How To Handle Criticism On Social Media

You put a lot of time and effort into your social media posts. You want them to be just right, whether that means perfectly edited for Instagram or authentic enough that people think you’re not obsessively editing them. Sometimes, though, the comments section can become a place where your work is criticized. And hearing criticism of your work can be a hard pill to swallow especially if it comes from strangers on the internet.

We’ve found that navigating criticism on social media is easier when we remember that opinions are subjective and we’re in control of our responses (or lack thereof). That’s why we’ve pulled together some tips for handling criticism on social media. 

Follow these steps and you’ll be able to handle criticism like a boss!

Takeaways
1. Stay calm and avoid responding defensively to criticism on social media.
2. Take the time to understand the criticism and address it constructively.
3. Show empathy and offer a genuine and thoughtful response to the criticism.
4. Use social media criticism as an opportunity for growth and improvement.
5. Regularly monitor social media for criticism and address concerns promptly.

Don’t Read Online Criticisms As Attacks

Remember that a lot of social media followers are real people. Even if they’re anonymous, they’re probably not trying to attack you online.

Don’t be defensive on social media. You can respond to the critics without being defensive, and the way to do this is by offering them a solution. For example, “Thanks for your comment! I’ll definitely try out that recipe and let you know what I think.”

Be transparent and authentic with your followers. If something goes wrong, tell them about it in an honest way. Your audience will respect you for it and feel like they understand you better than before as a result of this experience.

Be consistently kind to your followers no matter what happens or how upset someone may be with you at any given time (or vice versa). People often forget that it’s just social media; don’t take yourself too seriously because life goes on after you’ve logged off from one platform or another.

When engaging on social media, it’s important to follow proper social media etiquette to maintain professionalism and build a positive online presence. Learn about the do’s and don’ts in our comprehensive guide on Social Media Etiquette: Everything You Need to Know.

Don’t Become Defensive On Social Media

You may see them [critics] commenting on their own posts, linking to an article, or responding to others in a group. No matter where you see them, it’s important that you recognize and appreciate the difference between someone who is genuinely critical of your work and someone who seems to have made it their mission in life to tear you down.

For all the thoughts swirling around in your head even if they’re screaming at you not to it’s important that you not respond immediately. It’s tough, but try pressing the “delete” button instead of hitting “reply.” 

And even if it takes every ounce of self-control within you, refrain from typing out your response for a few hours (or longer). If your impulse is still there after waiting a while, then consider composing a brief reply that doesn’t engage with the criticism (e.g., “I’m sorry things didn’t work out as hoped,” or “Thank you for your feedback”).

Be Transparent And Authentic With Your Followers

Be yourself. When you’re authentic, you have nothing to hide. If you make mistakes, own them.

Use criticism as an opportunity to learn. Open your mind to new ideas and better ways of doing things. Who knows? You may improve your content in the process!

Be transparent when it comes to marketing or self-promotion. No one wants to be scammed or lied to, so being open about any promotional partnerships helps build trust with followers by showing that you have nothing to hide and are perhaps even a bit vulnerable with them. And if they can relate, followers are more likely to be engaged and loyal and maybe even become evangelists for your brand or product!

Be Consistently Kind To Your Followers

You can’t control what other people post, but you do have control over how you interact with them. If you are consistently kind to your followers and show that you care about them, they will respond in kind. You don’t want to be fake or sugarcoat things, but there’s no reason to come off as rude or abrasive. Be nice!

Respond to their comments and answer questions they ask. Someone might comment on one of your posts saying that they saw something in the background of your photo and would love more information on it. Take a moment to reply back with an answer! It only takes a few seconds, but these small interactions mean a lot to your followers because it shows them that you care about what they have to say.

Share other people’s posts/credit creators when possible. Staying active on social media doesn’t just mean keeping up with your own page it means being involved in the community around you as well! When someone comments on one of your posts saying how much they love something featured in it (like a book or piece of clothing), go ahead and tag the company’s Instagram account so that others who see this post know where to find it too! 

This is not only good for business relationships between brands and influencers like yourself; it also creates positive experiences for everyone involved, including readers who want more information about products mentioned by their favorite bloggers/vloggers.”

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Minimize Your Exposure To Negative Comments

Don’t read the comments. If you’re posting on social media regularly, you’ve likely built up a following of friends, family, and even strangers who appreciate your content. But with any amount of exposure comes the likelihood that you’ll receive negative or hurtful comments. 

Often, these critical comments aren’t intended to be offensive or upsetting; they’re just a way for people to express their thoughts. However, you don’t have to expose yourself to those kinds of remarks. One way to avoid them is by not reading the comments at all.

Don’t reply to comments. When responding to constructive criticism on social media can be helpful in certain instances (we’ll get into that later), there are often times when it’s better for your mental health and well-being not to respond at all especially if the comment is particularly harsh or offensive. 

While responding with kindness may feel good at the moment, it might also result in a war of words between you and the commenter, and that can detract from your original post and make you feel more anxious about future posts (or worse).

Don’t keep social media apps on your phone (or delete them altogether). This one might seem extreme but if you work in an industry where having a social presence is important or necessary, deleting or temporarily removing an app from your phone could really help reduce stress and anxiety around posting online. 

Whether it’s Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or something else entirely depends on which platform(s) are giving you trouble right now but taking a break could be just what you need if posting feels like too much of an emotional burden lately (more on this later).

Reach Out To Other Creators (And Have Them Reach Out To You)

You can also use social media to connect with other creators who may be going through the same thing. You may even want to reach out to them! They might have great advice on how they handled their negative comments or criticism. 

Sometimes, connecting with others in your industry and talking about these issues can help you arrive at a solution faster than if you were working alone. It’s not uncommon for creators to do this by sharing resources, they can help each other improve their craft.

Creating content is hard work especially when it comes time to put yourself out into the world, where your work will be judged by millions of people. But keep in mind that every creator goes through this process and has dealt with criticism at some point even major celebrities like Kanye West and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have been called out for their actions on social media. The important thing is that you don’t let that stop you from creating great stuff!

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Embrace Constructive Criticism Even If It’s Hard To Take

The best way to handle criticism on social media is to embrace constructive feedback. If someone has given you specific, helpful feedback on your work, use that as an opportunity to grow. Even if the comment feels personal or hurts your feelings, it’s important to remember: it’s about the product or service that you’re selling it’s not about you.

Take a minute to calm down and then look at the meaning behind what was said. Someone might criticize your work without realizing how much time and effort went into creating it; they might not know the whole story of why you did what you did (which could be a good reason to share more details in your marketing materials). If you can take a step back, take some deep breaths, and not let yourself get defensive, then this will allow you an opportunity to learn more and grow.

It’s best practice for any social media account personal or business to have a policy in place on how comments are handled. It’s important for everyone involved with the account (and anyone who’s responsible for overseeing or approving content) to be familiar with this policy so that there aren’t any surprises later on!

Freelancers need to be mindful of social media etiquette to maintain professionalism and attract clients. Explore our tips and guidelines in Social Media Etiquette for Freelancers to enhance your online presence.

Weighing In On Politics Or Social Issues Can Attract Harsh Criticism. Is It Worth It?

If you decide to speak out about a sensitive issue, be prepared for the consequences. As you gain more followers, your comments and posts are viewed by more people and may draw harsher criticism. Instead of responding to each comment, simply acknowledge that other people have different opinions and remind them that they are welcome to share their thoughts in the comments as well.

The key thing to remember is that you can be true to yourself and still respond professionally when criticism arises.

The key thing to remember is that you can be true to yourself and still respond professionally when criticism arises. Above all, don’t let a few harsh words on social media derail your confidence or make you question your self-worth.

It’s important to understand that criticism is a natural part of life, and therefore an inevitable part of the internet universe. Your goal should be to strike a balance between being emotionally affected by what someone says about you and not letting the negativity get the best of you. 

There’s no right or wrong way to respond here this kind of judgment falls into a gray area. The best solution might be to ignore it, while in other cases, taking action like blocking or reporting hurtful comments can sometimes help diffuse the situation.

Above all, be kind, but also firm and assertive in your response; don’t apologize unnecessarily if someone has said something mean about you online!

Don’t feel obligated to respond to every criticism that comes your way either; this only gives people more fuel for their fire.

Effective communication etiquette is crucial for freelancers to build strong client relationships. Discover valuable tips and strategies in our article on 10 Communication Etiquette Tips for Freelancers to improve your freelance career.

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources on handling criticism on social media:

Mind Tools: How to Handle Social Media Criticism – Learn effective strategies to handle and respond to criticism on social media, ensuring a positive online reputation.

Social Media Today: 3 Creative Ways to Address Consumer Criticism on Social Media – Discover innovative approaches to addressing consumer criticism on social media platforms, fostering engagement and resolving issues effectively.

Entrepreneur: How to Handle Social Media Criticism – Gain insights into handling social media criticism and learn how to turn negative feedback into opportunities for growth and improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Constructive Criticism?

Constructive criticism is a critique that’s meant to be helpful, as opposed to being mean-spirited or harsh. Constructive criticism can help you see your work from a new angle and make improvements.

How Do You Handle Criticism?

The best way to handle criticism is by making sure you understand what the person trying to criticize you is saying. Before jumping into defensive mode, try to step back and take a second look at what they’re saying they may have a point. Once you’ve taken some time to reflect, respond kindly and show them that their advice has been considered.

How Do You Respond To Criticism?

Thank you” is one of the most powerful phrases in your arsenal when it comes to responding professionally to criticisms. Try not to let your emotions get the better of you when someone critiques your work or behavior say thank you first, and then take some time, later on, to go over their comments in private if need be. 

Doing this will help avoid putting anyone on the spot which can lead to feelings being hurt unnecessarily (on both sides).

What Is The Best Way To Handle Criticism On Social Media?

The best way to handle criticism on social media is to be as open and transparent as possible. If you’re not being transparent, then you’re going to come off as defensive and unapproachable. Not only that, but if you’re not transparent and people find out later that you weren’t being honest with them, they will lose trust in your company.

How Do I Know If My Response Is Too Defensive?

If your response comes across as defensive or argumentative, then it probably is! You don’t want to make it seem like you’re trying to justify yourself when someone gives you feedback instead try responding with something like “I hear what you’re saying and I appreciate it.” 

If someone says something negative about your brand or product, try asking them how they feel about it this allows them to give their feedback without feeling like they’re attacking or criticizing everything about your business which can make them defensive too.

Why Am I Receiving Criticism On Social Media?

It’s not always easy to handle criticism, and it can be even harder when you’re being criticized online. But remember that there are many reasons why people might take issue with what you’ve written or said. 

Maybe they don’t agree with you, maybe they think something else could’ve been done instead, or maybe they just don’t like your tone. Either way, it’s important to remember that their opinion of your content is not necessarily an indictment of your character it’s just one person’s opinion!

How Do I Know If I’m Getting Too Much Negative Feedback?

When you start receiving a lot of criticism from people on social media, it can be hard to tell if that means something is wrong with your content or if it just means that there are more people who disagree with what you’re saying than usual (and therefore more people willing to tell you so).