Social media is a great place for publicity. It’s where celebrities and brands can directly interact with their supporters. Posts can share information regarding their upcoming events. And also important, these posts are social listening tools where brands can garner what their audiences think about their branding and marketing efforts.

It will make you feel good to read positive comments on your social media accounts. However, there is bound to be some negative feedback no matter what you do. It all boils down to the phrase that says, “You can’t please everybody.” This is especially true in the world of business.

Since it is inevitable to receive scathing remarks from time to time, you need to be ready for it. Don’t let your hard-earned online presence get ruined by some customers’ negative feedback. Learn social media damage control skills that will let you get out on top every time. We’ll show you how.

What Implications Does Negative Feedback Have on Your Brand?

Rumors and bad reps have ended many careers in the history of the business world. But just because you see dissatisfied customers’ rants on your social media profiles doesn’t mean the end of the world. You can still control the outcome if you know how to handle it properly.

You will be judged by the online community base on your reaction to negative remarks. Your online credibility can either come crashing down if they don’t like your reply or boost it to respectable heights if they love your response.

Handling negative comments poorly can lead to even more disastrous results. It could destroy your brand’s social media reputation and cause you to lose your potential customers. Even your loyal supporters can drop you if you make a wrong move. To get through these trying times, you need to learn to respond the right way and turn this bad situation to your advantage.

Tips on Protecting Your Brand on Social Media from Negative Feedback

You don’t need to be a psychology major to learn how to respond to negative feedback. Here are some basic tips you can employ when formulating your replies to harmful content. Master them to keep the public perception of your brand in a good light.

●   Identify Critics Wisely

People who leave negative mentions are often those who have had bad experiences with your brand. These are angry customers sharing their dissatisfaction. To address an unhappy customer, you need to understand them first. Know the root cause of their unhappiness and then offer a resolution. Doing these steps will show them your sincerity and concern for your customers.

●   Avoid Reacting Negatively to Negative Posts or Reviews

A hateful reply will only breed more negativity. Break the cycle by staying professional and polite throughout your interaction with people. Keep your brand values in mind when forming a reply to negative social posts. Show that you are dedicated to hearing customer concerns and resolving their issues.

●   Stay Transparent

One of the values people love is the brand’s genuineness. To keep their respect, you need to stay human and sincerely connect with your followers. You cannot just give out false promises to remedy a negative situation. Doing something outside of your brand’s policy will bring more problems in the future. Instead, be true to your values and remain honest in your responses. They will love you for it.

●   Try to Respond Publicly

User comments are public and should be answered publicly, as well. This will show people that you are not afraid to address a disgruntled customer, no matter what they say. This will demonstrate that you are able to respond to criticism with grace and respect. It also shows that your brand cares about customer experiences and is ready to address them.

●   Do Not Hesitate to Answer

Customers have a good opinion of brands that reply within two hours. Also, not replying to their negative experience will further incite people’s scorn. What you can do is invite the unhappy customer to send you a direct message detailing their concern.

Your willingness to resolve their issues will demonstrate your genuine concern for your customers. This will solve almost half of the conflict already. It diffuses the person’s anger and makes them feel good to be heard. A good resolution is simply the icing on the cake.

Final Thoughts

No one can escape criticism and negative comments. As a shrewd business owner, you have to be smart when dealing with reputational risk such as this. Remember, a well-rounded social media strategy should always include social media damage control. It’s the only way you can preserve a strong social media presence.

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