Social media is a powerful tool for brands, but it can also backfire. No matter how hard you work to optimize your social accounts and add great content, someone will probably come along and leave a negative comment on one of your posts at some point.
This could be anything from a complaint about shipping or the product itself to an inappropriate comment or spam. In this post, we’ll cover how to respond to negative feedback on social media and what you can do to prevent it in the future.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Address negative feedback promptly and professionally. |
| 2. Acknowledge the concern and empathize with the customer. |
| 3. Offer a solution or steps to resolve the issue. |
| 4. Maintain a positive and respectful tone in all responses. |
| 5. Use the opportunity to showcase your commitment to improvement. |
How To Respond To Negative Feedback On Social Media?
Use screenshots. When it comes to social media, a picture is worth 1,000 words and the same goes for screenshots of text messages or emails.
The best way to deal with negative feedback is to take screen shots and then post them publicly on your page so that all your followers can see how the conversation went down.
This mustn’t come across as defensive in any way; it should just be an objective look at what happened between you two.
Don’t take it personally! Negative comments are often fueled by emotion (which we’ll get into later), so try not to make too much out of them until you’ve taken some time away from the situation.
If someone says something hurtful about you online or sends you an email with insults hidden inside their message, write down exactly what they said without reacting emotionally first then let yourself feel whatever emotion arises afterward (anger/sadness/frustration).
This way, when someone else points out that they’ve never had good experiences with businesses like yours in general (or even with other companies owned by competitors).
There won’t be any doubt left in anyone’s mind about why certain people might not want anything business-related involved in their lives anymore including yours!
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Take Screenshots Of The Negative Comment
When someone leaves a negative comment on your Instagram, you should take a screengrab of it.
This is important for both your records and to have as an email attachment if you decide to contact Instagram support at a later date (you’ll need the screenshot to provide proof that there was indeed a problem).
If you delete their comment, they will be notified that their comment was deleted and they may not understand why. It could even make things worse!
Re-Read The Comment Before Responding
Before you respond, take a moment to re-read the comment. This will help you understand exactly what the customer is saying and how they feel about it.
It’s important to understand their point of view so that you can truly address their problem when responding.
For example, if they are upset with something, in particular, make sure that your response acknowledges those specific issues and offers a solution on how to fix it or an apology for whatever caused them to feel this way.
Decide If You Should Delete The Comment
If the comment is offensive or rude, it’s a good idea to delete it. You don’t want to allow negative comments that are deliberately intended to hurt your feelings and make you look bad in front of an audience.
If the comment is just plain wrong, but not offensive or rude, you can probably let it slide (but if there are repeat offenders, that could become a problem).
If someone makes an argument about something factually incorrect, you don’t want them using your platform as their soapbox for spouting nonsense at everyone else even if they’re not being mean-spirited about it.
But I would only delete this kind of comment if I felt like calling out the person was more important than letting my followers know where I stand on certain issues and why people should listen to me on those topics.
Any other types of comments not covered above should probably be deleted if they’re off-topic or just plain stupid though again.
This is up to your discretion depending on how much time/energy/reputation capital you have invested into building relationships with these people through social media responses thus far (and whether or not any followers would care).
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Don’t Take The Comment Personally
There’s a difference between taking a negative comment as an attack and taking it personally. Consider this scenario:
You run a business doing social media consulting for small businesses and you’ve worked with your client for months to help them build their presence on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
You’ve done everything you can to ensure that their accounts are beautiful, engaging, and working well and then one day they post something that gets just two likes from followers instead of the usual 10+ likes per post.
Instead of being happy that they’re getting any sort of engagement at all (two people liking anything is better than zero), they take it as an insult to their brand because most other brands at least get three or four likes per post!
This is where we see what happens when someone takes something personal they start talking about themselves in the third person even though they’re not involved with any part of these interactions online (like someone might do if they were actually “attacked” by another human being).
Communicate Directly With The Customer
There are different ways to respond to negative comments on social media. You can:
- Respond publicly in the thread of the post where they left their comment
- Respond privately via direct message (DM)
You may also choose to reply publicly, but only if the person who commented has a large audience and your response will help others.
This is because it shows that you have nothing to hide, that you’re taking accountability for what happened, and that you’re willing to listen and learn from feedback.
Ask For More Context From The Customer
If you can, ask for more context about the comment. If the customer is happy with your product or service, and they’ve provided an additional detail that could help you improve it, great! But if not, try asking them to be more specific about what went wrong and why.
For example:
- “Can you tell me more about why this didn’t work out for you?”
- “I’m sorry we’re not meeting your needs at this time; can I help understand how we fell short?”
- “I’m glad to hear that we met your expectations! What were they?” (Doing this will hopefully show them that you care about their experience.)
If someone is using social media as a place to vent their frustrations with a company or person’s actions online like poor customer service or rude behavior from another user it’s likely because they believe their post will have some impact on their cause.
In these cases, it’s best to respond tactfully by acknowledging and addressing those concerns without getting into lengthy debates or arguments with an angry person who may never change their mind anyway (and could even end up damaging your reputation).
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Use This As An Opportunity To Learn And Grow
This is not to say that you shouldn’t take negative feedback seriously. It’s important to address customer concerns and learn from them. When responding to negative feedback, be sure to use this as an opportunity to learn and grow as a business.
You can ask the customer for more context on their experience, or if it would be helpful for you to provide more details on how you can improve your product/service.
The point is: don’t feel like any response other than “thank you” is a failure!
Assess Your Brand’s Reputation
Before you respond, it’s important to assess your brand’s reputation online. From social media to search engines, review sites, and more, there are a variety of venues where customers rate their experiences with your company or product. You can check the following:
- Social media profiles/pages/groups: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other channels where you have an active presence
- Search engines (Google) for reviews about your products or services
- Review sites like Yelp that allow users to post feedback on local businesses
How To Prevent Negative Feedback On Social Media In The Future
As a business owner, you have a responsibility to manage your social media presence. This means creating processes for dealing with negative comments and feedback as they come in.
It’s also important to encourage positive feedback so that you can work on building an online reputation that is aligned with your business goals.
Here are some tips for responding gracefully to negative social media feedback:
Create A Process For Dealing With Negative Comments
It can be tempting to ignore or delete negative posts about your business. However, if someone has taken the time and energy to leave their thoughts online (whether in person or through a review), it’s worth addressing those concerns publicly rather than privately.
It shows that you respect their opinion, even if you don’t agree with it and this will build trust between you and your audience members over time!
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Create A Process For Dealing With Negative Social Media Comments
If you’re going to use social media as a marketing tool, you need to have a process for dealing with negative feedback.
Have a system in place for dealing with positive feedback. It’s important to recognize the people who are genuinely happy about your products or services.
For example, if someone leaves a five-star review on your Facebook page and posts it there, like their post so that they know you saw it and like the comment so that others can see that you appreciated their kind words.
Then thank them personally by sending an email or replying in a separate comment on Facebook.
Have a system in place for dealing with neutral feedback that is, when someone doesn’t like something but isn’t willing to say anything negative either. Neutral comments don’t help anyone; they just waste everyone’s time!
As soon as you see one of these replies come through on social media channels (or even emails).
Delete them immediately without reading further than what was said right there at first glance because chances are high that nothing else worthwhile will be added after this first sentence anyways.
Encourage Positive Feedback
When you receive positive feedback on social media, don’t be afraid to encourage it. You can do this by replying with a thank you or asking for the more positive feedback.
For example, if someone tweets at you and says they enjoyed your article, feel free to respond with a simple “thank you!” This will show that you’re happy with their comment and also allow them to provide more details or ask questions about the topic of your article.
If someone sends something in the mail and it’s not negative (say a birthday card), remember:
Responding is still good manners! Reply with a thank-you note along with any other appropriate response (e.g., “Thanks for thinking of me on my birthday” or “Thank you for sending those sweet flowers”).
If there’s some kind of follow-up question from your end, keep in mind how much time has passed since their gift arrived; maybe wait until another day before replying so as not to appear too eager!
Identify Common FAQs And Answer Them Right On Your Profile
When you have a question, or someone else has a question, you want to find the answer as quickly as possible. The same is true for your followers when they see something confusing on your profile or posts.
If it’s a common theme, identify those questions and answer them right on your profile! Not only will this build trust with your audience by showing them how knowledgeable and helpful you are, but it also makes it easy for them to find answers without having to message back and forth.
Use these FAQs as an opportunity to promote your brand (and products/services/industry) by directing people straightaway to resources that address their concerns.
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Conclusion
Responding to negative comments on social media is not an easy task. It takes time, patience, and a lot of communication.
But if you can take a step back and assess each situation objectively, and truly listen to what the customer is saying, you may be able to turn negative feedback into a positive resolution.
And finally, don’t let one bad experience with a customer ruin your day. There are thousands of people who follow your brand on social media that are excited to see what you have coming up next!
Further Reading
Expand your knowledge on handling negative feedback and managing social media interactions with these resources:
How to Handle Negative Feedback on Social Media Learn effective strategies to address negative feedback on social media and turn it into an opportunity for growth.
Navigating Negative Feedback on Social Media Discover community-led approaches to managing negative feedback and creating a positive online environment.
Dealing with Negative Comments on Social Media Get insights from HubSpot on how to handle negative comments and maintain a professional and constructive online presence.
FAQs
How can I effectively respond to negative feedback on social media?
Responding to negative feedback requires a thoughtful approach. Acknowledge the concern, offer a solution, and maintain a professional tone in your response.
Should I address negative feedback publicly or privately?
It depends on the situation. If the feedback involves a private matter, it’s best to address it privately. However, if the concern is general, responding publicly can showcase your commitment to resolving issues.
How do I prevent negative feedback from escalating?
Monitor your social media channels regularly. Address any negative feedback promptly and professionally to prevent further escalation and show your dedication to customer satisfaction.
Can negative feedback be turned into a positive opportunity?
Yes, negative feedback provides a chance to showcase your brand’s responsiveness and willingness to improve. By addressing concerns effectively, you can potentially turn detractors into loyal supporters.
What’s the role of community in handling negative feedback?
Community engagement can play a crucial role in managing negative feedback. Encourage open discussions, address concerns transparently, and leverage the power of community support to diffuse tense situations.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.