Since Twitter has opened up online phone verification there has been a lot of buzz about it. So what is it that has caused such a huge stir? At first look, the verification looks like nothing but a little checkmark next to the account holders’ name. If you thought that there was nothing more to the Twitter phone verification then here is what you should know about it.
It adds stability and accountability to your account
It is undoubtedly one of the main reasons why Twitter has started the verification process. Account verification lets Twitter hold people more accountable for their actions on the social media site. It cuts on spam. When the names are exposed and the users’ reputation is at stake then there are fewer spamming and obnoxious activities on the site.
A trusted sign in the community
Verification is a major source of authority among any average Twitter user. Most of them however create an impression just by looking at the checkmark. All that they see is whether they have a checkmark on not and this is a major deciding factor whether or not to start the communication.
An additional measure of security
To apply for Twitter verification you need to have a valid email id, a birth date, and a verified phone number, and all of these need to be entered into the Twitter system. The phone number is of importance because of the two-factor authentication. The email address is needed for password recovery. Phone verification ensures proper measures of security and if your account is compromised then you have no way of recovering it.
Prevents identity theft
A phisher may impersonate your account and they may start to send messages to your fans and followers on Twitter. Verification cuts on this because it gives the account holder more authority.
Helps with verification on the other sites
You may be a new brand but not so high profile that you get verified automatically. In that case, you can use the verification as assistance. So if you wish to get verified on say Facebook then you could use Twitter verification. If you think that you are a brand that does deserve to be verified then you can earn it on Twitter. This lets you put forth a request to verify yourself on the other social media sites too.
Get help networking with the influencers
Those into influencer marketing know that this is the next big thing today. Influencer marketers are highly in demand. They know whom they are engaging with. To stand out in the crowd and show off your brand or your business you need to offer something different from the others. One such way to stand out is to verify your Twitter account. If an influencer sees a message then he may want to ignore it. However, if your account is verified then he would at least pause a moment to respond.
Get in new followers
This is a huge benefit when you earn twitter verification. It builds in an influx of messages and followers from those who may themselves be looking for verification.
Now that we understand the uses of Twitter verification it clearly shows that this is something that is non–negotiable. However, there could be a few instances where you may have to bypass phone verification. This could be in cases when you may have lost your phone or may have canceled your number. Usually, Twitter does not ask you to enter the phone number but in some cases like in the case of a two-way authentication or account suspension, you will be asked to verify yourself through the phone number.
Here is how if you are stuck in such a situation you can still go ahead and log into your Twitter account.
- First, check if you are logged into some other device. If you are logged into your Twitter account from some other device then quickly disable the Twitter phone verification in that device. You will have to go to the login verification section where you should turn off the verification. This will ensure that Twitter will not ask for any additional phone number when logging in.
- The step should be taken to not let Twitter ask for your phone number to log into it. Once you have changed the setting then go back to the device where you wish to log into and you will now be able to log into Twitter bypassing phone verification.
- Using a backup code. At the time of setting up two-factor authentication with your Twitter account, you also get an option to set up a recovery code that can be used in cases when you cannot verify your mobile number. You can check this backup code in the settings and privacy section in case there is any other device on which you are logged into Twitter.
- Verify using your email account. Twitter also lets you reset your password and verify your Twitter account with an email address. So in case, you do not have a phone number you can still access the account verifying your email address.
- Raise a ticket with Twitter. If in such a situation where you are not able to bypass the phone verification for whatever reason then the only way out is to raise a ticket with your Twitter account. This ticket deals with any issues with login and to login into your account you will have to enter your username and submit a ticket. Twitter will resolve it.
Conclusion
If you have been able to do the Twitter phone verification using any of the methods that have been stated above then the first thing to do is to update your new number. Make sure to update your number in the Twitter profile which will save you from carrying out this process again. Twitter would also check if you wish to update your number from time to time. Make sure to update your number in case you have changed your number.