Negative Comments

How to Deal with Negative Comments and Trolls on Social Media

Social media has transformed how brands interact with their audiences, offering direct access to customers and creating a space for open dialogue. However, this immediacy also means that negative comments and trolls can easily disrupt the conversation. Whether it’s a dissatisfied customer airing their grievances or an internet troll looking to stir trouble, how you handle these situations can either strengthen or damage your brand’s reputation.

Dealing with negative comments and trolls can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. In fact, when handled properly, these situations can offer an opportunity to demonstrate your brand’s professionalism, commitment to customer service, and dedication to building positive relationships with your audience. The key is knowing when to respond, how to manage your emotions, and when to take a step back.

In this article, we’ll walk you through effective strategies for managing negative feedback and trolls on social media while maintaining a positive brand image.

1. Don’t Take It Personally—Keep Calm and Stay Professional

The first step in dealing with negative comments and trolls is to stay calm. It’s natural to feel defensive or upset when someone criticizes your business or attacks your brand, but it’s important to approach the situation professionally and without emotion.

When you feel yourself getting upset, take a deep breath and ask yourself: How can I respond to this situation that aligns with my brand’s values? The goal is to diffuse the negativity while maintaining the integrity of your brand.

Remember, social media is a public space, and your response is often just as important as the comment itself. A thoughtful, measured response can show your followers that you handle criticism gracefully.

Real-life Example:

JetBlue Airways is known for its calm, customer-first approach when responding to negative comments. Instead of getting defensive, they often acknowledge the issue, apologize where necessary, and offer assistance. This approach has earned them a loyal following, even among those who have faced issues.

Actionable Tip:

If a comment triggers an emotional response, step away for a few minutes before replying. In some cases, it’s best to ask a colleague to handle the response if you’re too emotionally charged.

2. Acknowledge the Issue and Apologize Where Necessary

When faced with a negative comment, particularly from a disgruntled customer, the first step is to acknowledge their experience and offer a genuine apology, even if you don’t think you’re at fault. A heartfelt apology goes a long way in showing customers that you value their feedback and are committed to resolving the issue.

Be sure to express empathy and let the person know that their concern is taken seriously. Avoid sounding robotic—customers can spot insincerity from a mile away.

Tips for Effective Apologies:

Be specific: Address the specific issue or complaint raised. Acknowledge what went wrong and why it was frustrating for the customer.

Keep it concise: Don’t drag the apology on, but make sure it’s sincere. Avoid making excuses.

Take responsibility: Even if the issue isn’t entirely your fault, taking ownership of the situation shows leadership and care.

Real-life Example:

Lush Cosmetics, when receiving a negative comment about product quality, responded with a direct acknowledgment: "We’re sorry to hear about your experience. We take product quality very seriously and would love to make this right." This approach helped diffuse frustration and turned the conversation in a more positive direction.

Actionable Tip:

Respond with empathy and a willingness to resolve the issue. Acknowledge the frustration and offer next steps, like investigating the issue further or contacting customer service for a resolution.

3. Move the Conversation to a Private Channel When Needed

While it’s important to engage with customers publicly, some situations require more privacy. If the conversation involves sensitive or personal details, or if the issue is complex and needs more attention, it’s best to move the conversation away from the public eye.

Politely suggest that the customer contact you via direct message (DM), email, or phone for further assistance. This can help de-escalate the situation and allows you to resolve the issue without airing all the details in public.

Example Message:

“We’re sorry to hear about your experience. We’d love to help you resolve this. Can you please DM us your order number or contact our customer support team at [email/phone]? We’ll make sure to get this sorted for you!”

Real-life Example:

Amazon uses Twitter’s direct message feature to privately handle customer complaints. If someone tweets a negative comment about their service, Amazon’s customer service account often responds with an invitation to move the conversation to DMs where they can address the issue more efficiently.

Actionable Tip:

If you’re offering to move the conversation offline, always follow through. Provide the customer with clear instructions for how to reach you and make sure your team is prepared to respond promptly.

4. Don’t Engage with Trolls or Negative Behavior

Trolls are individuals who purposely stir up conflict, often with the goal of getting a rise out of you. Engaging with them only fuels the fire, and in many cases, responding to them can result in the situation escalating quickly.

The best strategy is often to ignore trolls and not engage with their comments. If you feel the need to respond, try using humor to defuse the situation, or simply acknowledge that you’re aware of the comment without directly engaging.

When to Block or Report:

If the troll’s behavior becomes abusive or harassing, don’t hesitate to block or report the user. Most social media platforms have reporting tools for harassment, spam, and abusive behavior.

If the troll is spreading false information, you might want to provide a factual response, but avoid getting bogged down in an argument.

Real-life Example:

Boeing once faced a Twitter troll who mocked their brand after a plane malfunction. Instead of engaging with the person, they politely acknowledged the issue and chose not to escalate the conversation further. This tactic sent a message to followers that the brand wouldn’t stoop to the troll's level.

Actionable Tip:

If the comment is purely meant to provoke, consider not responding at all. If the troll's behavior crosses the line into hate speech or harassment, use the platform's blocking or reporting features to remove the negativity.

5. Respond to Negative Comments with Humor—When Appropriate

Not all negative comments or complaints are from trolls, and sometimes humor can be a great tool for diffusing tension. If a customer’s comment is more lighthearted than malicious, or if they’ve made a harmless joke, consider responding with a bit of humor yourself.

Be cautious, however: humor can be a double-edged sword. If the situation is serious or if the customer is upset, humor may come off as insensitive or unprofessional. But if you read the situation correctly, humor can turn a negative interaction into a memorable positive experience.

Example of Humor in Action:

A customer posts a lighthearted complaint, saying: “I’m 100% sure your coffee is powered by magic, because it makes my mornings way too perfect!”

A humorous response could be: “We might have a touch of wizardry in our brew. Glad we could work some magic for your mornings!”

Real-life Example:

Wendy’s has become famous for its witty and humorous Twitter presence. They’ve handled negative comments with playful banter while maintaining a light-hearted tone that resonates with their audience. Their ability to mix humor with customer engagement has earned them a massive following.

Actionable Tip:

Use humor when it feels right, but always be mindful of the tone and context. Make sure that your humor is appropriate and in line with your brand’s voice.

6. Leverage Negative Feedback for Improvement

Sometimes, negative comments can actually provide valuable insights into your product or service. Use this feedback as an opportunity to improve and show your audience that you’re committed to delivering the best possible experience.

Turning Negative Feedback into Positive Action:

Publicly acknowledge improvements: If customers raise an issue that you've already worked to fix, update them on the changes you’ve made.

Show how you’re listening: Let your followers know you value their input and are constantly working to improve. This builds trust and demonstrates that you care about their experience.

Real-life Example:

Netflix has used negative feedback as a way to refine their content and service. When subscribers complained about the quality of certain shows or their customer service, Netflix responded by explaining improvements they were making based on user feedback.