How to Get a Checkmark on TikTok

That little blue checkmark next to a TikTok username is more than just a cosmetic icon, it's a powerful signal of credibility and audience trust. But unlike other platforms, TikTok has kept the path to verification somewhat mysterious, leading to a lot of speculation and misinformation. This guide breaks down exactly what the checkmark means, what TikTok looks for, and the practical steps you can take to increase your chances of earning one for yourself.

What a TikTok Checkmark Actually Means

First, let's clear up what verification is not: it’s not an award for having millions of followers or a reward for going viral once. While those things can help, they don't guarantee a checkmark. At its core, the TikTok verified badge is an authentication tool. Its primary job is to confirm that an account genuinely belongs to the person or brand it claims to represent. This helps protect well-known individuals from impersonation and reassures users that they are consuming content from a legitimate source.

Essentially, the checkmark tells your audience three key things:

• Authenticity: You are who you say you are.
• Notability: You are a well-known figure, brand, or entity often recognized outside of TikTok.
• Credibility: Your account is the official presence of this notable figure.

Think of it less as a "status symbol" and more as a digital passport that confirms your identity in a very crowded app.

Can You Just Apply for Verification?

This is the most common question, and the answer is a bit complicated. For the vast majority of creators, there is no public-facing application form that you can fill out and submit. You can't just request to be verified.

Instead, verification on TikTok typically happens in one of two ways:

1. Proactive Verification: The TikTok staff actively seeks out and verifies accounts of highly influential or notable users. This is common for major celebrities, public figures, and global brands who join the platform. Their verification team is on the lookout to prevent impersonation before it becomes a problem.
2. Internal Identification: As an account grows in influence and achieves significant notability, often demonstrated by a spike in media attention, TikTok's dedicated team may flag it for verification.

So, instead of trying to find a secret form, your strategy should focus on sending all the right signals so that TikTok's team identifies your account as a prime candidate for verification organically.

The Unofficial Checklist: What TikTok’s Verification Team Looks For

While TikTok doesn't publish a hard-and-fast checklist, we can piece together what they value by looking at the accounts that consistently get verified. Think of the following points as the foundational elements your account needs to have in place.

1. Activity and Engagement

A dormant account won't get verified. TikTok wants to see that you're an active, contributing member of the community. This means maintaining a consistent posting schedule over a significant period, typically several months. More importantly, verification is tied to sustained growth and having a deeply engaged audience. A one-hit viral wonder rarely gets the blue check, an account that cultivates a thriving community and consistently earns comments, shares, and saves is a much stronger candidate.

2. Authenticity and a Completed Profile

Your account must be genuine. This starts with having a completely filled-out profile: a bio, a profile picture, and at least one video. Link to your other verified social media profiles (like Instagram, X, or YouTube) and your official website. This creates a web of authenticity that is easy for TikTok to confirm. The "real you" must shine through.

3. Adherence to Community Guidelines

This is non-negotiable. Your account must be in good standing and have a history of following TikTok's Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. Any recent violations or a pattern of having content taken down will immediately disqualify you. The checkmark is an endorsement, and TikTok won't endorse accounts that break the rules.

4. Significant Media Coverage (Notability)

Here’s the single most important factor: TikTok needs to see that you are notable outside of TikTok. Verification is often reserved for people, brands, or organizations that have established public credibility and awareness. Simply being "TikTok famous" usually isn't enough.

What does this look like in practice?

• Being featured in multiple, credible news articles or publications (not just press releases or paid content).
• Having a dedicated Wikipedia page that follows notability standards.
• Being verified on other major social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or X.
• Winning a well-known award in your industry.

These external proof points signal to TikTok that you are a genuine public figure worthy of verification.

Actionable Steps to Increase Your Chances of Getting Verified

Knowing what TikTok looks for is one thing, actually achieving it is another. Here are concrete strategies you can implement to build your case for verification.

Step 1: Grow a Genuinely Engaged Community

Focus on community building, not just chasing follower counts. A million passive followers is less valuable than 100,000 highly engaged fans who comment, share, and advocate for your content. Here’s how to do it:

• Reply to a lot of comments. Show your audience you're listening and create a two-way conversation.
• Use features like Duets and Stitches. Engage directly with other creators and trends.
• Go LIVE. Connect with your followers in real-time, answer their questions, and build a stronger personal connection.
• Create content that prompts a reaction. Ask questions, start debates (keep them friendly!), and encourage user-generated content using your sounds or ideas.

Step 2: Find Your Niche and Nail Your Content Strategy

Being a generalist on TikTok makes it hard to stand out. Becoming the go-to expert for a specific topic, however, positions you as a leading voice. Whether you’re the #1 source for historical baking facts, minimalist tech reviews, or sustainable style, owning a niche makes you more memorable and authoritative. Analyze your best-performing videos. What do they have in common? Double down on those themes and formats to develop a content signature that is uniquely yours.

Step 3: Actively Pursue Off-Platform Press

Don't wait for journalists to find you. You need to actively build your public profile. This is the hardest part, but it yields the greatest rewards.

• Start with local media. Are you a local business owner or creative doing something interesting? Pitch your story to your local newspaper, TV station, or city blog.
• Use services like HARO (Help A Reporter Out) or Qwoted. These services connect journalists with expert sources. Responding to queries in your niche is a great way to get quotes in articles.
• Collaborate with creators on other platforms. Appear on a well-known podcast or YouTube channel in your industry. This “borrows” credibility and introduces you to a new audience.
• Network within your industry. Speak at events, participate in panels, and establish yourself as an expert. This type of activity often leads to press features.

Keep a document with links to every single article, interview, or feature you're mentioned in. This is your portfolio of notability.

Myths and Scams: What to Avoid on Your Path to Verification

Because the verification process is opaque, a whole industry of misinformation and scams has popped up. Protect yourself by recognizing these common myths.

Myth 1: You can buy TikTok verification.

You cannot. Anyone who messages you claiming they can get you verified for a fee is a scammer. They will take your money and disappear, and in some cases, may even try to compromise your account. There is no “backdoor” or payment that gets you a checkmark. It has to be earned through the methods described above.

Myth 2: There's a secret application I just need to find.

As mentioned, TikTok does not have a public verification request form. Don't waste your time looking for one or falling for fake login pages that claim to offer one. The process is handled internally by TikTok's staff.

Myth 3: Knowing someone who works at TikTok is a guaranteed ticket.

While having an industry contact who can champion your account might help get your name on paper with their staff, it doesn't bypass the core requirements. That person would still need to present a strong case for why you should be verified, which brings you right back to building your notability and having a strong account. Nepotism won't work if your account isn't up to snuff.

Final Thoughts

Getting a blue checkmark on TikTok isn't about exploiting a loophole, it’s the result of building a highly-engaging brand that is recognized both on and off the platform. By focusing on creating valuable content consistently, cultivating an active community, and building credible proof of your notability, you position yourself as exactly the kind of authentic creator TikTok wants to verify.

Juggling that consistent posting schedule while strategizing for off-platform growth can feel overwhelming. We know the feeling of spending too much time wrestling with planners that weren't designed for today's video-first world. That frustration is why at Postbase, we created a streamlined tool to help you visually plan and reliably schedule all your TikToks, Reels, and Shorts - so you can spend less time uploading manually and more time on the creative work that actually builds your brand and earns that checkmark.