It should come as no surprise that practically anyone may have their information available online. The majority of people leave behind a trackable digital footprint that can lead to them if some effort is put in.

You’ve landed at the right place if your online searches for long-lost family members, friends, prospects, unknown local artists, or anyone else you’re looking for ends in a Google search of their name. Check here for more information.

This article will discuss several ways to search for someone, from utilizing specialized search engines to online directories designed for reconnection. Which option you pick is determined by the amount of effort you would want to give and the validity of the outcomes.

Let’s dive in.

7 Great Ways To Find People Online:

Before we begin, please keep in mind that many individuals around the world prefer to be alone, and we should respect that.

You should be able to contact the person you believe is fine with being located with the use of these resources. If you have used all of these alternatives and are still unable to find your subject, assume that they may not want you to contact them and move on.

Coming back to the point, here are some ideas from experts on how to conduct an effective online search for someone. Also, if you’d prefer not to be found, continue reading to learn how the experts find people who desire to stay anonymous.

1. Surfing Through Social Networks:

Nowadays, almost everyone has a presence on social media, so looking them up on social networks ought to be your first move when trying to find them. You can generally find out where someone lives and how to reach them by triangulating their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok profiles. Additionally, LinkedIn is a clear approach to connecting with someone on a professional level.

Several other social platforms to search –

• Pinterest
• Quora
• Tumblr
• Flickr
• YouTube

One method is to enter into Google with a ‘site:’ tag for every piece of information you have about the individual (name, location, age, etc.). For example, you may search for all the James Watson profiles that mention Houston, Texas, by searching ‘James Watson’ and ‘Houston’ on Facebook.com.

As an alternative, websites such as Social Searcher will simultaneously search a variety of social networking platforms.

2. The White Pages Search:

White page websites have existed for about as old as the Internet. When you enter a person’s name and a few other pieces of information, the service produces a list of potential matches. The site then invariably leads you into a sales funnel by promising a thorough ‘background check’ in exchange for your hard-earned money.

However, these websites can still be quite helpful. For instance, Whitepages.com offers a list of present and previous residences, potential relatives, an approximate age, and even a few phone numbers free of cost. It’s somewhat basic information, but it’s often all you’ll need to get in touch with someone or get some information that you can use with some other services I’ll cover in this article.

TruePeopleSearch is a comparable service that provides many similar records for free. Comparing the outcomes from both can provide you with the information you need to contact out.

3. Searching Other Internet Records, Websites, And Apps:

Consider all the various places individuals register themselves and all the applications they sign up for which don’t make their data publicly available on the web. Even after you’ve used up all the social media platforms and popular search engines, you still have a multitude of additional possibilities to explore.

Experts suggest dating sites and apps as effective methods for finding people online. These apps don’t allow searching by name, but you may look them up based on gender and location. Even if someone deletes their online profiles or accounts, there may still be records and old archived material that people can search through to collect information.

Check out these well-known dating sites –

• Tinder
• Match.com
• Elite Singles

4. Run A Reverse Image Search:

If you can find one piece of information, it can frequently lead to other destinations because usernames and profile pictures, or variants on them, are frequently reused across numerous sites.

Finding out if a specific profile photo has been used on another website can be easily done using reverse image searches. Many profiles on dating apps would also be linked to social media platforms.

5. Look Through Communities, Hobbies, And Interests:

Consider communities and forums that the person you are searching for might be a part of, for example – a coin-collecting club or a debate club. Promising leads might be found by looking for websites and pages related to fields and interests.

Keep in mind that you don’t always need to search for your person directly, someone else who knows or once knew them will suffice.

6. Searching Based On Background And Ancestry:

Do you want to know anything about the extended family? Try Ancestry.com – it might be worthwhile.

Searching for a school friend? Try Classmates.com or check to see whether your school has an alumni network you can join.

7. Ask For Public Records:

Nearly all local governments offer online resources for making public record requests. As you might assume from the name, anyone who submits a formal request is legally entitled to see these records. Most municipalities have online portals where you can complete the required paperwork, while others may still need you to visit a physical office.

For instance, New York State keeps an online form for the Freedom of Information Law. Your local government may charge a fee, but this frequently depends on the precise records you’re asking for.

Public records vary based on where you are, but in general, you should be able to access birth and death records, marriage licenses, court, and criminal records, as well as property and tax data. You can even use a third-party public records service, such as Information.com, to access such data.

One thing to keep in consideration is that even with Internet records, getting access to such information can be difficult because they are sometimes held in different databases and each request involves filling out a new form. However, if you’re prepared to put in the effort, you can learn a ton about someone without spending money.

However, if you don’t find the people using the above method, you can try a people database like Zoominfo Scraper

Bottom Line:

Most people now have digital data traces owing to the internet. To find, though, sometimes requires effort. Use the above hacks to enable yourself to find the person you’re looking for far more quickly.

However, if you don’t find the people using the above method, you can try a people database like Zoominfo, Swordfish.ai, contactout and other paid services for this.