Social media is full of what we like to call “trolls.” You know, those rude people that thrive off of putting other people and businesses down (they’re not the cute little Trollz with big hair who sing and dance in the movies).
Well, I’m sure you or your business has encountered at least one of these individuals on social media, leaving negative comments on your tweets, Facebook posts, and Instagram images. How rude!
How do you know when to respond to negative comments on social media and when to leave them alone? In large part, this decision depends on the circumstances of your social media account as well as the context of the comments being made.
The stakes will be very different depending on your situation as well as who is leaving negative comments on your social media profile. In general, this means that each comment needs to be considered on a comment-by-comment basis. In the world we are living in today, people often forget that there is an actual person on the other end of the social media account. This is particularly true if you are just an ordinary, everyday person using social media.
Receiving Negative Comments on Social Media
If you post a video on Tik Tok about your perfect home décor, and your video goes viral, you can expect to get comments from people who will find something to complain about. They may argue that your home is so perfect you must not have any time to spend with your children. They may spread gossip about you that isn’t true or even get into fights with other people in your comment section.
Whereas social media started as a way for friends and family to connect, it has evolved into a platform where people hide behind their keyboards and pick arguments with each other. Often, keyboard warriors are feeling bad about something in their own lives, and their comments have nothing to do with you.
However, that doesn’t mean that negative comments sting any less. In a world where we are all subject to fake news and bathing in endorphins that we receive from our notifications and likes, it’s no wonder that we forget why this all started. To connect with friends and family and share things that will interest them.
Instead, we’ve devolved into a game in which the person who can look the best on social media wins, while everyone else feels less than and takes potshots. Not to mention that social media giants are now more focused on profit than connection, even as membership dwindles.
When to Address Negative Comments
When should you actually address negative comments instead of choosing to ignore them? This is something that you’ll want to decide on a case-by-case basis. However, it’s important to note that a blanket decision to ignore or delete negative comments is not necessarily always the best course of action, even though you might hear this as common advice.
The Dos and Don’ts of Responding to Negative Social Comments
DO: Respond in a Timely Manner.
The last thing someone wants when they are upset or angry is to be ignored. They posted something because they want to be heard and they want a reaction.
Responding to negative messages as soon as possible shows that you care about what they have to say. By addressing their concerns directly, you have the opportunity to change their mind about you or your company.
Also, by responding, you are showing other followers that you acknowledge these issues and care about them. It shows them that you’re there to make things right if they have issues. Ignoring them conveys the opposite!
DON’T: Lose Your Cool.
Once the message is out, all eyes turn to you or your business as followers wait for a reply, and your other happy customers can see how you handle the feedback. It’s important to remain professional; it can be easy to get caught up in social media feuds between celebrities, but remember that you aren’t them.
Responding inappropriately will tarnish your personal image or your brand’s image and not only upset the person who left the negative comment, but you it will also look bad to anyone else who sees it, especially if the message is taken out of context. Losing your cool will only make your situation worse and cost you the opportunity to turn the negative into a positive.
DO: Take the Conversation Offline.
Just because you responded to a negative comment, it doesn’t mean that you need to go back and forth publicly on your social media page.
When you respond to the comment, try to encourage the user to transition the conversation to a more private place, like in the direct messages of the social network the negative comment came from.
For example, you could say something like “Hi Sue, We’re so sorry to hear about your negative experience with our product. Could you please private message us with details about your experience and contact information so customer service can contact you directly and work something out together?”
Moving it to a private conversation will prevent others from seeing further details on the situation. If you already have the user’s contact information, comment back letting them know that someone will contact them about their situation and reach out to solve the issue at hand.
Yes, some people who write negative comments are just looking for attention, but moving the conversation to a private setting will keep them from drawing more negative attention to your site.
DON’T: Delete the Comment (With Exceptions).
The worst thing you can do when someone has left a negative post on your social media page is delete it. If they realize you deleted it, they might get even more upset with you or your company. To lash out once more, they may decide to repost it and call you out for deleting it, or then post something in another location that you aren’t able to delete.
Deleting comments can also make it look like you don’t care, are wrong in the situation, or have something to hide.
However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. If an individual continues to post and harass/spam your page, you may decide to delete their messages or block them from the page all together.
On Facebook, you are able to moderate comments to exclude any posts or comments including any certain words from displaying on your page. This is a customizable feature that you can set how you like.
You are also able to set a profanity filter to off, medium, or strong, which enables you or your business to block profanity from your Page and to what degree.
If, for some reason, you come across any threatening messages, you may choose to report the message. Almost all social platforms have this function available for your safety.
DO: Personalize Your Message.
If you have information about the person posting the comment or your customer, then use it to make your response more personal. This is just another way to show that you care about what they have to say and they won’t feel like your comment is just an automated response.
If they have included information in their negative post, then mention it in your response, which shows that you took the time to read what they had to say. Another way to make it personal is to sign your name at the end of your response, so they see that a real human is making the effort to reach out to them and not just hide behind a company page.
DON’T: Make the Same Generic Response to Every Comment.
Your responses to negative comments should never be cut and paste. Once people start noticing that unhappy comments receive the same message in reply, it will only make you or your company seem insincere and inauthentic.
As with any message you post publicly to your audience, you need to highlight that you care. If you communicate to your customers in the exact same way every single time, you will tarnish you or your brand identity.
DON’T: Forget to Acknowledge the Positive Comments!
Never forget about the positive comments! While responding to negative comments is imperative to maintaining you and your brand’s reputation, responding to positive comments allows you to express gratitude toward those who adore your post or your brand.
These happy customers are your biggest fans, and they aren’t afraid to share about it. Give them a shoutout, share their message, and personally thank them for their kind words and business.
How to Rebound From Negative Comments
How do you rebound after getting negative comments on social media? It’s important to know how to bounce back, since these types of comments can really get to you if you let them.
The best thing to do is to keep posting positive things so that your consistent positivity eventually outweighs the negative. When others can see that you are still living a good life, they will be encouraged by you. In the end, you can’t control what other people do. All you can do is to encourage more positivity by engaging with people who leave positive comments.
In addition, if someone has become toxic on your social media account, meaning that they consistently leave negative or unfriendly comments, then you will want to consider unfollowing or unfriending them (if they are a current friend of yours). You will know if someone is toxic if they leave you feeling drained or worse than you felt before you read their comments.
In this case, remember that their behavior is more about their own problems than anything to do with you. They most likely behave the same way on other people’s social media accounts and it’s a reflection of their own envy or insecurity. It’s okay to set boundaries about who you let into your social sphere.
Why Do People Leave Negative Comments?
Are you wondering why people leave negative comments in the first place if they have no substance or are not a valid complaint?
Some people will leave negative comments because they are passive-aggressive. They may be envious as well but aren’t going to be as obvious about what they say, making it harder to argue with them. For example, a person might say to a vegan, “Did you know that plants have feelings too?” This argument is absurd, making it impossible to have a rational discussion. Attacks like this are usually indirect but insinuating at the same time, and they tend to get a rise out of others on social media. Again, the goal is often to get you to lose your cool. Don’t let them get to you.
Finally, some people leave comments because they want to feel a sense of power by watching you crumble. These are what are commonly known as trolls. These types of commenters don’t actually believe or feel anything that they comment on. Or, at least it’s not emotional or important to them. It is all a planned attack to get you to lose your cool and to make them feel powerful. The best response to a troll is often no response at all.
A Word From Family First Counseling Center
If you are struggling to know how to deal with negative comments on your social media page, it’s important to consider whether you want to respond or not depending on the circumstances. If you decide that you do want to respond, then you’ll need to choose whether to be serious or funny, and whether to respond in public or take it into a private conversation.
Finally, if that keyboard warrior is a person who you know in real life, and they consistently leave negative comments on your social media, it may be time to unfollow or unfriend. While it might cause a rift in the friendship, you don’t need that negativity in your life. Make room for more positive sources of information in your feed, and you’ll notice that you start to feel better. The rest of your friends on social media will also appreciate that you’ve made your page a safe space for all. There’s no harm in taking a hard line on issues that you believe in and standing your ground.
Beyond all of this, if you find yourself on the receiving end of negative comments, be sure to engage in some self care to calm down. Read a book, watch a Netflix show, go for a walk, or do something else enjoyable that takes your mind off of the whole thing.
