'Meta Verified' takes a test run in Aus & NZ

Meta's paid verification service for businesses is expanding. And Australians and New Zealanders will be the first to take 'Meta Verified' for a spin.

The new plans boast a wider range of services for business owners on Facebook, Instagram and (eventually) WhatsApp. But some of those perks might take a small bite out of your budget.

Under the new structure, the current 'standard' plan for businesses has changed to US$14.99/month. This is the same price individuals pay.

Plan perks include higher rankings in searches, the ability to add links to images, customer support access, and more.

The new plans have perks that build upon the standard plan, but they come at a small business cost. They include the 'plus', 'premium' and 'max' tiers, which will set you back $44.99, $119.99 and $349.99 (USD) per month respectively.

Each one includes add-ons like fast-tracked customer support. You also get the ability to add links to Reels and access to extra profile customisation options.

The most expensive 'max' plan includes expanded customer service perks. These include an 'account review' with 'personalized guidance on their content strategy' twice a year. You can also request a phone call from a Meta representative for customer support.

For us, it's an apprehensive "yes".

We think the new plans will help businesses flourish on Meta's platforms. After all, no other social medias have extensive safety and security features like this.

Apps like Facebook aren't going to get much bigger than they are right now. So it makes sense to enhance the experience for more committed users to keep them engaged.

However, in the long term, we do worry Meta will take the same path as other big tech companies like Netflix and Uber.

We won't be surprised if they slowly make their original services worse over time. This will force people to pay increasingly more to access 'better' versions.