Whether you’re crushing on an OKCupid catch or that cutie you met through a friend of a friend at that party last weekend (you guys definitely had major eye sex), we know you’re dying to know more about him. Is he really as hot as his OKC pictures? Is he single? Is he an asshole you’re better off avoiding? If you know where to look, you can get the answers to all those questions and much more in just a few clicks. Social media is the best way to find out the nitty gritty details of his life—and dig up all those embarrassing old photos—so in preparation for Valentine’s Day, sharpen your online stalking skills with these tips.
If you know his full name, you’re already ahead of the game. But if he doesn’t come up in the search results, try going to the Facebook page of a mutual friend, or a coworker, and searching his name on their friends list. Still coming up empty? Try searching his first name and narrowing your search results to his hometown, workplace, current city, etc.
If you’re crushing on someone from Tinder or OKCupid, we feel your pain. Usually, you’ll only know his or her first name so stalking can require a bit more effort. Again, try searching the first name and narrowing down your results by entering any basic info you know about him. If that isn’t working, try reverse searching his photos. Just screenshot one of his pictures, go to Google Images and click the camera icon on the right side of the search bar. Upload his pic, and the internet will work its magic and troll the web for the same picture, usually leading to his Facebook.
Once you’ve found his Facebook, you might be disappointed to find that he’s one of those weirdos who keeps all his photos private. Don’t give up—type “photos of [your crush]” into the Facebook search bar. Hit the first result, and you’ll find all the public photos his friends have tagged him in, including ones he’s hidden from his profile. Get ready for some cringe-y shots from 2001 (frosted tips?) and pics of his exes (we know you’re going to stalk them, too).
Finding his Instagram can be a little tricky. Try going to a mutual friend’s profile and searching their followers/following list for him. Or, if you’ve already found his Facebook, go to his photo albums to see if he’s shared any of his Instagrams. If he has, they’ll be in an album called “Instagram Photos.” Just click the “view on Instagram” link and voila, you’ve found him. Of course, we can’t guarantee that his profile will be public. But if it is, you’re in luck—besides his own photos, check out the photos he’s been tagged in.
Twitter is a bit trickier. Not as many people share their twitters on Facebook and other social media sites, so it’s often harder to find your target. If you know your crush’s full name, try googling “[your crush] twitter.” If that yields nada, try searching his Facebook or Instagram username on Twitter. Often, people keep the same username for all their social media accounts. If you still can’t find anything, don’t stress. Twitter usually isn’t the stalking goldmine that Facebook and Instagram are.
Before we had Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, there was Google. It might not be the first website you visit to stalk your crush, but don’t skip it. You can find a surprising amount of info just from Googling your crush’s name + his hometown, workplace, occupation, or school. He might have a personal website, a tumblr if he’s sensitive like that, or he could have been written about on other websites/publications. Don’t forget to check Google Images too to see if he comes up on any Guest of a Guest-like photo sites.
Though you can find out a scary amount of information on people through online stalking, don’t discount a crush based solely on questionable photos or statuses. It’s all about how you guys click in real life—so while Facebook stalking is a fun pastime, after a certain point, you’ve got to shut your laptop and get out there! Let your crush know you’re interested and suggest a date—who knows, your Valentine’s Day might just turn out perfect.