Negative comments can be very difficult to deal with. When someone expresses a negative reaction to your content, it is easy to take it personally and feel defensive. However, if you view the comment as a learning opportunity it can help you learn about how to improve your content so you can keep creating shareable content for your audience.
Though there are some exceptions (particularly if the content contains hate speech or threats), most negative comments are from people who have a misunderstanding about what you have created. When this happens, remember that the person commenting is not targeting you; they are just sharing their reaction to your content.
Most of the time, negative comments are a chance for you to change someone’s opinion about what your brand stands for. If you take those opportunities to engage rather than ignore, you may find that many people will change their perception of your brand in a positive way. And although it is challenging to respond positively when receiving a negative comment, it is important to remember that someone who is willing to spend the time crafting a negative comment was also willing to spend time crafting a positive comment once upon a time. So even if they felt compelled enough by their need to share a negative comment that they were unable too to think of anything nice to say, there is likely something
The best way to deal with a negative reaction is to prevent it from happening. This is where you need to be proactive. There are two things you can do:1: Be aware of how people will react to your content before you create it. 2: Take steps to prevent the negative reactions that might occur as a result of your content.
TIP 1: Research how people will react to your content before you create it. You should not just think about how people will react but also what actions they might take in response to your content.
As an example, let’s look at those comments on social media again. If you have a controversial topic, people may leave angry comments on the post itself or they could share the post with negative commentary on their own social media profiles. The point is that you need to be aware of exactly how this could happen before you publish the content so that you can take steps (if necessary) to reduce its impact and avoid any negative reactions and comments completely.
TIP 2: Create a plan for dealing with potential negative reactions before they occur. This entails imagining every possible scenario and applying responses that would lead to the best possible outcome in each situation. These are more like guidelines than rules because it’s impossible to predict all of the
Having a blog or social media accounts is a great way of engaging with your audience in an interactive and visual way. But dealing with the criticism can sometimes be a difficult thing to do, especially if you’re not used to it.
Here are some tips on how to deal with negative comments on social media:
Don’t go all defensive
Don’t go on the offensive
Don’t change who you are as a person
Don’t take things too personally
Make sure you have thick skin
Many people will criticize you either because they don’t like what you’re saying, or how you say it. Try not to get all defensive about it, even if your personal pride is getting hurt. There’s nothing wrong with the content itself, just some people don’t like what it stands for. If an argument does start with someone simply being rude and mean, block them and move on. You don’t want to give them the satisfaction of taking up your time with their pointless negativity. Don’t go on the offensive- in this situation it’s best to let any insults roll off your back and not retaliate at all. The best thing to do is ignore any bad comments and continue doing what you’re doing- sharing your content and interacting with genuine fans. Also don’t take
If you have been producing content for a while then you will have experience dealing with negative comments. It can be hard to deal with especially when it’s about your work and you have invested so much of your time and effort into it.
The emotional reaction can be quite strong to a negative comment on social media or even from real life interactions. However, if you react emotionally, your productivity will be greatly reduced and you will feel drained and exhausted.
Totally killing off the negative commenter may give a sense of relief, but in the long term it is not in your best interest. Instead, what you want to do is try and influence them positively.
It’s a tricky thing to navigate. You want to be true to yourself and honest about your feelings, but you don’t want to come across as angry or unkind. The key to this is just like with any other relationship: authenticity.
People will often stumble upon your blog without being an active follower of yours. They are just surfing the web, looking for something interesting to read. If you’re coming across as overly negative, they won’t stick around.
The secret to dealing with negative comments is that they are often opportunities for growth and development. People who comment negatively on your blog post aren’t doing it just because they’re mean people; they’re doing it because they have a genuine problem or concern and you’ve given them a way to reach out to you about it.
A negative comment is nothing more than a chance for you to listen, learn, and grow with your readership.*
Briefly state your point of view on the topic, and then present the opposing position. Conclude by stating your viewpoint once more.
Try to use an even-handed tone when describing the other person’s position. Describe what you can agree with in their argument (even if you don’t agree completely), as well as areas where you disagree.
Ask for feedback from readers about possible solutions or compromises (or simply ask readers to offer their opinions). Then summarize the best ideas that were offered and suggest that you will follow up with a next post.
Don’t get sucked into the quicksand of the negativity. Apologize for any misunderstanding on your part and ignore any attacks on you personally.
Thank those who are supportive and encourage them to continue to be so.
End by saying that you’ll endeavor to do better in the future, keeping in mind all of the things people have pointed out.
Post a follow up post if necessary (perhaps after some time has passed).