When Social Media Gets Ugly…Some Tips For Dealing With ‘Trolls’
Unfortunately, the internet has more than its fair share of ‘haters’. And plenty of other people simply seem to have far too much time on their hands. This means that whatever your business, it's likely that at you will at some point receive negative comments on your social media pages; and nowadays, the way you handle so-called ‘trolls’ can have very a real impact on your company's image and online presence.
A useful recent article on Social Media Examiner shared some thoughts on how businesses should deal with this kind of behaviour. Here’s my pick of the best tips…
Use humour (carefully)
Nothing disarms a troll better than humour. Rather than ignoring a negative tweet or comment, acknowledge the criticism it contains and try to turn it into a witty and humorous response. When done tactfully, it can defuse any anger the person might have felt, and it paints your business in a great light, too.
Combat fiction with fact
Rumours spread quickly online, so it's best to put them to bed as soon as possible. For example, when the internet became obsessed with #bendgate after claims that Apple's new iPhone6 was doing a ‘Yuri Geller' in people's pockets, Apple addressed the problem head-on. Apple admitted there had been a problem, but also put things in proper perspective by pointing out that they had actually only received nine complaints about phones being bent. This fact showed that the problem was far smaller than the numerous comedy memes made out.
Don't try to fight fire with fire
In some cases, brands decide it's a good idea to get their own back by engaging a bit of 'corporate trolling' in an attempt to be down with the kids. Take Tesco Mobile, who ran their #nojoke initiative of responding to negative comments with 'hilarious' (read 'obnoxious') derogatory replies.
Whilst humour can be a good thing, trying to troll your followers is an extremely risky strategy - particularly if your business is just starting off and people aren't familiar with your values or tone of voice. Instead, play it safe and portray your company as one that's likeable and approachable. Basically, take mum’s advice: if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!
What other advice do you have for dealing with social media trolls?
Inbound Marketing | Brand Strategy | SEO
8yI suggest to respond fast. As you mentioned in fighting fact with fiction, things can really spiral out of control. Be a voice early on to shorten the negative conversation and hopefully provide angry customers (in disguise as nasty trolls) a solution to their problem.
Hi Tony, I think this is good advice for sure although many clients might be wary of using humour full stop. It's a tricky thing to get right so being careful is important. Adding your name into your reply can also help make your posts seem more lifelike, personable, and less corporate. Offering to chat to the suspected troll in person - even if on the phone - can sometimes help diffuse a situation. If they decline then you can be reasonably sure they're probably just a troll rather than a customer who is venting legitimately albeit in a grumpy way. Lee.
Seeking Employment
9yGreat read Tony Wood I had an experience today with 'trolls'. After reading this I believe I made the right action
Creative Direction, Brand & Marketing Strategy, Strong Coffee ...not necessarily in that order
9yAddress any legitimate issues/complaints by offering to talk offline, or at least off of social media, in a less public venue, e.g. phone, email, etc. Also, before you respond to a troll's comments, do some snooping and find out as much as you can about him/her - social profile, past comments/posts, etc. Know who you're dealing with so you know how to deal with them.
Ph.D. in Education
9yDivert a frontal attack quickly to an area where you are not so susceptible to being wounded or hurt. A small disadvantage is better that a full defeat. Meanwhile win time and arrange your strategies into a well conceived response plan. Find an opportunity to get better positioned again.