Whether you’re a brand, influencer, or social media user, no one want’s to see negative comments on social media about them.
Negative comments are often inevitable for brands and social media personalities that have a large following. You might notice people getting upset with brands for delayed shipping, order mistakes, or really anything that someone can use against them. If you’re a business owner or a social media manager, seeing mean comments directed at your brand might be one of the last things you want to see, but we’re here to tell you that there’s a way to use those negative comments to your advantage, and here’s how.
Monitoring Comments
First, it’s essential to monitor comments, both positive and negative, after any post. You should always respond to comments when possible as a way to build trust with your followers, customers, and potential customers. For a positive statement, a simple thank you, an emoji, or a quick few words might be all you need to get the point across that you’re actively in touch with your followers. Negative comments may not be so easy to receive, but other followers will be more likely to trust your brand, negative comments aside, with the proper response.
Sincere Apologies
More often than not, negative comments on social media are coming from dissatisfied customers. Maybe their order was damaged when it got to them, or perhaps they did not enjoy the service or product offered. That being said, sincerely apologizing goes a long way. Let’s look at an example where shipping was delayed, and the customer was dissatisfied. The customer’s comment might look something like this:
“I ordered a pair of shoes from your website two weeks ago, and they arrived just yesterday. Shipping on the website said it would only take a week. Terrible customer service, will not be purchasing from you again.”
We’ve all seen a comment like that one, right? There are multiple ways to handle the situation, but the very best thing to do is make the customer feel heard and apologize to them. You could say something like this in response:
“We’re so sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with your order. We understand how the situation can be frustrating and want you to be heard. Would you be willing to DM us so we can talk more about your experience with us and so we can do our best to resolve this issue?”
Show the customer that you empathize with them and that you want to resolve the problem somehow. Whether or not they choose to reach out to you, other customers can see that you’re doing your very best to make it right once more, which in turn will shed a better light on your business and customer service team.
Show off Your Human Side
Just like what Alexader Pope said, “to err is human.” Even though you want to protect your reputation, it’s okay to take credit for a mistake; after all, that’s what makes us human. Instead of being defensive over negative comments on social media, try admitting to the error and try your best to make up for it. You might ask them to reach out to your DMs to redeem a special coupon code or offer them something to make up for the mistake. By showing that you’re human and that because of that, there’s bound to be a mistake here and there, other followers will be more understanding and will likely purchase from you in the future because they can trust you.
Learn from Your Mistakes
Not always is something your fault if there’s a dissatisfied customer, but there’s also a time when it’s important to take comments into consideration and improve. If a customer is not satisfied with a shirt they ordered from your business; you might find that many other customers weren’t happy about it either. If this were to happen, this could be a learning experience for your business, and you can make changes to the shirt to ensure that future customers will be happy with their orders. Here’s how the scenario could play out:
Customer: “I ordered a shirt from you, and I am not happy with the quality of it. The material feels cheap, and it’s nothing like what I had in mind.”
Business: “We’re sorry to hear that you are not happy with the shirt you ordered. We want to thank you for pointing out its flaws, and we want you to know that we are currently working on a new shirt design that better represents what is on the website. In the meantime, we’d be happy to give you a refund for the shirt. Please DM us, and we’d be happy to help!”
Showing that you’re willing to take feedback from customers and implement it in your work will go a long way when it comes to building a relationship with your followers.
Use REVITY Marketing Agency for Your Social Media Strategy
Whether it’s responding to negative comments on social media, taking care of your organic posts, influencer outreach, or even paid social media ads, REVITY does it all. We’re a full-service digital marketing company that specializes in all things social media marketing. We cater to clients worldwide and use the latest practices and technology to drive results for your business. Ready to see your business grow? Contact us today for a free marketing proposal.
