> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.baselayer.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Social Media Profiles

> Find a business's social media accounts, and check that the profiles an applicant gives you really belong to it.

Social Profiles discovers the social media accounts associated with a business and returns platform-specific metadata - follower counts, business account status, contact details, and more. When social profile URLs are submitted in the request, Baselayer also verifies whether they are independently confirmed.

***

### When to use it

* You want to assess a business's digital legitimacy through its social media presence
* You need to cross-reference contact details (website, phone, email) found on social profiles against submitted application data
* You are verifying social profile submissions from applicants, confirming the profiles they claim belong to their business
* You are evaluating a sole proprietor or SMB where social presence is a primary identity signal in the absence of a website

***

### How to request it

Social Profiles is available on both integration paths, but with different capabilities on each.

#### Via `POST /web_presence_requests`

Include `Order.SocialMedia` in the `options` array. This is the recommended path when you need the full Social Profiles feature set, including `input_social_profiles` and `social_profiles_match`.

```json theme={null}
{
  "name": "Lucali",
  "address": "575 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11231",
  "options": ["Order.SocialMedia"]
}
```

Results are returned **inline** at `found_social_profiles[]`. If `social_profiles` were submitted in the request, `input_social_profiles[]` and `social_profiles_match[]` are also returned.

#### Via `POST /searches` with `Order.Enhanced`

Social Profiles are included automatically as part of `Order.Enhanced`. Results are returned at `business.social_profiles[]`. `input_social_profiles` and `social_profiles_match` are not available on this path.

> `Order.SocialMedia` as a standalone option is not available on `POST /searches`, use `Order.Enhanced` or switch to `POST /web_presence_requests` if you need social profiles without a full Enhanced Search.

#### Submitting known social profiles for verification

If the applicant provides social profile URLs during onboarding, submit them in the `social_profiles` array. Baselayer will attempt to independently verify each one and return the result in `social_profiles_match[]`.

```json theme={null}
{
  "name": "Lucali",
  "address": "575 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11231",
  "social_profiles": [
    { "site": "instagram", "value": "lucali_bk" },
    { "site": "facebook", "value": "Lucalis-176347757162" }
  ],
  "options": ["Order.SocialMedia"]
}
```

***

### Response fields

#### `found_social_profiles[]` fields

Each entry in the array represents one discovered social media profile.

| Field | Type | Description |
| :- | :- | :- |
| `site` | enum | Platform identifier: `linked_in:company`, `linked_in:personal`, `twitter`, `x`, `facebook`, `instagram`, `youtube`, `tiktok`, `pinterest`. |
| `url` | string | Direct URL to the profile. |
| `username` | string | Handle or username on that platform. |
| `confidence` | enum | Baselayer's confidence the profile belongs to this business: `high`, `medium`, `low`. |
| `found_on[]` | array | Where this profile was discovered: `FOUND_WEBSITE` (linked from discovered website) or `INPUT_WEBSITE` (linked from submitted website). |
| `metadata` | object | Platform-specific attributes — see below. |

> On `POST /searches` with `Order.Enhanced`, social profiles are returned at `business.social_profiles[]`. On `POST /web_presence_requests`, they are returned at `found_social_profiles[]`. The object structure is identical.

#### Platform-specific `metadata` fields

| Platform | Key metadata fields |
| :- | :- |
| **Instagram** | `is_private`, `is_business_account`, `has_business_address`, `bio`, `followers_count`, `phone_number`, `email`, `business_website` |
| **Facebook** | `is_business_page`, `has_reviews`, `check_ins_count`, `followers_count`, `phone_number`, `email`, `business_website` |
| **LinkedIn (company)** | `company_size_range`, `industry`, `followers_count`, `number_of_employees`, `phone_number`, `email`, `business_website`, `bio` |
| **X / Twitter** | `is_verified`, `follower_count`, `bio`, `joined_date`, `phone_number`, `email`, `business_website` |
| **YouTube** | `is_verified`, `subscriber_count`, `channel_type`, `has_business_email`, `channel_description`, `followers_count`, `phone_number`, `email`, `business_website` |
| **TikTok** | `is_verified`, `is_business_account`, `follower_count`, `bio`, `has_business_website`, `phone_number`, `email`, `business_website` |
| **Pinterest** | `follower_count`, `monthly_views`, `bio`, `has_business_website`, `phone_number`, `email`, `business_website` |

#### `social_profiles_match[]` fields

Returned when `social_profiles` were submitted in the request. Each entry echoes back one submitted profile with a verification result.

| Field | Type | Description |
| :- | :- | :- |
| `site` | enum | The platform from the original input. |
| `value` | string | The username, handle, or URL from the original input. |
| `matched` | boolean | Whether this profile was independently discovered and verified by Baselayer during organic social discovery. |

***

### Interpreting results

Social Profiles contributes two types of value: **legitimacy signals** (does this business have a real, established social presence?) and **identity corroboration** (do the contact details on social profiles match the submitted application?).

**Always filter by `confidence: high` before using a profile in automated decisions.** Medium and low confidence profiles may belong to unrelated businesses with similar names. Only `high` confidence profiles should influence decisioning.

**`found_on[]` indicates ownership strength.** A profile with `found_on: ["FOUND_WEBSITE"]` was linked directly to the business's independently discovered website - a strong ownership signal. A profile discovered through general search alone carries less weight.

**Cross-reference `metadata` contact fields against the application.** The `business_website`, `phone_number`, and `email` fields in platform metadata are independently sourced from each platform. In impersonation cases, these fields will consistently point to the real business - not the submitted application data. See [Social Profiles section](https://docs.baselayer.com/docs/web-presence-orderables.md#social-profiles) in the Online Presence: Best Practices guide.

**Weigh signals by sector.** Consumer-facing businesses (retail, hospitality, food service) are expected to have Instagram and Facebook presence. B2B and professional services firms are better assessed through LinkedIn. Sole proprietors are often identified primarily through social presence when no website exists. See [Sector-specific guidance](https://docs.baselayer.com/docs/web-presence-orderables.md#sector-specific-guidance) in the Online Presence: Best Practices guide.

***

### Related guides

* [Online Presence: Basics](https://docs.baselayer.com/docs/online-presence-basics.md) — integration path decision guide and data model
* [Online Presence: Best Practices](https://docs.baselayer.com/docs/web-presence-orderables.md) — full decisioning framework including social profile signals
* [Online Presence: Response Reference](https://docs.baselayer.com/docs/online-presence-response-reference.md) — match values, match sources, and response shape by integration path
* [Customer Reviews](https://docs.baselayer.com/docs/customer-reviews.md) — complements social profiles for consumer-facing business verification
* [Web Presence API Reference](https://docs.baselayer.com/api-reference/web-presence/post-web-presence-request.md) — full endpoint documentation


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