It's not always easy to find and connect with people on social media. How do you know which networks they use? And if they have a common name, how can you tell whether the result is the right person when there is no profile photo?

In short, you can't. At least, not without a bit of help. That's where Snitch.Name comes in handy. It hasn't been updated in a long time, but it's still one the best ways to quickly search several social networks simultaneously.

What Is Snitch.Name?

You can think of Snitch.Name as a social media search engine. It scans almost 40 networks, including the big names like Facebook and Twitter, professional networks such as LinkedIn and Xing, and even U.S. government databases like CriminalSearch and Inmates.

It has clear benefits over simply using Google. Google doesn't index every social site, and even for the ones it does, some people's privacy settings don't allow their profile to feature.

The app also prioritizes people over companies, pages, groups, and so on. You won't have to wade through endless pages of pointless results to find the person you want.

How to Use Snitch.Name

It's easy to run a search on Snitch.Name. To start, head to the website and enter the person's name (not their social media handle).

In the grid below, mark the checkboxes next to all the networks you want to scan. The more you select, the longer the results will take. When you're ready, hit Search.

In the top left-hand corner, you will see an icon indicating the search is in progress.

When it's finished, scroll down to see in-line results from all the networks. Some networks -- such as Twitter -- cannot be opened in-line. You need to click the Open in New Window link.

Snitch.Name has several competitors, many of which function in a similar way. You also have a few easy ways to find out who's looking for you online.

Image Credit: rvlsoft via Shutterstock