How to Respond to Negative Comments on Social Media

While social media is a great way to get your name out there, it is also important to keep in mind that a large portion of social media is strategic reputation management.

Along the way you are certain to run into someone who doesn’t agree with your opinion, a troll (someone intentionally starting arguments or provoking readers to provide emotional responses in a public forum), or just some form of negative comment from someone in the crowd. How you handle these issues will publically illustrate to your followers the way that you manage yourself and your business.

While it is tempting to respond in the same way that we normally would if this person were standing in front of us, the effective use of social media requires additional restraint and thought.

Stop, Think, & Think Again

An instantaneous response to criticism is 9 times out of 10 not the best response.  Think through the best response (get the emotion out of the way and consider what an objective follower would want you to explain).

Be Selective

Don’t respond to every blip on the radar. Choose comments that you feel your core client base would want a response to, and speak to them as a professional in your responses. Ignore or delete other comments that do not warrant a response.

Comment Once

Write with the goal of only commenting once. The idea is not to get into a full debate, but to provide your followers your thoughts, and the process you took to get there. Turn what is seen as a negative into a positive.  Maybe they would have taken the same approach, maybe not, but as a professional, explaining yourself with honesty and integrity is incredibly valuable.  If an apology is owed, offer it.

If your negative reviews are just too much check out our tips for combating negative reviews so that the positive ones shine.