How to Deal With Negative Comments on Social Media

We have all had that moment when we just want to explode on social media. Usually this is because of some internet "troll" who decided to comment negatively on your posts. Sometimes it may even be a person we know. The important rule to remember is to always keep your composure. It is never worth it to risk your reputation over someone's rude comment. Obviously, this is easier said than done. We let our emotions control our actions in the moment and then it is all downhill from there. There is a way to control our emotion and respond appropriately to negative comments. Take a look below for some rules to keep in mind when dealing with negative comments.

1. Use the Right Tools

• You have to be able to monitor when anyone responds to a post you created. Most social sites have an easy way of viewing the thread of a conversation. Sometimes you may have to set up a search for your profile name. For instance, on Twitter you can set up a search for your handle and then save it to make it easier to get to. One important rule to remember is to always monitor the comments that are unrelated to the content of your post, they still matter. 

2. Consider the Total Audience

• When you are replying back to a comment, it is important to remember that not just the commenter is reading this. Everyone who is reading the thread and see this and react to how you react to the commenter. This is why there is a dire need to remain calm when dealing with negative comments because the situation could become worse if a third party gets involved. Simply, if you stay professional, other people will notice this and disregard whatever the negative comment was.

3. Assume People Are Good Until Proven Bad

• You can very easily misinterpret what someone says because it is over social media and you sometimes might not be able to understand the intent behind the comment. Keep your guards up until you have complete clarification.

4. Agree to Disagree

• If playing nice isn't your cup of tea then you can always agree to disagree. This is the most polite way to argue because you are not attacking the commenter. Also, other people will notice that you have strong convictions and are a strong person because you stand by what you say regardless of others.

5. Go Three Rounds

• The best rule to remember is to leave an argument after three exchanges. 1) The negative comment 2)Your response 3) The commenter's response back. You have at least acknowledged their concern but not let it drag you down. 

6. Delete, Block, and Report

• Sometimes the best way to deal with an inappropriate comment is to just flag the comment and delete it. Reporting the commenter is also a clever way to end the exchange before the exchange even begins. 

* All of this information comes from The Art of Social Media by Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick

I certainly agree with all of this information that I have read about this past week. As I grew up and started using social media, my mother would always remind me to respond with kind words rather than attacking the person. Like they always say, it is better to take the high road. One rule that I read about that I found interesting was the "Go Three Rounds" rule. I would always just keep commenting back and forth until the issue was resolved because I couldn't let it go. After reading though, this idea seems like a much better and simpler way to address a problem. One other thing that I found captivating in my reading.... Guy Kawasaki says that if you're not upsetting people on social media then you're not using social media right. I always thought that you want to cater directly to your audience, which is true, but sometimes you have to be bold and say stuff that your followers might not agree with. This is okay. This can lead to diverse and intellectual conversations that are meant to happen. 

So keep this in mind the next time you come across an online bully. Stay calm and collected you high societal souls and reach for the stars!

Word of the Day: Onomatopoeia

Definition: The formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.


All the best