Social Media Comment Trolls And How To Deal With Them

July 13, 2015

Social media has become a prolific marketing tool and one of the benefits you can enjoy is a frequent personal interaction. A recent article, 5 Ways to Handle Comment Trolls on Social Media by John Brandon observes that while you enjoy the benefits of this tool, there’s a possibility for abuse with emerging social media.


A simple complaint can quickly turn into a brutal attack. At the frontline of these attacks are comment trolls-those seeking to attack a company through repetitive and offensive social commentary.


Here’s a list of advice from social media experts on how to deal with troublesome internet trolls.



  1. Don’t use automated responses

It’s very important to put time into customer service and avoid the temptation to compromise and automate this process, says Amir Zonozi of Zoomph.


Depending on the severity of the complaint, an automated response can aggravate the problem. Customers are more likely to remain loyal to a company when they believe that the company has their best interest in mind.



  1. Analyze then respond to real issues

Social media expert Matthew Dooley says that it’s better to analyze the situation first than to respond hastily. Ask questions, express empathy, and address the customer a personal way.



  1. Don’t waste time on trolls

Rob Enderle, expert on consumer technology in digital marketing says it’s always best to just ignore trolls. Sooner or later the troll gets tired and moves on to another target. If you try to engage them, it will only fuel their fire.



  1. Remove troll comments on paid posts

You’re spending a significant amount to push your content and deliver an on-point message. Many guests who would never be customers will troll the comments as ad-revenge. Removing these will never hurt your core customer base says Patrick Hope, the social media expert at Xcitex.



  1. Don’t panic over complaints that cannot be resolved

If you find one or two negative comments about issues you cannot resolve, it’s best to ignore says Jen Jamar, social media expert. However, if the comments become a campaign against your company, then you’ll need to address their issue, tactfully.


Conclusion


Social media can be highly beneficial playing field to promote your business, if you follow appropriate protocol in customer service and fending off comment trolls.

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