How Brands Deal With Negative Comments On Social Media (2023)

As a brand with a social media presence, criticism and negative comments are the rule rather than the exception. With thousands of customers connected to their social media accounts, negative feedback is inevitable.

Whether you're a dissatisfied customer or the victim of a misunderstanding, how you handle those negative comments largely determines your online credibility.

Well-known and established consumer brands around the world have taken the lead in dealing with these negative feedback.

By following in their footsteps, we can learn to respond to negative feelings and act on them before they seriously affect your online reputation.

To boost your review management efforts, we also took a quick look at some of the best review management tools to make your job easier.

How do I deal with negative comments on social media?

Step 1. Don't ignore negative comments

The worst thing you can do for your brand is ignore negative comments. It will give an angry customer one more reason not to like your brand.

You must respond to all comments, whether they are positive, negative or neutral..Maintenance of public relations.it is a necessity for brand building. It helps you connect better with your followers. You need to monitor every mention and comment.Social media toolssuch as Agorapulse, SocialPilot, etc. Agorapulse's pricing structure is a bit high with a few other usability drawbacks. Here is a list ofAlternatives to Agorapulsewe invite you to take a look.

When you run a business and put your heart and soul into it, dealing with negativity can be challenging. But you have to be strategic about it. Otherwise, angry customers will write a bunch of new negative reviews to hurt your brand.

Here, Selina, a popular beach hostel, took candid feedback from its disgruntled customers in order to provide better service.

Step 2. Apologize sincerely

„The customer is always right."Even if you disagree with the customer's point of view, you should apologize.this is it first step in resolving the conflict.

When your company has been involved in a media scandal and has dozens of themnegative news articles, comments and reviews, a representative of your company must publicly apologize. He should publish a post on behalf of the company's CEO or founder that says, "Sorry for the unfortunate mistake."

Here is an example of such an apology post.

That is howDonatella Versace has apologizedfor a T-shirt design that shows disrespect for China's national sovereignty.

Step 3. Do not make false promises

Don't promise to replace the product or give a refund just because your customer isn't satisfied if that's not your usual course of action. First analyze the problem. And thenExplain to your customer how you can remedy the situation.

Look at the example below. When Starbucks receives a negative comment on social media, it's not quick to offer free coffee or some reward as an apology. Ask the customer to contact customer service to find out who is wrong and who is right.

Step 4. Be polite

When it comes to negative feelings and rude comments, it's not so easy to stay calm. But you have to be polite to save your mark.

Avoid using words at all costs, even if your customers use them. In any case, it will not help you fix the situation.

Because if your loyal customers see that you are rude to other customers, they will change their minds about your business. so pleasehide your true feelings and respond as politely and kindly as possible.

Here's how DSW gracefully handled a negative comment about their customer service by responding and providing support.

Step 5. Take it out of the spotlight

To resolve the conflict, move the social media conversation to another location. Ask the customer to send you an email, direct message, or call customer service.

Don't start fighting with words in the comment thread. When customers get frustrated, they write dozens of responses that show negative attitudes towards your brand. so if you wantTo save your brand image, you need to discuss the problem one on one.

Delta Air Lines avoided the social insult with a diplomatic response to one of its concerned passengers.

Step 6. Personalize your message

Customers don't want automated responses. so trypersonalize your messageYshow empathy. Show that you care about your customers. Take a look at the screenshot below.

Tell me what you think? Are these messages automated or written by real people?

Delta Air Lines messages are personal and not automated. This shows that the company really cares about its customers and really wants to help.

Step 7. Respond immediately

Don't leave an angry customer waiting for your response.Respond to negative feedback within two hours.

Otherwise, your customers might think you're ignoring them. And even if he tries to resolve conflicts, no one will appreciate it.

Pizzahut always makes sure that its customers' concerns are promptly addressed as it is a responsive company.

Step 8. Explain yourself

One of the biggest mistakes that companies make is not giving explanations to their customers. And as a result, customers get frustrated.You should always explain what exactly caused the problem and what your company did to resolve it.Show how much effort your business has put into making customers happy. This will help you get positive results.

In addition, it is also important to explainto your followers that any problem they face is not the company's fault.For example, when an airline cancels a flight due to bad weather conditions. Passengers should not blame the airline for the delay.

To find out how to properly communicate with buyers, check out the IKEA Facebook account. Every time customers leave negative feedback or ask why they can't buy this or that item or why delivery is delayed, the company gives comprehensive answers.

Step 9. Learn from your mistakes

Everybody makes mistakes. If your business has made a mistake, don't panic. You can always find a way to fix it.

OughtConsider negative comments as a source of information.. Read each comment to find out exactly what your customers don't like about your products or company policies. It will help you find a way to improve your products and take your business to the next level.

Once the problem is identified, you need to create a plan to fix it. “Admit your mistake and let your customers know what specific actions you will take to resolve the conflict. You need to show that you care about your customers to make them trust your brand again,” says Kristina Brush, social media manager atGrabMyEssay.

Givenchy clarified in a public post that it corrects its mistakes for inappropriate T-shirt designs and apologizes for hurting the feelings of the Chinese community.

Step 10. Generate positive comments

It is impossible to avoid negative comments on social networks. But it is possible to minimize its impact on the brand image.

Can you guess the best way to reduce this impact?

Generate more positive reviews,and they will outshine the wicked.

Is that how it works. If you get 20 negative comments and 10 positive comments, you will hurt your business a lot. But if you get 20 negative comments and 100 positive comments, it won't affect your brand as much.

So how can you get more positive feedback?

Here are some basic rules to keep in mind:

• always strive for itCreate engaging content for social mediato increase engagement and get more feedback.
• Please respond to any positive or neutral comments. Try to build a relationship with your loyal customers.
• Use humor. It's a perfect icebreaker.

Check out this humor thread that Royal Dutch Airlines created with one of their followers. Such reactions make you an approachable and people-friendly brand.

Top 5 tools that can help the user with review management

Now let's talk about itOnline Marketing Toolsyou should use to manage negative feedback and ratings.

top brand watch

use thisTool to monitor the mentions of your brand on the web. Use analytics capabilities to understand customer perceptions, detect changes in sentiment, andmeasure brand presenceReal time.

2. Google Alerts

If you are looking for a free tool with basic functions that allows you to monitor mentions, Google Alerts is a good option. You can also use it to search for negative comments on social media.See what reputable websites are saying about your competitors.

3. Aref

Ahref is oneAll in one SEO toolHecan be used for brand tracking. Ahref notifications work more effectively than Google notifications. So if you are not financially constrained, I would recommend you use this tool.

4. Social Pilot

This tool is aperfect solution for agencies and social media professionals. SocialPilot allows youManage social media scheduling and postingfrom a place. It also helps to better track positive and negative reviews.

5. A student

If you find it difficult to write responses to negative comments, feel free to use this online service. The professional writers at Studicus can do that.I help you with thismanage negative reviewsefficient.

packaging

Please note that negative comments are not a big problem if they are handled properly. Multinational companies receive dozens of bad reviews every day, but this does not affect their sales. The secret to his success is simple. You know how to communicate with angry customers.

So if you want your business to succeed, watch what people are saying about your brand on social media. Respond to any comments you receive. Pay close attention to your customers' problems.

And nothing will stop you from getting the results you've been dreaming of.