How often do you see negative comments online? It’s everywhere you look, from your favorite YouTubers’ comment section to your favorite music artist’s Instagram. With its animosity factor, the internet serves as a breeding ground for trolls. You don’t know their real names, many use profile images that do not genuinely identify the troller, and you don’t know where they live. But, they’re here to make things worse, and as we know, their negative comments often upset many online users. They start flame wars in various online discussions that seem to last forever.
If your company has a social media presence, which hopefully it does, you may have encountered these individuals before. They are without a shadow of a doubt trolling your social media accounts, they are trolling your blogs, and other online assets. If you don’t know how to deal with them, you’ll eventually lose face. Yes, it may affect your reputation online. So, please beware. Here are some tips you can use to deal with online commenting trolls:
Block or Report The Trolls
If you are tired of receiving an avalanche of troll comments on your socials, you should consider guarding yourself against trolls. And what steps can you take to guard yourself against them? Blocking or reporting them. Not only will your brand thank you for reducing the number of annoying troll comments by blocking or reporting these users, but your followers will also appreciate it since it helps promote a healthier online environment. That is, there is less of a chance for trolls to post ridiculous content on your social media accounts and hatefully communicate with your valuable followers if they are blocked or reported. Additionally, if you are getting bots or trolls on your website, specifically on your blogs, consider blocking their IP address to mitigate this unwanted conduct.
Don’t Troll Back At Them
As tempting as it may be to get back at trolls and show them who is boss, we recommend that you remain professional. Remember, any reply you make on your company’s social media channels is public, which means that your followers can see how you handle unfavorable situations online, especially with internet trolls. So, be wise about how you respond to trolls. After all, it seems that they are immune to our angry reactions. If anything, they are self-enjoyed when they instigate users online to get their reactions. Long story short, if your company is being trolled, don’t troll back. It will only make them more eager to keep trolling you. Stay calm and respond to them without being too emotional with what they are saying.
Sometimes, You Need To Ignore Them
Sometimes, the best response to trolls is no response at all! If your trolls aren’t completely devastating your company’s online presence, ignoring them may be your best option. By not engaging with the troll, they will get the hint that their behavior will not get the attention it wants, ultimately leading them to move on to trolling other targets. As Search Engine Journal phrases it, “If you stop engaging the trolls, you’re taking oxygen away from their fire.”
Responding With Kindness
But what if the trolls persist? Blocking is one way to deal with them, but what is another option? Responding to them with kindness and professionalism. For instance, if a troll comments, “This restaurant is never going to make it! You guys should close down,” you might consider asking for evidence in your reply to them. Your response can be something like: “Hello [insert troll’s name] (if it is appropriate, of course), we’re sorry you feel that way about our restaurant. Could you share what led you to believe that our restaurant, which has had success for 50 years, should close down?” More often than not, trolls will not respond, as they typically are looking for nothing more than to start heated online debates.
What are some ways that your brand deals with online trolls? We would love to hear your responses in the comments below!
I didn’t even think about blocking an IP Address. Thanks for the write up!