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NOW ONGuys, guys, guys, is this the end of Instagram as we know it? I know that sounds dramatic, I know I'm always dramatic, but honestly, this video requires the drama. In case you missed it, there was a recent announcement by the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, where he told the world that they will be launching Meta Verified. Meta Verified is a game-changer, and it is likely to genuinely change how we use Instagram as users and also how we're able to grow on Instagram as creators and entrepreneurs. So if you want to hear more about this update, you want to hear my take on it, other people's opinions on it, what this means for you, carry on watching because this video is going to be a good one.
So what is Meta Verified and why is it causing such a stir amongst creators and entrepreneurs and just everyone, right? I'm assuming... So, Meta Verified is a new feature which was literally announced yesterday at the time of recording this video. It is essentially a subscription feature which will allow Instagram users to pay around $12 per month to get access to a handful of features. Now, these features include a verification badge, so you know those blue check marks, you can actually pay for those now. It also includes proactive impersonation monitoring by Facebook. So, some creators, including myself, have issues with others pretending to be them and using these fake accounts to scam people. So, this is what that feature is trying to combat. You'll also get access to live chat. So, this is a feature which will allow you to speak to a real human from Facebook or Instagram or Meta about any issues that you're experiencing with your account. Now, the most significant feature that you will get as part of this verification subscription, one which I do feel like was thrown in there when the head of Instagram was announcing Meta Verified, you kind of just threw this in there like it wasn't a big deal. It's a huge deal. You'll also get increased reach. People who are part of Meta Verified and therefore paying $12 per month to access these features will get increased reach on Instagram.
So, let's start with why I think this update has even come about. I have to caveat that these are all assumptions. I don't work for Instagram or Facebook, although sometimes I feel like when I read my comments, you guys really think I do work there. I'm going to take that as a compliment. I don't. I just research them heavily as part of my job, and therefore I know a lot about their company. So, I think I'm pretty well placed to make some assumptions here. So, I would assume that the reason why Meta Verified came about is because Instagram is very aware that there are two core groups of people on their platform. On the one hand, you've got the general users. These are people who just use Instagram to see photos and videos from their friends, their family. They use it to stay up to date with their favorite celebrity or pop culture. Whatever it is that's how they're using Instagram. They are not using it to build a following anyway. They're just using it to share and consume content. On the other side, there is a group of people, usually creators and entrepreneurs, who are using Instagram for different reasons. They're trying to grow an audience. They're trying to reach more people. And the main reason behind this can be varied. They might be trying to create a community, raise awareness for a cause, earn money through working with brands, earn money through selling a product or a service. Loads of different reasons, but let's group them all together as creators and entrepreneurs. Now, Instagram is also aware that a huge group of people on the platform are really annoyed with the amount of reach they get for their content. Instagram's reach has been on the decline for years now. It's not a secret, right? They know it, I know it, my dog knows it. I don't have a dog, but you know what I mean. Everyone knows it. So, Instagram probably thought to themselves, "Okay, we need to help people reach more accounts." But there's a big group of people who don't want to reach more accounts. So, how do we make sure that the people who do want to reach more accounts are able to? And voila! I would assume this is where Meta Verified came from.
So, what are our fellow creators and entrepreneurs saying about this update? To sum up, they're not happy. We've got some unhappy people in the comments section of Adam Mosseri's Instagram. Now, it's worth noting that almost every update post that he shares has a lot of negative comments, I'm not gonna lie. But this one does seem to be especially negative. To sum up, the general issue that people have with Meta Verified is that they feel like it's unfair that people have to pay to get access to things that they feel entitled to have already, right? In addition to that, there are some concerns about accounts which spread harmful information or inaccurate information, and this is actually a similar issue that Twitter had when they tried to launch their own version of this, right? The thing is, with the verification badge, that little blue checkmark, it's basically like a stamp of credibility. If you have one of those badges, people see you as credible. They see you as a real person. So, there's a chance that a lot of harmful Instagram accounts will get that badge, and it will give them credibility that maybe they shouldn't be getting.
Okay, so if any of you care about what I think about Meta Verified and what my predictions are, then you're going to want to listen to this section. The first thing I want to say about this is that social media is free and has been free to us for a really long time, and I think as a result of that, we have become ever so slightly spoiled and we feel quite entitled to have access to a lot of things for free, even though the sheer fact that we're able to reach thousands, millions, billions of people free of charge up to this point is pretty spectacular, right? So that's the first thing I want to say. I'm aware that we're very lucky to have social media for free. So, whilst it's great that we get access to social media for free, I do think that it's a bit of a shame that we now need to pay a monthly fee in order to get access to some of the things that you get when you join Meta Verified, specifically the reach, right?
Before we wrap up, I want to talk about some of my predictions for Meta Verified because I'm kind of, not concerned, maybe a bit concerned. I think there are some kinks that are going to arise when they start to roll this out. So, first of all, there is a chance that Meta Verified will massively impact the user experience on Instagram. Now, the reason why is because creators who share content that isn't quite great, they've not nailed it yet, it's not valuable, it's not high quality, they might start to get more reach purely because they are verified, and the result of that would be that users of Instagram will start to see more lower quality content than higher quality content on their feeds purely because the person who created that content is verified. So, suddenly the idea that you need to create good content to be seen will become redundant, and it will be more about paying to be seen, and when you change that model, the repercussions could be pretty significant.
Q: What is Meta Verified?
A: Meta Verified is a new subscription feature on Instagram that allows users to pay a monthly fee to access exclusive features like a verification badge, proactive impersonation monitoring, live chat support, and increased reach.
Q: Why was Meta Verified introduced?
A: Meta Verified was introduced to address the declining reach on Instagram and to provide creators and entrepreneurs with the opportunity to reach more accounts and gain credibility through a verification badge.
Q: What are the features of Meta Verified?
A: The features of Meta Verified include a verification badge, proactive impersonation monitoring, live chat support, and increased reach on Instagram.
Q: What is the community response to Meta Verified?
A: The community response to Meta Verified has been mixed, with some users expressing dissatisfaction over having to pay for features they feel entitled to, while others are concerned about the credibility of accounts that may spread harmful or inaccurate information.
Q: What are the predictions and concerns with Meta Verified?
A: Some predictions and concerns with Meta Verified include the impact on user experience, the potential for lower quality content to gain more reach based on verification status, and the shift towards a pay-to-be-seen model on Instagram.
Q: What is the personal take on Meta Verified?
A: The personal take on Meta Verified acknowledges the privilege of having free access to social media and highlights the disappointment in needing to pay for certain features, particularly the increased reach provided by Meta Verified.