How to Handle Angry Comments in Social Media

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You love to blog. You have developed a great social media profile. You want to share your knowledge and experience with the world.  You dream of endless praise from the world as they read and share your thoughts with others.   You have come to learn that sometimes people don’t agree with you.  They can sometimes become downright rude and insulting when they comment on your posts.

There is a way to get through this professionally.

With these 5 easy steps, you can handle the worst of these “trolls” and what remarks they throw at you.

Step 1 – Remain Calm

I understand completely that when you are passionate about your field of expertise that you feel ready to defend your beliefs at the drop of a hat, and that sometimes these comments can be hurtful or upsetting.  Remember one thing: these people don’t know you so don’t take it personally.  Anybody who has worked at an outbound call center knows exactly what I am talking about.  If you reply back with force, you will only spurn more comments because you will have allowed a heated argument to explode onto your profile or blog.  It is best to nip it in the bud in one comment.  So take a deep breath and relax.

Step 2 – Do Not Censor

Your next step may feel like banning the user or deleting their comment, but unless the comment has vulgar language, pornography, violence, threats, or some form of bigotry (ie. racism, religious prejudice, sexual orientation discrimination) you shouldn’t ban the comment just because they disagree with you or if they have a problem with your product or service.  Censorship will only hurt you in the long run because once the word is out that you censor your social media, your online authority will take a huge hit in credibility.

Step 3 – Take the Moral High Ground

Just because the commenter’s remarks were unprofessional, does not mean you should stoop to their level.  Try to ignore their anger and insults, read the comment again, and try to be patient and understanding towards their issue.  Once you understand what their problem is, figure out the best solution or recommendation for their issue and prepare a response.

Step 4 – See What the Community is Saying

More often than not, if you blog, Fanpage, or Social Media profile has a good following, the online community may provide the answer to the angry poster’s concerns.  If so, be sure to mention the solution’s author in your response.  There is nothing like have your followers come to your defense.  It is very vindicating, in fact.  Just make sure you don’t condone any hostility towards the disgruntled follower as that is also very unprofessional and biased.

Step 5 – Respond

Now that you have seen what your other followers have had to say, and you have your response ready, respond to the angry commenter’s post.  Make sure you have included your solution or recommendation, and give any credit where it is due if the solution came from someone else in your following.  Make sure the response is free of spelling errors, and click “post”!

Following these steps will help you keep your cool and professional, but if you have a heckler on your hands, and they keep commenting, you may have to take it to the next level.  If they are still unhappy, then my suggestion would be:

Contact the User Privately

Try to contact them off the public forum.  Whether your method is through private messaging or email, try to talk to them and ask them this one simple question.  “How can we help you?”  Get them to explain what their issue is and what they expect you to do about it.  Hopefully through the open line of communication, the two of you can come to some sort of arrangement.

Last Resort – Banning the User

Once in a while, you will attract a person who makes it their life’s mission to try to ruin the experience of your blog, FanPage, or social media profile for everyone else.  No matter how many times you have contacted them, tried to resolve the matter or offer a solution, they still continue to post angry or snide comments.  If there is no other option and all other avenues of reconciliation are exhausted, then the only option left may be to ban the user.  Please understand that this option should only be used as an absolute “Last Resort”.

I hope this article helps you deal with your angry customer, and lets you know that “you are not alone”.  Anybody who engages in the social media forum will encounter this problem at some point or another.  Just remember to “Do unto others, as you would want them to do for you” and always be polite when posting/commenting on other people’s Blog, Fanpage, or Social Media Profile.