Here’s 10 Tips On Handling Negative Comments On Social Media!

Social media is all about engagement and interaction with your audience.  Negative comments and criticism are inevitable for any brand. At some point, you’ll encounter an unhappy customer or a misunderstanding and unfortunately, the internet’s anonymity often encourages a lack of politeness and respect.

So, how should you handle these negative comments?

1.      Use An Automated Review Tracking Tool

There are now a number of tools available that notify you and allow you to keep track of reviews such as Hootsuite and Google Alerts (More information on these coming soon!). You can find these tools available on both free and paid options.  Using these tools will allow you to promptly address issues, including identifying and countering fake negative reviews, rather than spending hours scrolling through your social media.

2.      Don’t delete or ignore all negative comments

If they’re swearing like a sailor on a bottle of JD, it’s fine to remove them (see point 6) — no one needs that. But deleting genuine complaints can backfire, making an angry customer even angrier. Others, including potential customers, will notice. Since many consumers research brands through reviews and social media, hiding feedback can harm trust and make your brand appear questionable.

3.      Don’t avoid, respond as soon as possible

We’ve all had those moments — hiding under the duvet or waving our hands in frustration at the screen (not me, but some do). We’re all human. However, leaving negative comments unanswered gives potential customers more time to notice. Address them quickly to prevent escalation into bigger issues, like a formal complaint or a ranting blog, which can have a longer-lasting effect. Responding promptly shows the unhappy customer you care, creating a positive ripple effect for others watching.

4.      Apologise and be sincere

The customer is always right—even when it’s painful. Apologise sincerely; don’t sound forced or defensive. Rocking up for a cage fight with an unhappy customer only makes things worse. Others will respect a genuine apology, and if the complaint is trivial, they’ll see that too.  Remember, even the big boys need to apologise sometimes.

Forbes wrote an article on 10 Powerful Examples Of Corporate Apologies which is great for inspiration.

5.      Take it out of the public eye

Always respond publicly first, then take it private if needed. Reply to their comment online, then send a private message offering to continue the conversation via email or phone. This shows you’re serious about addressing their concern and giving them the personal attention they want.

6.      Pick your battles

Some people just want attention and stir up controversy for the sake of it—think of that one Ken or Karen on your local Facebook page who comments on everything. While it's good practice to respond quickly to messages and comments, it's equally important to recognise when a response isn't needed. Trolling, threats, or malicious comments don’t deserve your time. Engaging only gives them what they want and fuels them further, so ignore trolls and delete harmful content. Consider setting a ‘No profanity’ rule to keep your page a positive space.

7.      Personalise your message

None of us want automated responses when dealing with a frustrating issue.  Try to make your response personal.  Empathise and ensure you reference the point they have made to show you have read it.  Personal responses show that you care about your customers and genuinely want to help. 

 8.      Learn from your mistakes

We all make mistakes, whether this is in life or business.  Not all complaints are from a Karen or Ken intent on making your life difficult.  The key is not to panic.  Things can be put right.  Treat negative comments as a source of information and feedback on what your customers don’t like about your product or service.  Once an issue has been identified, don’t ignore it.  Thank your customer for their feedback, look at a plan to rectify the issue, and let the customer know what steps you are taking.  Showing your customers that you care about their opinions will help regain their trust in your brand.  Turning an upset customer into a happy one could even make them a brand ambassador.

9.      Explain yourself

A common mistake made by many companies, big or small, is that they don’t explain themselves to customers when there has been an issue.  This can result in the customer feeling frustrated and weary of this situation occurring again.  Always explain to the customer what caused the problem and what steps you have taken to rectify it.  This helps regain trust and shows the effort you are willing to put in to make your customers happy.  It is also an opportunity to acknowledge that all issues are not down to the company.  This isn’t to say pass the buck, but delivery drivers can’t drive through ten feet of snow…

 10.  Outshine the negatives with more positives

So, as I’ve said, it’s impossible to avoid negative comments when running a business.  But you can minimise the impact they have on your brand…and one way to deal with this is to generate more positive comments which will outshine the negative ones.  You can do this by responding to ALL comments, including the positive and neutral ones.  This will help develop relationships with your loyal customers and encourage those potential ones lurking behind the screen to review their next purchase.  Create more engaging social media content to encourage engagement and boost your comments.  And then there’s always the use of humour.  Apart from making your brand more human, people tend to resonate more with people and brands that they find entertaining.  However, always consider if humour is appropriate for a particular post. 

Negative comments aren’t a problem if handled well. Keep a watch on what is being said about your brand on social media and by who.  Communicate effectively, know how to deal with angry customers and nothing can stop you.

Be attentive to your customers and use negativity as a chance to grow your brand.