The green tick: what it is, who gets it, and whether you need it

The green tick is Official Business Account status, and Meta grants it on notability - whether your brand is written about by independent sources - rather than on how complete your application is. Most businesses that want one do not qualify, and most that want one do not need one.

What it actually changes

One thing, and it matters more than it sounds: your business name is shown to recipients who have not saved your number. Without it, an unsaved contact sees digits.

That is the whole benefit. It does not raise your messaging limits, does not improve delivery, and does not protect you from being blocked.

What Meta looks for

• Notability. Coverage in independent news sources - not press releases, not paid placements, not your own blog. This is the bar almost everybody fails.
• An authentic, unique presence. One account per brand, matching a real business.
• Business verification, already done. A prerequisite rather than a qualification.
• Policy compliance. No outstanding violations on the account or the Business Manager.

What to do instead

The problem the badge solves - a stranger seeing digits instead of your name - has cheaper solutions:

1. Get the number saved. A click-to-chat link where the customer messages you first means your name is in their app from the start.
2. Fill in the business profile. Name, description, address, hours and website are all shown when somebody taps through, badge or no badge.
3. Open with who you are. "This is Njeri from Kilimani Tyres" costs one line and does the job the badge does.
4. Use one number consistently. Recognition is built by the number being the same one every time, which is also an argument for choosing it carefully.

The display name is a separate fight

Verification and display name approval are different processes with different rules, and the second one rejects far more applications than people expect. Why a display name gets rejected.