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Social media can often feel like the Wild West, and businesses often find themselves navigating a tumultuous environment, mainly because of trolls. Platforms like Musk’s X and Zuckerberg’s decision to eliminate fact-checking have created a space where online trolls thrive. These keyboard warriors boldly post negative comments without facing real-life consequences, which can be challenging for brands to handle.
However, social media also presents incredible opportunities for businesses to connect with their audiences and promote their products or services. So, how can you effectively manage online trolls while maintaining a positive online presence?
1. Take Charge of Your Comment Sections: Remember that your comment sections are yours to manage. When feasible, respond with informative comments that educate your audience or address genuine concerns. In cases of personal attacks, do not hesitate to block those users. Focus on constructive engagement and protect your team’s well-being from negativity or abuse.
2. Diverse Approaches Among Clients: Different businesses adopt various strategies for dealing with trolls. Some opt for direct responses, while others choose to move conversations to private messages. Additionally, a “three strikes” policy can be effective—block users after three rude comments.
3. Engage with Genuine Concerns: It’s vital to distinguish between trolls and customers expressing real issues. While you shouldn’t tolerate trolls, responding to authentic feedback is important for your brand’s reputation.
– Limit Interactions: This feature allows you to restrict interactions from users who are causing disruptions.
– Hidden Words: Create a custom list of words and phrases that will be hidden from your audience.
Both options can be found in Settings and Activity > How Others Can Interact with You.
– Filter Out Negative Comments: Although TikTok is effective in hiding negative comments, you can still manually filter specific words and phrases and use the Comment Care Mode to protect against bullying.
These settings can be accessed in Settings & Privacy > Privacy > Filters.
If you dedicate significant time to your business’s online presence, safeguarding yourself from negativity is essential. There’s no objection to minimising negative comments and blocking users who do not contribute constructively. And don’t forget to report bad comments to the platforms. Although most of the time, no action is taken, sometimes it is.
Recently, we have witnessed a concerning trend of businesses behaving unprofessionally online, seemingly unaware of the implications. Just as in the real world, maintaining an appropriate/professional presence is critical. Always present your business in the best light, as customers will notice what you like, share, and comment on.
Since implementing our advertising strategy aimed at business owners (we offer digital marketing services), we have experienced an influx of rude and troll-like comments, particularly from business accounts. While dealing with trolls is part of the digital landscape, it is essential for businesses to understand that professionalism is paramount; trolling under your business name can quickly damage brand trust.
Ultimately, while you have the freedom to express yourself on personal social media accounts, think carefully about what you share, especially if there are any clues linking back to your business.
By focusing on professionalism and actively managing online interactions, you can effectively mitigate the impact of trolls on your brand’s reputation, but it goes both ways. Don’t be caught trolling other people… it’s not a good look.
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