Now, Meta Verified To Be Rolled Out For WhatsApp Business Users In India

Social media giant Meta has announced that its Meta Verified programme will now be rolled out for WhatsApp Business users in India, Indonesia, Brazil and Colombia.

The announcement was made at Meta’s annual business messaging event, Conversations, on Thursday (June 6). 

Meta Verified is a subscription service designed to enhance a business’s credibility with new audiences, driving increased engagement and brand growth.

Meta launched its verification programme for creators in March last year and expanded it to businesses in September. 

The company has introduced new AI tools to help businesses serve customers better. This integration is to help with things like creating a Facebook or Instagram ad that clicks to start a WhatsApp chat or getting support using features like catalog or quick replies.

Meta is also introducing one-tap calling for larger businesses on WhatsApp. Besides, it has also rolled out customised customer messages feature for businesses which will help them send personal messages like a birthday greeting or holiday promotion in a faster and more efficient way, rather than manually sending them.

As per the company, the monthly subscription plan for this service starts at $14.99 for Business Standard and goes up to $119.99 for Business Premium.

The verified subscription includes linking up to four devices, a verified badge, impersonation protection, in-app Meta Verified support, one verified channel, and a business web page for a business standard.

“When you see a Meta Verified badge, this means a business has registered their information with Meta. Businesses using Meta Verified receive enhanced account support (including impersonation protection) and can use WhatsApp across multiple devices for their employees,” Meta said in a statement.

It further said that the verified badge will also appear on these businesses’ WhatsApp channels and custom WhatsApp pages.

The development comes at a time when Meta’s advertising policies are under intense scrutiny, with a watchdog group reporting the approval of over a dozen “highly inflammatory” ads targeting Indian audiences. These ads, spread across Facebook and Instagram, have been flagged for disseminating disinformation, inciting religious violence, and promoting election-related conspiracy theories.

Before India’s general elections on April 19, Meta pledged to combat misinformation, prevent voter interference, and improve transparency and accountability on its platforms. Additionally, the tech giant began blocking election-related queries on its trial AI chatbot, Meta AI, to restrict certain keywords during the testing phase.