How to respond to negative online comments
Sometimes customers have legitimate problems with your product—and sometimes the trolls are out to get you. Here’s how to handle both.
Uh oh. Someone doesn’t like your brand on social media.
Now what?
Don’t panic. Even if you have the best product or service in the world, chances are there is someone in the residual corners of the Internet who doesn’t like you and will make sure you know it.
An online presence does allow negative users—including trolls—to swing by and crash your party. But this isn’t the norm, so don’t let it discourage you from building an online community. You need an online community to grow your business, so don’t let some negative comment ruin the relationship you can have with loyal customers.
Besides, there are ways to handle the day-to-day negative social media comments you may receive. These are tips I’ve learned through my experiences. Feel free to chime in if you have something to add to the list.
Determine the cause
It’s important to determine the context for the negative comment so you can determine your response. For example, did your latest Facebook post prompt the negative comment? Is there something about your company you can tie it back to? Did someone react to a bad customer service experience or product problem?
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