There comes a day for most businesses when negative feedback is posted on social media. Whether it’s real or imagined, this negative feedback can compromise your reputation and good standing. It can also turn prospective customers away from your brand. What should you do?
It’s worth preparing for negative feedback because it can happen at any time. By having a protocol, you can handle these uncomfortable situations with ease and confidence. Below are some of our best tips for handling criticism on social media.
Always Be Listening
It’s important to listen to what people are saying about your brand online. You can do this with a social listening tool like Sprout Social, BuzzSumo or Hootsuite. This way, you’ll be alerted when someone mentions your brand – favorably or not.
Respond Quickly
By utilizing a social media listening tool, you’ll know right away when people are talking about your brand. This way, you can reach out immediately and address the issue. This shows that you’re listening and care about your customers. It also prevents other people from joining in the bashing.
Send a Public Message – Then Go Private
When you respond to the comment, be as transparent and attentive as possible. Apologize for what happened, take responsibility and move the conversation offline. This way, people will see that you are taking steps to fix the problem. Once offline, ask the customer for more information.
Provide Concrete Solutions
It’s always best to give concrete solutions to customers. When someone is angry and they read a generic response like, “Thank you for your comment. We’ll contact you soon,” it only adds to the frustration. Recognize the specific problem and offer a solution such as a full refund, a replacement or a discount on a future purchase.
Ignore Offensive Comments
Sadly, some people like to stir up trouble online. If you come across offensive or inflammatory comments that don’t have anything to do with the service you provided (racist, sexist or derogatory comments), do your best to ignore them. You don’t want to get into a spat online.
Find the Positives in the Negatives
Some businesses, especially smaller ones, worry about what negative comments can do to their reputation. But do not let this fear stop you from being on social media. This channel is essential to your overall brand image, and there is good that can come from negative feedback.
For example, if you notice consistent issues, you can address them and make your business stronger. If a customer is upset and you calm them down and resolve the problem, you show others how you go above and beyond for your customers. Seeing how you handle customer service issues builds trust and loyalty in the long run.
Contact Yovia Social
Yovia Social can help you manage an effective social media presence while paying attention to what’s being said about you online. Contact us today to learn more about our social media marketing services.