It’s 2019 and trolls are bigger than ever, a constant source of debate, trolls are in reality a very small percentage of people commenting on the internet. Negative feedback and hate speech are just two reasons why one may considers turning off comments completely, one click of a button and their gone you don’t have to worry about them… it can be liberating….it can also be severely damaging your business… lets discuss.
When to respond, when to hold back and when to step in:
Positive Comments: Those that praise your brand or comprise of several people talking about your brand in a positive light. These are great and it’s completely up to you on how interactive you want to be, you get to decide whether or not to reply, sometimes it’s great to just let the conversations unfold without interaction, other times when a comment is extra heartfelt, a comment back is a great way to acknowledge loyalty and show appreciation. Playful comments are a great way to show a lighter more playful side to a brand. Netflix is a great example of a company that does this extremely well.
Constructive Negative Comments: These are a great opportunity to put your customer services skills on display and turn it around. Responding to these comments is a great way to show that you are a company that is continually learning and interested in boosting its products and services. This builds trust as customers feel their voice is being heard and interacting with the business publicly with actually help them resolve whatever issue they may be having.
Negative Comments: They happen, not everyone is going to like you all the time and deleting comments insinuates that you have something to hide, you are in the wrong, are ill prepared or simply do not care. Deleting negative comments reflects poorly on your business. It is proven that consumers trust brands with at least one negative comment in a sea of positive ones in the comment section more so than they do companies with only positive reviews as this shines a light on authenticity. The exception to this rule is rude, racist, discriminatory harassment, this needs to be deleted and the perpetrator blocked. In no way should you allow your brand to be perceived as accepting such behaviour. However, it is important to note that in general these comments are few and far between for a single business and the interaction and growth opportunities derived from the comments section should not be overshadowed by a few hateful people.
If you have a high-profile company monitoring the comments section can be a full-time job however it is more than necessary. The risk is worth the reward when it comes allowing people to voice their opinion on your page.
If you’re unsure about how to approach the comment section of your online pages give Fresco Creative a call on (02) 8116 9033 and let’s chat.