Harnessing Negative Social Media

Sep 23, 2016

Harnessing Negative Social MediaLet’s be real: there’s a lot of negativity that goes on in the world of social media these days. Heard of “trolling”? Yeah, we thought so. Here’s a bigger question for you, though: what do you do when that nasty social attitude is pointed your company’s direction? Harnessing negative social media isn’t as hard as it looks. We’ll walk you through it now. 

Harnessing Negative Social Media

It’s social media, so the negative interaction is inevitable. Whether it was your fault or entirely unjustified, don’t let the fear of some negativity paralyze you from truly exploring social media as the corporate marketing powerhouse that it can be. Here’s a key point:

Don’t be afraid of the negative, but learn how to use it.

The first step is to get over it. Sorry to put it bluntly, but there it is. Understand that almost everyone who uses social media is aware of the existence of trolls. They know that every business out there has some unhappy customers. They know that from time to time, unhappy customers comment. They know that sometimes people comment just to make chaos. So, it’s not the negativity itself that could harm your company. It’s going to be your reaction to said negativity that determines if it will hurt your company in the long run. Let’s prevent that from happening, shall we?

HERE’S HOW TO ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES:

  • Respond! – Quickly and with care. Others are watching and listening to how your company listens.
  • If you can handle it quickly, do so in front of your audience. If this issue is complex, offer to continue the conversation in a format more suitable, such as phone, chat, or email.
  • Do not delete comments, as this destroys customers’ confidence and only infuriates the complainers.
  • Don’t get defensive. It looks petty and childish. Rather, be calm and professional while being swift and accurate.

Different social media sites have different audiences and demographics. Properly managing corporate social media will require you to understand this. Treat your clients and your general audience differently, depending on who they are. Tailor your responses to negativity accordingly.