So you want to be an influencer, hey?

Post that engaging #content, interact with #brands, appreciate the wonders of the natural world and rock the #nofilter.

Oh, and just buy one of those blue ticks to maximise your earning potential.

It turns out there is quite a black market trade in Instagram’s verification system, with Mashable on why people are forking out for the ‘honour’:

The product for sale isn’t a good or a service. It’s a little blue check designated for public figures, celebrities, and brands on Instagram. It grants users a prime spot in search as well as access to special features.

More importantly, it’s a status symbol. The blue emblem can help people gain legitimacy in the business of influencer marketing and bestows some credibility within Instagram’s community of 700 million monthly active users. It cannot be requested online or purchased, according to Instagram’s policies. It is Instagram’s velvet rope.

But it’s clear from people who spoke on the condition of anonymity, many of whom have their own blue checkmarks, that a black market for Instagram verification is alive and well.

And it’s an open secret in the influencer community.

Brands are far more likely to work with influencers that are verified, so it can be a lucrative purchase, although the up front costs are not to be scoffed at.

Prices vary widely, but one seller, Alejandro Rioja. has this to say:

“I work with 2-3 people [at Instagram] depending on their availability. The price is $5k-$8k, which varies depending on how easy it is to verify, i.e. they already have press and are somewhat of a known figure.  The Instagram employee takes most of it, 60-80%,” Rioja wrote in a Twitter direct message.

The cost for verification is the highest on Instagram because it’s the most coveted. That’s in part because it is the strictest, several sources told us. Business on Instagram can be big. Advertisers may be spending more than $1 billion per year on influencer marketing on Instagram, according to a study by Mediakix. An easy way to identify an influencer is via that blue checkmark. It’s immediate legitimacy.

The Mashable story digs very deep into how the process works, but here’s a simplified version of sorts:

1. There’s usually an employee at Facebook/Instagram who is willing to take a bribe or just be a friend. A middleman will be the seller.
2. The middleman receives cash, which may or may not be split with the Facebook/Instagram employee.
3. The friend at Facebook/Instagram submits a verification request and crosses their fingers it gets approved.

And then you roll in the dough as brands throw money at you.

Read their full investigation HERE.

[source:mashable]