Week 5

Managing Negativity Social Media

“Social media is a powerful tool for brands of all types. It helps them connect, engage, and establish trust with current and prospective clients, increase brand awareness, website traffic and ultimately increase sales.” (Carole, 2012) So what happens when there is negative publicity on social media about your organization?

Above is an excellent and short video that explains the best way to combat negative social media comments. Although for many, the first reaction when reading negative comments about your business may be to delete them and act as though they never happened, but in reality it is much better to face them head on. As the video explains, taking the negative comments and using them to benefit the company is actually something that is extremely important, if there are bad comments circulating, then perhaps there is something that needs to be addressed and resolved. “Companies that want to become part of the conversation must shift their social media initiatives to be more authentic, responsive, and compelling” (The Myth of Social Media) While negative customer reactions to a product or service could potentially harm the company, they could also be constructive and beneficial. Just as people trust others about their opinions on products, they may read these negative comments and it could persuade them away from purchasing, they may see that the company attacks these messages head on, proving they have nothing to hide and that they genuinely care about the consumer and their concerns about the company.

Three ways to deal with the negative comments are: 1. Face them:
Rather than ignore the comments and pretend they aren't there, it is a good idea to record them somehow, if the author deletes or changes the post that does not mean the concern has disappeared. If you have documented the complaint, you are giving yourself the opportunity to resolve it.

2. Do not delete, but do reply “Deleting things on the internet is an illusion anyway, and will bring into question your integrity to not only the complainer, but all your followers. (State, 2014) Not only will deleting content potentially annoy the poster, it doesn’t give you the chance to fix the issue. Keeping the posting there allows you to reference it in order to make changes, and gives you the opportunity to respond to the poster so that they (and many other users) can see you take your consumers seriously and take action to resolve concern.

3. Do not take them personally

It can be hard to not take negativity personally or take offence, but this is an important aspect of being a business owner, small or large, or even an employee with great respect for their company. Remember, the consumer is not targeting you directly, they had an issue with the product or service, and are finding ways to express their disappointment. Rather than take offence, try to get into the mind of the consumer and let them know you understand where they are coming from, apologize for their disappointment, and acknowledge a solution, or that a solution is in the works. This will help the customer feel better about your company, and more likely to return.