TL;DR: Stay calm, don’t delete negative comments, answer most of them sincerely and transparently, never stoop to arguing and give them a positive spin. These are some of the ways to answer negative comments on social media. Read on for more.
Social media is a melting point where some people will overwhelm you with all their love and others will leave you in tears with their negative opinions. Every creator must master both situations. So, today, we dive into how to answer negative comments (and positive) on social media.
How to answer negative comments on social media like a pro?
Social media is a public place where everyone has an eye on you. So, the way you respond to comments and even DMs says a lot about you as a creator. Every reply should be such that it doesn’t hurt your reputation. Here’s how you answer trolls, haters, or even a politely worded negative comment.
1. Try to stay calm
Every social is a public place where people watch you. You have to be calm when answering negative comments. How do you do that? Don’t reply immediately. You’ll only make it worse with your anger. Instead, take your time to develop an appropriate answer and, where possible, be humorous to avoid conflict between you and your community.
2. Respond to as many comments as possible
First of all, you need to respond to all the comments, no matter how negative or positive they are. Remember, your reply is not only for the person who left a comment. Your answer is for everyone who is scrolling through your social account.
3. Don’t delete comments
Going on a spree and deleting negative comments is not the right way to handle them. That said, there are a few situations where deleting is the only choice. If a user is slinging profanity or ranting about off-topic thngs, it’s fine to hit delete. However, if it is a legitimate critique, don’t censor it.
4. Be sincere and transparent
Negative comments can overwhelm you as a creator and make you frustrated. And in frustration, you are more likely to abuse or answer negative comments rudely.
But get this: people know you are human and allowed to make mistakes. Be transparent when you have made an error, and be sincere in your apology. Your community will love you for it.
5. Don’t argue needlessly with users
As Nakshatra Bagwe says, don’t indulge in arguing with people, especially those with bots or faceless accounts. You can’t change them. Simply block these accounts. Arguing or explaining to them is a waste of time and will backfire.
6. Make the most of negative comments
Haters are going to hate. So, learn the art of handling these trolls. Make something useful out of their comments. Take a cue from Siddharth Batra. His unusual, insouciant, and bang-on style attracts quite a lot of trolls and comments. He uses an innovative way to deal with them. He’s converted comments into videos like this one:
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Step-by-step process for replying to negative comments when you’re angry
1. Step back and take a deep breath
Before you take your frustration out on the keyboard, relax and take a deep breath. Yes, your mental state plays a crucial role in making or breaking your reputation. So, respond with a relaxed mind.
2. Write your response on paper
Take your time and write your answer on a piece of paper. It will help you determine what you should post online and what not.
3. Loop in a creator or trusted individual
A single negative comment on social media can end up causing several problems. And if you end up ineffectively responding to them, it can wreak havoc on your reputation. So, loop in a friend, fellow creator, or anyone you trust and ask them if the reply is honest, sincere, and not laced with anger. A second opinion never hurts!
4. Comment and track the situation
Once you are ready with your response, post it. Then, track the reply received to your comment. This will help you tackle such scenarios in the future and prevent your reputation from falling into shambles.
How should creators reply to positive comments?
Negativity is the hardest to reply to, but sometimes taking an extra moment to respond to a positive comment can make all the difference to your creator’s journey.
1. Always thank your community
Thanking your community is the first #thng you should do in your response. You need to make them feel valued, and showing appreciation goes a long way.
2. Personalisation is the key
The more personalised your responses are, the better. Followers feel more valued when you write their name or use your own unique voice and tone to reply. So, don’t copy-paste the same “thank you”. Instead, take your time crafting a response.
3. Pin the positive comment
Pinning positive user comments can help you establish a strong relationship with those who love your content. It sets the vibe of your comment section.
Answering negative and positive comments is a creator’s way of life
Social media is a public forum. You can’t control what others say. But you can control how you answer them. Keep this in mind next time trolls and haters make your blood boil.
Negative comments can, at times, help you improve your content by forcing you to look closer at areas that require improvement.
