Negative comments on social media. No one likes them, but they are bound to happen sooner or later. Even the best and biggest brands have their share of internet trolls. While it may be tempting to delete and forget, negative comments can have a positive impact on your business, if handled the right way.

Are social media comments a big deal anyway?

Yes. Social media is public. How you respond (or don’t respond) to a customer says a lot about your brand, and other customers can see that. One unanswered negative comment could deter other potential customers. Try to respond as quickly as possible, and provide a solution to their problem.

Do I need to respond?

Yes. If a customer was in your office talking to you about a complaint, would you ignore them, or try to make them disappear without offering a solution? Hopefully not! It is important that you not only respond, but that you respond with a helpful solution.  Deleting a negative comment will likely bring back an understandably frustrated customer who felt that they were not heard by your brand. Negative social comments provide a great opportunity to interact with customers and change the opinion of a disgruntled customer.  

Tips for Responding:

  • Thank them for sharing their option with you (Thank you for reaching out to us) 
  • Apologize (Sorry that you are experiencing problems with the product, We are so sorry for any inconveniences this may have causes, etc.) 
  • Ask them to send you a private message (for specific problems they are having) 

Responding in private messages: 

  • Thank the customer again for sharing their option  
  • Briefly apologize 
  • Try to explain why the problem happened without making excuses 
  • Explain how you are going to fix their problem 

Follow up!

Fix their problem, in an appropriate time-frame, and make sure that they are satisfied with the results. Reaching out personally to customers will build brand loyalty and turn a disgruntled customer into a loyal customer.   

 

An integrated marketing plan will help ensure that your business is responding correctly to your customers on social media. Marketing Influence creates marketing programs that are customized to your goals and budget. Connect with us now to learn more about how we can help you reach your target demographics through in-depth social media marketing.