, and what can you do about it?
Common Reasons LinkedIn Won’t Verify Your Account
Here are some of the most common reasons LinkedIn may not verify your account:
Your account is too new
LinkedIn wants to verify accounts that have established a presence on the platform. If your account is brand new with limited connections and activity, LinkedIn may want to see you engage more before verifying you. Be patient and focus on building your connections and profile.
Your account lacks completeness
LinkedIn expects verified accounts to have complete profiles with detailed work histories, education, skills, recommendations, etc. Profiles with sparse information and minimal details often won’t get verified. Make sure your profile is as robust and detailed as possible.
You don’t have enough connections
Your number of connections can influence verification. LinkedIn wants to see you have an established network on the platform. While the minimum number of connections for verification is not public, building your network boosts your chances.
You aren’t active enough
Inactive accounts are unlikely to get verified. LinkedIn wants to see regular engagement in the form of content sharing, commenting, liking, posting, and connecting. Interact frequently with your network and post updates to demonstrate activity.
You don’t have a professional photo
LinkedIn requires profile photos for verification. Make sure you have a high-quality professional headshot clearly showing your face. Avoid casual photos, selfies, or group shots.
Your account has been banned or restricted
If your account has been banned, suspended, or placed under restriction by LinkedIn, you won’t be eligible for verification. Ensure you follow LinkedIn’s user guidelines and terms of service.
You don’t meet LinkedIn’s criteria
LinkedIn has specific eligibility criteria for verification related to being a prominent professional in your field. Evaluate if you align with their requirements for professionals representing brands, organizations, public figures, etc.
Tips to Improve Your Chances of Getting Verified
If your LinkedIn account isn’t getting verified, here are some proactive steps you can take:
Build your professional brand
Focus on positioning yourself as an industry influencer by sharing valuable insights, thought leadership content, and expertise. Become known as a subject matter expert.
Make strategic connections
Connect with key leaders in your field, partners, clients, brands you work with, and other professionals who can endorse you.
Get recommendations
Request recommendations from connections to showcase your skills, value, and achievements. Quality recommendations boost credibility.
Cross-promote your profile
Link to your LinkedIn profile from your website, social media, email signature, resume, and anywhere else appropriate to demonstrate your professional brand.
Apply for verification
You can manually submit a verification request to LinkedIn. Be sure you meet the criteria before applying. Follow up if you don’t hear back.
Inquire about verification requirements
Politely reach out to LinkedIn to ask about their verification requirements and if there are any gaps in your profile or activity preventing verification.
Partner with clients and brands
Collaborate on content and campaigns with verified companies and showcase those partnerships on your profile. Partner associations can help.
Monitor your progress
Check your follower growth, engagement, page views, and profile updates on a regular basis. Healthy growth and activity may catch LinkedIn’s attention for verification.
Reasons LinkedIn May Reject Your Verification Request
While building your presence and applying is important, it’s also useful to know why LinkedIn may reject a verification request. Some top reasons include:
You don’t meet the basic criteria
LinkedIn outlines their core verification requirements related to being an established influential professional with a complete, authentic profile. If you don’t meet this baseline criteria, your request will likely be rejected. Ensure you align with their guidelines.
Your account history is poor
Previous bans, restrictions, violations of terms, fake accounts, buying followers or engagement – questionable account history will make verification approval less likely. Maintain your account in good standing.
Your request seems inauthentic
LinkedIn scrutinizes requests to ensure verification is for legitimate professional representation and branding, not ego or vanity. Make sure your reasoning aligns with their standards.
You appear to lack notability
For verification, LinkedIn wants to see you have a presence, achievements, news coverage, thought leadership, and indicators of professional influence. Limited evidence of your authority or credibility reduces verification chances.
Your identity can’t be confirmed
LinkedIn expects accounts to represent real people and organizations. Insufficient proof of who you say you are makes verification unlikely. Provide proper documentation if requested.
You don’t demonstrate active engagement
Inactive accounts and profiles without much sharing, posting, commenting or connecting are less likely to get the blue verified badge. Always participate and contribute value within your networks.
Your profile lacks detail
Sparse, incomplete profiles with scant professional details don’t align with verification standards. Robust, fleshed out profiles tend to be required for approval. Share your background extensively.
You aren’t well-known professionally
Widespread name recognition, media presence and acknowledging your impact matters for verification. Limited evidence of your professional influence makes approval less certain. Demonstrate your authority.
Your network size is too small
While the minimum is unclear, LinkedIn wants verified profiles to have large networks and industry connections. A sparse contact list works against approval. Grow your number of quality connections.
Specific Steps to Get LinkedIn Account Verified
Want your LinkedIn account to get that coveted blue verification checkmark? Here is an 8-step checklist:
Step 1: Optimize Your Profile Completeness
Fill out every section in your profile extensively – experience, education, about summary, skills, recommendations, etc. Leave noprofessional details out.
Step 2: Build Your Connections Strategically
Focus on making genuine connections with industry leaders, partners, brands and professionals who can vouch for you. Quality over quantity.
Step 3: Engage Frequently with Content
Share articles, comment, like posts, publish updates, etc. Actively participate in your network and groups to boost visibility.
Step 4: Establish Yourself as a Thought Leader
Post regular updates with valuable insights, perspectives and expertise. Contribute to conversations in your space. Show specialized knowledge.
Step 5: Crosslink Your LinkedIn Profile
Reference your LinkedIn URL prominently on your website, resume, email signature and anywhere appropriate. Maximize discoverability.
Step 6: Build Your Professional Brand Assets
Develop assets like a personal website, speaking experience, media appearances, published works, accolades etc. that validate your brand.
Step 7: Monitor and Maintain Your Progress
Analyze your profile analytics and engagement metrics routinely. Growth and activity may get LinkedIn’s attention.
Step 8: Request Verification from LinkedIn
Finally, once the above steps are complete, formally request verification. Follow up if needed and provide any requested documentation.
Key Takeaways and Next Steps
Here are the key points to remember about getting verified on LinkedIn:
Takeaways
- Verification helps demonstrate professional credibility and authority.
- Incomplete, inactive accounts struggle to get verified.
- Strategically building connections and thought leadership content boosts visibility.
- Officially requesting verification is crucial once you meet LinkedIn’s criteria.
- LinkedIn scrutinizes requests to confirm legitimacy and notability.
Next Steps
- Audit your LinkedIn profile and activity to identify gaps preventing verification.
- Develop a plan to systematically enhance your profile completeness and engagement.
- Proactively build your professional brand, network and thought leadership.
- Carefully align with LinkedIn’s verification eligibility criteria.
- Submit a verification request and follow up politely if needed.
Getting your LinkedIn account officially verified takes effort but pays dividends in establishing your reputation and authority. With a strategic approach and persistently meeting LinkedIn’s standards, you can earn that coveted blue checkmark! What steps will you take today to move closer to LinkedIn verification?