Your credit score says much about you and your relationship with money. It reflects your financial capacity as an individual. As such, it helps you get credit, whether applying for a mortgage for the first time, buying a second home through HELOC, or looking to get approved for a car loan.
Typically, credit bureaus like Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion assess and determine your credit score based on factors such as credit mix, payment history, credit utilization rate, and more.
But how about those with limited access to banks and fewer credits earned? Think of students applying for a loan for the first time or farmers seeking business financing. How will they get assessed for their credit score and have access to finances?
That’s where social media scoring comes into play!
In this blog, we’ll cover the impact of social media behavior on credit scores. Plus, earn some practical tips for managing your behavior on the platforms and building your score moving forward.
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How Your Social Media Behavior Affects Your Credit Score
Simply put, your credit score mirrors your creditworthiness. Your goal is to have a good credit score to access various financial opportunities, whether getting a credit or applying for a loan.
Now, for lenders, creditors, and other financial institutions, your credit score influences their decisions, whether approving or declining access to finances. Your score answers questions like:
- How many debts do you have?
- Are you paying on time?
- Do you have a steady stream of income?
- How financially capable are you?
As a borrower, it takes understanding what credit scores are and how they work. More importantly, you should gradually build your credit score and establish a good credit standing. You can do this by:
- Reviewing your credit report regularly;
- Managing your debts; and,
- Paying off loans entirely and promptly.
In recent years, credit bureaus and other financial institutions have started utilizing social media scoring. This practice entails analyzing social media data to assess behavior, connections, and lifestyles that significantly affect individuals’ finances. However, this practice hasn’t been established as one of the conventional credit scoring methods yet.
Still, it pays to manage your social media behavior to build and maintain a good credit score. While it does not directly affect your score, your behavior somehow influences the financial institutions’ decision-making.
That said, here’s how social media impacts your credit score:
Social Media Reflects Who You Are As a Person
Social media is very widespread, permeating nearly every aspect of modern life and serving as a pervasive digital presence for individuals. It’s obvious how social media serves as a digital extension of who you are as a person. Think about posting what you eat, where you go, and what you do practically almost every day. This channel reveals much about you, including your job or business, family and friends, as well as hobbies and interests. As such, credit bureaus and banks use this platform for identity verification.
Morgan Taylor, co-founder of Jolly SEO, suggests being consistent and authentic in your social media profiles. “Update and design your profiles not only for family, friends, and colleagues but also for others as a way to create more networking opportunities for yourself. You don’t want financial institutions, HR personnel, and others to have confusion about who you are as a person.”
Social Media Reveals Your Source of Income
Your social media profiles don’t necessarily show how much exactly you earn. However, they give others an idea of your financial capability. They also prove your source of income, whether through your job or business. That’s why financial institutions use these channels for financial assessment.
Anthony Martin, the founder and CEO of Choice Mutual, recommends regulating your social media accounts for a positive financial reflection. “It’s best not to flaunt your finances on social media to be on the safe side. More importantly, avoid getting your debts out in the open on these channels. However, update your employment status and business venture to prove your income source.”
Social Media Proves Your Employment or Business
As cited, your social media profiles justify your source of income. They tell whether your money comes from your work or business. Meanwhile, they help financial entities verify your income source and go deeper into your status. For example, they’d learn if you’re a regular employee or a freelance contractor or if your business is a sole proprietorship or a limited liability company (LLC).
Jerry Han, CMO at PrizeRebel, highlights the importance of updating employee or business status on social media. “A lot of people tend to highlight their food trips, recent travels, and various interests. However, they neglect to update their employment or business status unless they use LinkedIn. What many fail to realize is that institutions, whether banks or HR, now check social media to verify this information.”
Social Media Gives a Glimpse of Your Legal Status
It’s no secret how social media is a chaotic platform involving various issues, whether personal or legal. Some lenders and creditors check social media profiles to examine your legal status, such as to see if you have financial fraud involvement. The same is true for the credit bureaus that use these channels.
Andrew Pierce, CEO at LLC Attorney, upholds the importance of staying professional on your social media at all times. “It’s best not to get involved in issues, especially legal matters. Even if you’re undergoing legal proceedings, it’s better not to post them on social media. By doing so, you would only drive people away, not to mention your opportunities with financial institutions.”
Social Media Unravels Your Lifestyle
There’s more to social media than meets the eye. For all you know, it reveals your lifestyle and reflects your reputation as a consumer. As such, credit bureaus, as well as lenders and creditors, have an idea of how you spend your money and if you’re able to pay your debts on time. In a way, your social media indirectly influences the financial assessors’ decisions.
Tom Golubovich, Head of Marketing & Media Relations at Ninja Transfers, cites being a socially responsible consumer. “While there’s no hard-and-fast rule when it comes to spending, you must know when to stop. And this kind of lifestyle should be reflected on your social media. Otherwise, splurging and showing off on these channels will drive lenders and creditors away.”
Pro Tips on Managing Social Media Behavior for a Good Credit Score
The goal is to improve your score before buying a house, getting a car loan, or taking on whatever kind of debt. Generally, establishing a good credit score all boils down to paying in full and on time.
But when it comes to social media, here’s how to manage your behavior and protect your score:
- Think twice before you post. You don’t want to publish your rants and raves about lenders on unsuccessful negotiations concerning your debts. That will give credit bureaus a wrong impression about you.
- Be prompt in your responses. Sometimes, credit bureaus and even lenders or creditors feel you’re responsive and prompt on your payments when you reply on social media as soon as possible.
- Maintain good connections. Social media tells who your friends–and even followers, are. And credit bureaus outrightly evaluate your social status and financial capabilities based on your connections.
- Update your social media profile. At times, credit bureaus and lenders or creditors check your accounts to verify your employment status or business venture. It’s imperative to keep your profile up-to-date, especially LinkedIn.
- Avoid flaunting your debts. Doing so will give credit bureaus the impression that you’re financially unstable. Meanwhile, you’ll have lesser chances of getting approved for loans or credits if financial entities find out you’ve got tons of debts.
- Establish a good reputation. What better way to build your creditworthiness than maintaining a good image on social media? This means being professional, maintaining a balanced lifestyle, and even having good connections.
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