How to Conduct a Thorough Social Media Investigation: Tips and Tools for Amateurs

In today’s digital age, our online connections often feel closer than our neighbors. Did you know? Americans spend an average of 7 hours and 3 minutes daily on screens, slightly more than the global average (Comparitech).  Many of us meet people online who share our interests, but sometimes we wonder about their true intentions. 

Now, while it’s great to bond with people who share our passions online, there’s always that tiny voice in our heads whispering, “But who really are they?” Are they genuinely interested, or are they just a digital stalker with too much time on their hands? The answer lies in what they post, like, comment, and share, it says way more about them than what they might claim in a bio.

But let’s face it, not all of us are tech wizards who can sneak around the web undetected. The thought of playing online detective without triggering any alarms can be nerve-wracking. That’s where we come in. In this blog, we’ll share some clever tricks and hacks to help you conduct a social media investigation like a pro, even if you’re just starting out. 

Why Social Media Investigation is Important in Today’s World?

Social media is like a window into someone’s life. As of January 2024, 72.2% of the US internet user base used social media, regardless of age. People share their thoughts, pictures, locations, friends, and sometimes, even too much personal information. By analyzing these posts, you can gather insights into their lifestyle, interests, habits, and more. This can be helpful for various reasons, such as:

1. Before hiring someone or entering into a business partnership, social media can provide insight into their professional reputation and personal values, helping you make informed decisions.
2. When buying or selling items online, checking the other person’s social media profiles can confirm if they’re genuine, reducing the risk of scams.
3. If you’re concerned about how you or your brand is being portrayed online, social media can give you a snapshot of public perception and areas that might need attention.
4. If you’re considering collaborating with influencers or brand ambassadors, analyzing their social media presence can help determine if they align with your values and target audience.
5. In the world of online dating, social media can help you gauge whether someone’s lifestyle and interests are compatible with yours before you take the plunge into a relationship.
6. If a family member or friend is going through a tough time, their social media activity can offer clues about their well-being, allowing you to provide support when needed.
7. In legal disputes, social media posts can sometimes serve as evidence to support your case, whether it’s in matters of divorce, custody, or contract violations.
8. With the rise of fake accounts and catfishing, a quick scan of someone’s social media activity can help you spot red flags and avoid potential traps.
9. For businesses, keeping an eye on social media can reveal trends and customer sentiment, allowing you to adapt your strategies to meet the needs of your audience.
10. If you’re renting out a property or looking for a new roommate, social media can give you a peek into their lifestyle and habits, helping you avoid problematic situations.

How To Conduct Social Media Investigation Without Any Tools

You will be surprised to know that As of May 2024, Americans spend an average of 2 hours and 14 minutes per day on social media. So with just keen eyes and the right techniques, you can create a digital profile of any person likes, hobbies and interests. 

Begin with a simple search on Google. Type in the person’s name and see what pops up. Often, you’ll find links to their social media profiles, news articles, or other online mentions. This step helps you get a sense of where they’re active online. 

If you’re ready to dive deeper into someone’s social media presence, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok. We’ll break down each platform so you can gather valuable insights effectively and ethically.

Step-by-Step Guide for Investigating Facebook:

• Go to the person’s profile.
• Click on the “Friends” tab.
• Look for mutual friends, these are people you both know.
• Browse their friend list to see who they’re connected to. Mutual friends can offer additional context or connections.

• Click on the “Photos” tab on their profile.
• Review the albums and tagged photos to see where they’ve been and what they’ve been up to.
• Look for check-ins (locations tagged in posts) to find out their frequent hangouts or recent travel destinations.

• Go to their profile and click on the “About” section.
• Scroll down to find their liked pages, movies, books, and other interests.
• Review these likes to understand their hobbies, opinions, and what they might be passionate about.

Professional Tips to Keep In Mind:

• Use mutual friends as a gateway to understanding relationships and social circles. Reach out to mutual connections discreetly if needed for more context.
• Be mindful of privacy settings some friend lists may be hidden. In such cases, use mutual friends as a backdoor to explore connections.

• Pay attention to tagged locations in photos. Patterns in check-ins can reveal regular habits or important places in someone’s life.
• Use the “Photos of [Name]” feature to see what others have tagged them in. This can provide a broader perspective on their social life.

• Liked pages and interests can indicate personal values, hobbies, or even political leanings. Analyze these with a critical eye to understand what drives the person.
• Use these likes to cross-reference with other platforms, like Twitter or Instagram, for a more cohesive picture of their online persona.

Step-by-Step Guide for Investigating Instagram

• Open their Instagram profile.
• Click on their profile picture to view their current stories.
• Scroll through their stories for real-time updates and personal moments.
• Check their “Highlights” (which appear just below their bio) to see stories they’ve saved that represent key moments in their life.

• Browse through their posts and click on each to see the comments.
• Read through the comments to see how they interact with others.
• Pay attention to repeated interactions with specific users, which might reveal close relationships or frequent collaborators.

• Look at the captions of their posts for hashtags.
• Click on a hashtag to see other posts using the same tag sometimes this can lead you to more of their content or related posts.
• Explore popular hashtags they use to understand trends they’re following or communities they’re part of.

Professional Tips to Keep In Mind:

• Stories are temporary, so check frequently for updates that might provide real-time insights. Highlights can often capture significant life events or milestones.
• Observe the frequency and content of their stories. High activity may indicate a preference for sharing personal experiences, which can be valuable for understanding behavior.

• Analyze the tone and frequency of their interactions. Frequent, positive engagement with certain users might suggest close friendships or alliances.
•  Look for comments from others that reveal more about the person’s character or how they are perceived in their social circle.

• Use hashtags to identify trends or communities the person is engaged with. This can help you understand their interests on a more granular level.
• Consider using hashtag search tools like “Hashtagify” to explore related hashtags and expand your investigation into similar topics or interests.

Step-by-Step Guide for Investigating Twitter

• Visit their Twitter profile.
• Scroll through their tweets to see what they’ve posted. Pay attention to retweets and original content.
• Click on the “Tweets & replies” tab to view their conversations with others. This can give you insight into what they’re reading, thinking, and engaging with.

• On their profile, click on “Followers” to see who follows them.
• Click on “Following” to see who they follow.
• Analyze these lists to understand their interests, influences, and connections. People they follow often reflect their interests or affiliations.

• On their profile, click on the “More” button (three dots) and select “Lists.”
• Review any lists they’ve created or are a part of.
• Lists can reveal specific groups or communities they follow closely, providing insights into their niche interests.

Professional Tips to Keep In Mind:

• Pay close attention to the language and tone used in tweets and replies. This can provide insights into their current mood, opinions, or areas of concern.
• Use Twitter’s advanced search to filter tweets by date, keyword, or interaction level to find specific content relevant to your investigation.

• Examine both who they follow and who follows them. Influential followers might indicate that the person is recognized in certain circles.
• Look for verified accounts in their follower list this can help you identify their connections with notable figures or organizations.

• Check if they are part of any public lists created by others. This can reveal how others categorize them, which can be insightful.
• Create your own private lists to monitor their activity more efficiently, especially if you’re tracking their engagement over time.

Step-by-Step Guide for Investigating LinkedIn

• Go to their LinkedIn profile.
• Scroll down to the “Experience” section to view their work history.
• Read through job descriptions, roles, and achievements to get a sense of their professional background and skills.

• On their profile, click on “Connections.”
• Look through their connections to understand their professional network.
• Notice if they have connections in specific industries or companies, which might reveal their professional interests or influence.

• Scroll down to the “Activity” section on their profile.
• Click “See all” to explore their posts, comments, and articles.
• Analyze their activity to understand what topics they engage with, share, or comment on, which can indicate their professional interests or current projects.

Professional Tips to Keep In Mind:

• Validate their work history by cross-referencing with other platforms or professional databases like ZoomInfo or LinkedIn Alumni tools.
• Look for gaps in employment or sudden changes in roles, as these can sometimes indicate a shift in career focus or personal circumstances.

• Pay attention to endorsements and recommendations these can provide a deeper understanding of their professional reputation and skills.
• Use LinkedIn’s “People Also Viewed” feature to find others in their network or similar roles, which can expand your investigation.

• Monitor their activity for a consistent theme this might highlight their current professional focus or interests.
• Use LinkedIn’s article and post features to gauge their thought leadership and influence within their industry.

Step-by-Step Guide for Investigating TikTok

• Open their TikTok profile.
• Scroll through their videos to see the content they’re creating or sharing.
• Take note of the trends, challenges, or topics they frequently post about. This can give you insights into their current interests and personality.

• Click on individual videos to view the comments section.
• Read through the comments they receive and their responses.
• Look for patterns in their interactions, such as frequent replies to specific users or recurring jokes, which can help you understand their social circles and personalities.

Professional Tips to Keep In Mind:

• Pay attention to the background details in videos (e.g., locations, items) as these can provide additional context about their lifestyle or environment.

• Look for consistent patterns in the types of content they engage with. This can reveal their interests or groups they associate with.
• Check for any collaborations or duets, which can indicate closer relationships with other users and provide more leads for investigation.

 Social Media Investigation Using Online Tools:

As of April 2024, Facebook users are on fire, uploading a staggering 350 million photos and sharing 1 billion stories every single day. That’s a whole lot of content flooding the internet, with so much happening, finding that one piece of information you need can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.

But here’s the good news: thanks to the tech geniuses out there, advanced online investigation tools now exist that can make this daunting task a breeze. These tools are like your personal detectives, available to anyone, anywhere, and can churn out results in under an hour, something that would take days of manual searching. So whether you’re trying to track down a personal profile of a person you met online or dig up some online dirt, these tools are your secret weapon. Here are the top social media investigation tools available online. 

Jatheon:

Jatheon helps you easily search and find important information across social media and emails, making it easier to gather evidence or verify facts. It’s like having a powerful search engine for all your online communications, saving you time and effort.

• Type: Paid

Features:

• Social media archiving and compliance
• Ediscovery with authentic records
• Captures and retains social media records from major platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter)
• 20+ advanced search filters and custom formulas
• Integrated redaction feature for sensitive information
• Advanced encryption for data security

How to Use:

• Connect Jatheon to a social media account.
• Automatically capture posts, comments, replies, multimedia, and any edits or deletions.
• Use advanced search filters to find specific records.
• Redact sensitive information as needed.
• Export records securely for review.

2. WebPreserver

WebPreserver is like a digital camera that takes snapshots of online content, making sure you can save and use it as proof later. It’s essential for social media investigations because it captures and preserves important posts or pages before they can be deleted or changed.

Type: Paid

Features:

• Automated social media forensic preservation
• Auto-expands long articles, comment threads, and responses
• Export evidence in OCR PDF or WARC formats
• Compatible with Chrome and Edge browsers

How to Use:

• Install the WebPreserver plugin from the Chrome Web Store.
• Purchase and activate the license from the official website.
• Use the plugin to collect and preserve social media evidence.
• Export the evidence in your preferred format.

3. Pipl

Pipl is like a super search engine that helps you find detailed information about people using just their name, email, or phone number. It’s important for social media investigations because it uncovers hidden profiles, connections, and online activities that regular searches might miss.

Type: Paid

Features:

• Personal search engine with global coverage
• Access to over three billion online identities and 25 billion identification records
• Gathers data from public documents, directories, and exclusive sources

How to Use:

• Start with a single data point (e.g., phone number, email address).
• Pipl will retrieve all available information related to the person, including social media accounts, employment, and educational history.

4. Social Links

Social Links helps you uncover connections between people on social media by showing how they are linked to others. It’s important because it reveals hidden relationships and networks, making it easier to understand someone’s online presence and verify their credibility.

Type: Paid

Features:

• Data aggregation from social media, messaging apps, and blockchains
• Visual representation of a person’s digital footprint
• Generates links between the person and their online activity

How to Use:

• Input a single data point about the person.
• Use Social Links to uncover accounts, connections, personal information, and more.
• Analyze the generated links and visuals to understand their online presence.

5. Makeawebsitehub

Makeawebsitehub is like your personal guide to understanding social media profiles. It helps you dig deeper into online accounts, so you can easily spot fake profiles or gather useful information without needing to be a tech expert.

Type: Free

Features:

• List of emerging social media networks and applications
• Helps identify lesser-known platforms for broadening investigations

How to Use:

• Visit Makeawebsitehub’s website.
• Browse the updated list of new social media platforms.
• Use other investigative tools to gather evidence from these platforms.

6. TinEye

TinEye is like a digital detective for images. It helps you find where a photo originally came from and if it’s been used elsewhere online, making it easier to track down the source of suspicious or misleading pictures.

Type: Free

Features:

• Reverse image search tool
• Locates the source and other instances of an image online
• Supports platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitter

How to Use:

• Upload an image to the TinEye website.
• The tool will search and display all online locations where the image appears.
• Use the results to trace the image’s origin and other appearances across the web.

Final Words:

In a world where everyone is constantly sharing, social media has become a powerful tool for learning more about others. Whether you’re protecting yourself, reconnecting with someone from the past, or uncovering the truth, the information people post online can be both enlightening and, sometimes, a little alarming. So next time you’re scrolling through someone’s feed, remember you might be seeing more than just a snapshot of their day; you might be getting a glimpse into who they truly are.