Dealing With Criticism on Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool that provides us with a platform to share our likes and dislikes with a public and global audience, in real-time.

While we always enjoy receiving praise, it is not always as enjoyable to be on the receiving end of negative criticism.

But the data is clear when it comes to handling negativity on the internet: embrace your ‘haters’.

While it may not be ideal, negative attention can catapult change, and provide a voice box for someone who may have otherwise been unknown.

In fact, in many cases, it can influence consumers and the general public to take action more so than positive news can.

Here are three strategic ways to leverage negative criticism:

1. USE IT AS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

Recognize and empathize with the individual(s) voicing their concerns. If we remove our personal emotion, and look at things objectively, we can consider if their concerns have merit.

Criticism serves as a ‘canary in a coal mine’, providing a warning and showing you where you need to improve.

How can you learn from this experience, and how can you improve?

2. INFLUENCE CHANGE

Negative comments are a window into the opinions of your audience.

Can you change their opinions, and more importantly, do you want to? Either way, you can take their comments with a grain of salt, and use them to better improve your business.

For example, you could improve your customer service practices, to better handle complaints proactively, before they escalate.

Customer service is one of online marketing's greatest assets, and by effectively managing an unhappy customer you are, in effect, marketing to them directly.

3. CAPTURE A WIDENED AUDIENCE

Online algorithms favour attention and engagement - regardless if it is positive or negative.

Which means, your online presence is amplified, giving you an opportunity to capture a widened audience.

Now that you have a soapbox, what are you going to do with it? What will you say? All eyes are on you. So this could be your opportunity to shift the narrative, and actually earn new fans.