Quick Tips Video: How to Handle Negative Feedback on Social Media

By Monica Montesa August 18, 2015

If your brand has a presence on social media, you’ve probably had the pleasure of dealing with some negative comments from a disgruntled customer or two. 

While this might trigger the kind of anger that causes Bruce Banner to turn into the Hulk, it’s important to handle the situation appropriately and professionally.

For tips on how to handle negative feedback on social media, check out our latest episode of quick tips:

Here’s the video transcript in case you missed anything:

Olivia (O): Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Quick Tips. I’m Olivia and today I’m joined by Ashley, who’s an expert in this week’s topic.

Ashley (A): Today, we’re going to talk about something that’s gotten a few companies into a little bit of hot water.

O: It’s an issue that no one had to deal with 10 years ago, but is fast becoming an essential part of any small business. We’re talking social media and what to do if you’ve found yourself in a sticky situation online.

A: Have you ever gotten a mean comment or negative feedback? Here’s what to do make sure you and your business stay cool, calm, and collected on social media.

O: Our first tip? Slooowww down.

A: You’re proud of your business and you try your best to keep your customers happy. So when you see someone say something less-than-kind about your product or service, your first instinct may be to fire back.

O: Instead, take a minute to breathe. You don’t want to respond with emotion and make the problem even worse.

A: Once you’ve taken a few minutes to cool down, take time to assess the situation and determine how you should respond.

O: Does the tweet or comment have any inaccurate information? Is it a customer frustrated over a legitimate concern, like slow shipping times or an out of stock item? Or does this post seem to be negative just for the sake of it?

A: I know there are a *lot* of trolls out there.

O: If that’s the case, your best bet may be to say nothing. You definitely don’t want to start an argument with a customer via social media.

A: On the other hand, you don’t want to ignore any of your customers if they’re experiencing a real issue.

O: Tip #2: Respond in a timely and professional manner

A: Your customers want to know that real people are seeing and addressing their complaints, so make sure your response is genuine and personal.

O: Address the person by name and be empathetic. Once the issue has been resolved, be sure to follow up.

A: And our last tip? Be proactive when necessary.

O: If you have multiple people posting their thoughts about the same situation, you may want to address the issue in a more general post to all of your followers in addition to responding directly to each complaint.

A: For example, if your website is down and multiple people are airing their complaints on Twitter, don’t panic.

O: Acknowledge the issue and be transparent about the status of the problem.

A: If you know your website will be up in a few hours, say so.

O: But only be specific if you can back it up. Don’t be so eager to please that you give false hope to customers. Promising things you can’t deliver will only backfire.

A: The bottom line is to think before you type. Your goal is to keep your audience happy, so respond in a way that does just that!

O: And that wraps up today’s episode of Quick Tips! To make sure you never miss an episode, please subscribe to our YouTube channel for more digital marketing tips and success stories.

A: And if you have any questions, drop us a comment and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Thanks for joining us and we’ll see you next time on AWeber Quick Tips!