In today’s digital landscape, the internet can be a challenging place to be – particularly for businesses using social media for marketing. Whether you’re a brand or an individual, negative comments and reactions on social media have become almost expected at this point. While receiving such feedback is inevitable, the way you handle it is crucial. How you respond can make all the difference, as poor handling or mishandling may harm your brand reputation and turn away potential customers.
It was found that a staggering 94% of consumers admit that a negative review has swayed their decision to avoid a particular business. This statistic highlights the importance of establishing a clear and concise policy for addressing negativity on social media. By proactively addressing these challenges, you can effectively manage and mitigate potential issues before they escalate into significant problems for your business.
Are you struggling with negative comments on your social media accounts and aren’t sure how to handle it appropriately? Here are 5 tips for dealing with the negativity.
Always address negative comments about you or your brand.
When you see those negative comments come across your post or account, it’s important you address them. Maintaining your relationships with customers is an important part of your business, and part of that includes addressing negative reviews from others. Not only does it give you the opportunity to repair relationships if possible, but also helps you to understand your followers’ thoughts and feelings about your brand – helping you to connect better with them.
When addressing negative feedback from a follower or client, address it quickly, be apologetic (if appropriate), and try to take the conversation to a more private location (private messages, DMs, etc.). Whatever you do, avoid deleting the negative comments, as it can tend to make people angrier and makes it seem like you, as the business, have something to hide.
*One exception to the rule of responding to all negative comments is trolls leaving comments. Let the trolls troll – don’t waste your time interacting with them.
Determine how to respond to different types of negative comments
You should have some sort of standards for responding to different kinds of negative comments as part of your social media strategy. You should know how quickly a message needs replied to, as well as some templates with messages that are on-brand to address frequently asked questions or remarks. Having a plan in place not only ensures you’re staying consistent when it comes to how you respond to negative comments, but it makes it easy for anyone in your business to address negative comments made.
Approach negative comments with facts and not emotions
I get it – when someone has made a negative comment about you or your business, it can be really difficult to not let your emotions take over. However, it’s important you respond to these comments with facts rather than your emotions. Whether it’s admitting you’re wrong, offering a solution, or addressing a comment that isn’t true, use facts to address these situations. Remember – while yes, your response is partially for the person who made the negative comment, it is also there for other followers to see when they’re reading through your comments.
Always report harassment
While negative comments and criticism are expected, outright harassment should not be tolerated. Make sure to check out the policies that Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms have regarding filing complaints about harassing behavior, and don’t be afraid to report those who cross the negativity line to harassment.
Focus on cultivating positivity between you and your community
Social media can be an amazing place to bring the world together – but it can also do the opposite. It’s important to stay positive and continue to encourage appropriate interactions with your community. Your goal, when it comes to managing your online presence, should be to foster a supportive environment where people feel safe to have honest conversations, ask the hard questions, and share their feedback respectfully.
Is social media marketing something you struggle with in your business? Let’s chat! I’d love to see how Creative Gravity could support you. You can also hop on over to Instagram and follow Creative Gravity or check out my other blog posts to learn more about how to best utilize social media for your business!
