If you have a social media account belonging to a brand, company, or institution, how to handle negative comments effectively will also be a part of your life. Although you think you are doing it right, there will always be situations and approaches that you overlook or do not take into account.
One of the biggest and most important advantages of social media platforms to users is that users can easily make their voices heard. For this reason, you can be sure that if users have any thoughts or comments about you or your product, they will share them. You will come across more negative comments on social media platforms.
The reason for this is the satisfaction of human nature with more relatives; they are much more inclined to share their dissatisfaction with a wider audience. This situation causes users to change their point of view towards your brand and purchasing thought. According to research, 86% of users do not prefer to shop from a brand that has negative or malicious comments.
Figure 1: How to Handle Negative Comments on Social Media
So, how is it necessary to deal with negative comments from unhappy or even angry people or customers on social media platforms?
How to Respond and Handle Negative Feedback?
Today, there is no way to avoid negative feedback on social media platforms. In addition, negative feedback made through social media platforms can be quickly brought to the attention of the world.
If a user or customer has given you negative feedback on social media platforms, it is very important that you handle negative comments by responding constructively to the feedback. This indicates a good sense of customer service. You’re also showing people reading negative feedback how you can handle distressing situations and how to deal with adversity when they’re faced with it themselves. At the same time, leaving negative feedback unanswered means you accept it and reinforce the negativity.
How you respond to negative feedback is very important. There are several ways to respond to these notifications. These ways are as follows:
- Respond to negative comments in general
- Address the comment privately if possible
- Reply in a serious and distant manner
- If possible, respond to negative comments in a humorous manner
How you respond will vary depending on the negative feedback from the customer or user.
Figure 2: How to Respond to Negative Feedback
Respond to Negative Feedback Generally or Specifically?
While giving a part of the answer that should be given to the customer or user in general, it means looking for a way to eliminate the negative situation with the person who gave the feedback with a private message. This method is a good way to handle negative comments given by malicious people and be able to handle sensitive issues as well. If you choose this method, you can generally write in response to the comment that you are very sorry for the negative experience of the customers or users and sent a private message to fix the problem.
Most brands completely cost the user the negative or malicious comments made on social media. But users don’t think so. According to social media research, 48% of users think that hate speech and violent or sexually inappropriate comments made under brand posts are the brand’s own fault.
Responding generally to simpler issues and less frustrated feedback will be very beneficial to your image. If the issue seems to be easily resolved without escalation, it will also be an advertisement for your user or customer service skills to conclude it in front of everyone.
One reason to answer in general is the unfounded claims of malicious people. You don’t want to leave the claims of such negative feedback lying around without refuting them. At this point, you can have the discussion publicly. You can also tell the other party that you want to solve the problem one-on-one by offering to refute their claims. Whichever method you believe will be successful in the event of negative feedback, you can selectively apply it.
Figure 3: Deal with negative comments in a professional way
Respond to Negative Feedback Answered Seriously or Humorously?
Responding to negative feedback with humor can be a good opportunity to show your soft side, but you should still be careful. Because the method of answering with humor is a style that you can use only on certain issues and jokes should not be made without making sure that the other party will respond positively. By analyzing the tone of negative feedback well, it is necessary to make sure that the other party will welcome a humorous response or that the rest of the users will like a joking response.
Comments made under social media posts of brands or businesses affect user purchases by 67.7%. In this case, it is vital for your brand to constantly check the comments and keep negative or hate speech comments under control. If you hesitate when responding to negative feedback, save the situation by responding seriously. Because being serious will never be misunderstood.
No matter what the other party does, never be aggressive under any circumstances. Always keep your cool, because an emotional or offensive response will be perceived as childish and devalued, as you never wanted it to be.
Tips for How to Handle Negative Comments on Social Media
While serving on social media platforms or producing content, you may encounter negative statements among the comments you will receive. This situation can be frustrating, but with your answers, you can show your professional attitude and turn the crisis into an advantage.
Here are tips for dealing with negative comments on social media!
1. Listen!
When you encounter any negative comments on social media platforms, you should set aside your prejudices and pay attention to what is being said before evaluating the issue. Although it may seem like an unfair accusation at first glance, you have to take into account the possibility that there is some truth in what is said. If there is a grain of truth in the interpretation made and you realize this after you have given your reaction, you may put yourself in a much more difficult situation. At the same time, you should not forget that there may be different points of view in every situation, and the same subject can be interpreted differently. Empathize and put yourself in your customers’ or people’s shoes and try to truly understand their problems.
It is extremely important to listen to the users in the social media account and develop a strategy accordingly. Click here for detailed information about social listening.
2. Respond Quickly!
The later you respond to a negative comment, the greater the value and importance that other people who see the comment attached to it. When a negative comment comes in, you can reply that you are investigating the issue, even if you are not doing anything at the time. The first and most basic need of unhappy and angry customers or users is to feel and see their voices heard. With a quick response, you can show that you have listened and heard him.
3. Redirect the Subject to Your Center!
The customer or the user may be experiencing too much frustration at the moment that they cannot reasonably approach a solution. Whatever solution you offer this person, may not work at the moment. Being able to distinguish the tone of expressions on social media platforms is not an easy task. The customer or user may be angrier than you think. At this point, the best thing to do would be to contact him by phone or e-mail and understand his situation better.
4. Don’t Prolong the Topic!
Do not enter into a dialogue that cannot conclude with an angry customer or user who does not approach the solution you have created. This situation will cause the issue to be perceived as a more serious problem or problem than it is from the outside. At this point, sometimes it may be more beneficial for you not to prolong the matter. In such cases, delegating the matter to your lawyers may be one of the best solutions.
Figure 4: To deal with negative comments does not prolong the topic
5. Transfer to Lawyers!
At this point, lawyers mean other customers or users who will defend you! If the claims of the user who makes a negative comment or complaint are not significant, other people already in the community will give the necessary answer. If you are too much on the subject, it will also cause the subject to be given too much meaning and importance.
6. Focus Only on Concrete Fact and Situation!
Statements that are quite open to interpretation and that may cause speculation always work in the interest of the other party in this type of situation. Focus on facts that are as concrete as possible and, where necessary, provable, and express yourself within the framework of these concrete facts. If the client or user is distorting the subject, politely convey the truth.
7. Use Positive Phrases!
The use of positive expressions instead of negative expressions in the words you use against negative comments will soften the existing tension. Take care to choose the right words for your word choices, especially those for the customer or user who made the negative comment. Also, every story has more than one side, even if there is a problem or a problem. Find the positive point in this story and, if possible, keep that positive point in mind.
8. Do Not Delete Negative Comments Unless Necessary!
Deleting negative comments causes more comments to appear on platforms that are beyond your control. For this reason, do not delete comments that are not overly harsh or inappropriate, even if they are negative. It would be more beneficial to manage and control the situation.
One of the most common problems faced by brands in today’s use of social media is hate speech or profanity comments made under social media posts. In addition, malicious comments such as brand defamation are among other important problems. It is vitally important for brand prestige that brands follow these comments and delete comments where necessary. Of course, it is not possible to follow all the posts on all social media channels in this way. Instead, using a social media tool such as the Socialays tool, which was developed with artificial intelligence, makes your job much easier.
Socialays analyzes the comments made under your posts on channels such as Instagram, and YouTube in seconds. So, you can track categorized comments as positive, negative, or neutral. In addition, it detects hate speech, profanity, brand defamation, or spam comments with advertising content made under your posts. By detecting and analyzing these comments, it hides the unfair comment in seconds. You can also prevent users who constantly make scribbling comments on your posts from commenting.
9. Don’t Take It Personally!
There are always endless discussions on social media platforms. If you take the comments made by customers or users on these platforms personally, you may make the mistake of reacting emotionally. Whatever the subject or the tone of the user, professionally approach the event and always stay on your level!
10. Don’t Forget Your Purpose!
You have an unhappy customer or user and a complaint. The fact that these two came together on a platform such as social media is not the most important issue here! The first thing to do is to ensure the satisfaction of the customer or the user first. Do not lose sight of this fact by getting lost in the details.
11. Turn Situation into Opportunity!
Whatever the case, this could be a good opportunity for you. Once you understand the user and come up with a valid solution that can satisfy him, the user both calms down and gains confidence. Even if the customer or user encounters a situation that will be unhappy later, he knows that you will not leave him alone and you will make up for the mistake.
12. Learn to Apologize!
If a customer or user is unhappy, it’s probably because of you. Even if you didn’t make a mistake, you may have caused a misunderstanding. Learn to apologize even if you’re wrong. This will show that you take responsibility, that you are solution-oriented, and will increase your value in the eyes of others.
Figure 5: It’s ok to accept your mistake
13. Learn Lessons!
There is a problem or not! At any point, this will be a lesson you can experience. If there is a mistake, you will learn what to do so that it does not happen again. If there is no mistake, just an unfounded claim or misunderstanding, you will have learned how to react to the customer or user in such situations. When you encounter similar situations again, you can manage the process in a more prepared and professional way.
With these small moves you will make, you can ensure customer or user satisfaction and cope with negative comments.
14. Depressed? Don’t Answer Any Reviews or Comments!
If you are in a pensive mood, do not answer any comments. You should not respond to negative comments while experiencing such emotional states. At this point, when you give yourself time; It is highly beneficial to respond to the comment when you are ready to respond calmly and constructively. During this time, it is very important to make sure that you do not use any expressions that you will regret while feeling down.
15. Check Your Answer Again!
Provide clear, concise, and factual responses in addressing negative comments. Repeatedly check your answers and make sure that there’s no hidden meaning or grey area in your response. For this reason, you should carefully choose the words when responding especially to negative comments on social media platforms. It is very important that you have someone other than you read the answer you wrote. Your response and how you handle negative comments should be more descriptive rather than defensive.
16. Don’t mind
Sometimes a comment by users or customers is just a comment. Don’t take some comments personally. Customer’s comments are their own personal opinion and might differ from your own.
17. Don’t Start Fights When You Handle Negative Comments!
Whatever you do or whenever you handle negative comments on social media platforms, do not start a fight. Do not get defensive or respond to personal attacks. If any user or customer is behaving badly, stick to the facts.
Wait the next day to reply when you feel upset or angry about a comment made by users or customers. This is much better than starting a fight.
Appreciate the negative reviews and act on these as soon as possible. Provide feedback to the customer and move on to the next issue on hand. Apologize if necessary and don’t argue. Likewise, don’t try to defend yourself and let personal attacks slide. If the customers are not right, say you understand the issue and show references or resources to support you.
18. To Handle Negative Comments – Take a Spiritual Posture!
Showing a spiritual behavior will of course be your choice. However, it should not be forgotten that a large part of society is in expectation in this direction. It’s always good to have a moral standpoint and stand in line with your values and principles. Although this may result in unpleasant results, it can have positive effects as well.
Having a stance on social media platforms, as an institution or as an individual, will also satisfy opposing views.
Whether you exhibit a spiritual stance or not, it will be very healthy for you to create a fixed pattern for social media platforms and act within this pattern.
Hundreds of thousands of negative and negative comments are made to many people or brands on social media platforms every day. It is very useful to remember that these negative and negative comments happen to everyone and proceed accordingly.
