You must be aware of the “Public Figure” label that some individuals have on their Instagram profiles. This label appears below their name on their page.
The tendency is to believe that only celebrities are entitled to this tag. However, you don’t have to be a celebrity to own this label on your Instagram account.
Getting the Public Figure status on your Instagram profile is a very quick and easy thing to do. Many individuals are not famous, but they have the Public Figure label on their accounts.
Although you may not have to be famous to have Public Figure status, there are certain criteria to justify holding that status on Instagram.
Who is a Public Figure on Instagram?
Generally speaking, a public figure is an individual who has attracted the attention of several people by which they have now become famous.
Being a public figure is defined in different ways. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines a public figure as one who has become famous through a public controversy.
In the context of social media, the definition is similar. You can be well-known by a great number of people and not be an international celebrity.
You would still be considered famous. Sometimes, it’s not your followers who decide, but you who need to decide whether the degree of your popularity and engagement on Instagram calls for claiming the hallowed Public Figure status.
The Benefits of Having a Public Figure Status on Instagram
You can enjoy multiple benefits by having a Public Figure status on Instagram. If you consider becoming a Public Figure, by now, you are already a familiar and respected figure in a particular group of netizens.
By acquiring Public Figure status, you can get the following benefits:
Capacity to Influence
As you are now officially certified as a leader, what you say and do will be respected by others. You can influence the decisions of your followers who now regard you as an authority,
Invitations to Public Events
You may start to receive invitations to public events such as brand launches, and even get offers to partner with brands and organizations.
Increased Earnings
Your Public Figure status will increase your number of followers. If you monetize your page and use ads, increased viewership and engagement by your followers will push up your income.
Access to Instagram Analytics
Thanks to your new status, you will now have access to Instagram Analytics. These features include engagement monitoring, follower preferences and characteristics, plus tips for content improvement.
Ability to Add Clickable Links
Along with the Instagram Public Figure status comes the provision to add clickable links to your Instagram page. You can add them to your profile and posts. It gives you a huge scope if you have a website and brand that you need to promote.
Paid Ads Access
You can now get access to paid ads which are some of the most economical and effective ads you can get on social media. Instagram will also offer you some useful tips and tricks that you can use towards monetizing your Instagram page.
Contact Button
You get a contact button that isn’t accessible to standard Instagram members. You can add this button to your profile, which can increase lead generation.
How to Become a Public Figure Status on Instagram
Now that you have seen the benefits of becoming a Public Figure on Instagram, why not aim at achieving this goal for yourself. If you have a proven track record on Insta in a niche area, you are a good candidate for getting a Public Figure status. Here’s how you can proceed:
Public Figure Status with Facebook
Instagram is a subsidiary of Facebook. It is not surprising that they want their Instagram accounts linked to Facebook accounts.
If you have a personal or business Instagram account, you can link it to Facebook. Even if you don’t have a Facebook account, you would have to create one to get a Public Figure status on Instagram.
Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Open Facebook
- Click on the Facebook icon on your mobile, to open your page.
- On the top, right corner, tap the three horizontal bars.
- Under “Menu,” tap the red flag icon entitled “pages.”
- You will see a list of all your pages with an option for creating a new page. The option is a button with a “+” sign, entitled “Create.”
- Tap on “Create” to create a new Facebook page.
- The next screen that opens is entitled “Create your page.”
- Tap the “Get Started” button at the bottom of the page.
- Facebook asks you “What do you want to name this page?”
- In the field “Page name” key in the name you want to give the page. Choose a name that is in line with your brand or business (you can amend it later on if required).
- Now tap “NEXT” to go to the category page where Facebook asks you “Which category best describes this page?” Add the category (you can add up to five categories). You also need to add a sub-category.
- For getting Public Figure status, you need to choose “people” as your category and “Public Figure” as your sub-category.
- Tapping the “NEXT” button takes you to the address screen. You can enter your postal address or decline to add your address details.
- Tap “NEXT” to take you to the images page. You can add a cover photo and a profile picture. You can put images of your product, your logo, or your photograph. You can be creative and add images that appeal to viewers and that reflect your brand suitably.
- Finally, tap “DONE” and your new Facebook business page is complete.
Adding Your “Public Figure” Label to Your Instagram Profile
Now that you have applied a Public Figure to your Facebook profile you need to add your label to your Instagram profile.
Here are the necessary steps:
- Tap the Instagram icon on your mobile phone.
- Now, tap the three horizontal bars on the top, right corner.
- The “settings” page will open.
- Scroll down to the button entitled “switch to business profile” and tap on it. It converts your account into a business account.
- You need to be logged in to your Facebook account at this stage. If not already logged in, please do so.
- Tap the “pages” button to display the list of your Facebook pages.
- Select your desired page.
- You now need to provide some information to Instagram.
- Once done, your “Public Figure” label should appear on your Insta page.
Public Figure Status without Facebook
Many people aren’t comfortable with Facebook and don’t intend to create a Facebook account at any time in the near or far future.
If you are one such person, then the good news is that you can still set up a business account and acquire a Public Figure status on Instagram.
Here are the basic steps you need to follow:
- Open your Instagram page on your mobile phone.
- Tap the three bars on the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
- Now tap “settings” and under settings, tap “account.”
- Under account, tap on “Switch to Professional account” and tap “Continue” several times and make sure to skip the option “choose a page.”
- You will now reach the screen entitled: “What best describes you?”
- Out of the many categories, choose “People.”
- Under “People” you will see a long list. Choose “Public Figure.”
- The last stage is to confirm the email ID and mobile number linked to your Instagram account.
- Once done, your new “Public Figure” label will appear on your Instagram page, under your name or page title.
Qualifying Factors That Justify the Public Figure Label
A public figure by definition is a person who is famous outside their immediate sphere of influence. For example, a well-known Hollywood actor may be world-famous.
Instagram’s interpretation of a public figure is somewhat different, but in principle, it remains the same. For qualifying for “Public Figure” status on Instagram you would have to meet certain requirements.
You should have a huge number of followers, although Instagram provides the label for those with 1,000 or above. Then, you need to have proven engagement.
Followers can be bought as many celebrities have proved. But it is genuine engagement that the new Instagram algorithm looks for. The fake leaders WILL be weeded out.
Ultimately, you need to convince yourself that you can have a large number of followers not only within Instagram but outside the platform.
If you feel that you meet these requirements, then you qualify for the “Public Figure” label.
Conclusion
As you can see from the discussions above, getting a Public Figure label on your Instagram account is an easy process. The important consideration is for you to decide whether you qualify for that badge.
Consider the factors that we have described above to decide whether you qualify for the Public Figure label or not.
If you aren’t a celebrity or a genuine public figure like a politician or a famous sportsperson, then you need to have done some phenomenal stuff to meet the requirements.
Today you will find a number of people claiming the Public Figure title, even though it’s obvious that they don’t qualify. It is mostly the access to the Instagram Analytics dashboard that they are after.
Facebook and Instagram have allowed it to happen by making the “Public Figure” status easy to acquire. Finally, they have to come up with a solution to provide analytical tools that aren’t linked to a “Public Figure.”
Now you know how to become a Public Figure on Instagram. But you have to ask yourself whether you qualify or not.
If you do, then kudos to you, and enjoy your elevated status once you have gone through the steps provided in this post.
