4 simple strategies for corralling curmudgeonly commenters
Curmudgeon. Gadfly. Royal pain in the tuckus. They go by so many names. But like it or not, they certainly can become staples of your organization’s online community.
Too often, businesses shy away from using social media because they’re afraid of having to deal with them. Who are we talking about? Negative commenters.
Well, whether the conversation is digital or in-person, it’s never always going to be positive. So if you’re too afraid of dealing with a Negative Nancy, then social media simply isn’t for you.
But that would be a shame, because dealing with a curmudgeonly commenter isn’t all that difficult. Here are some fairly simple strategies:
Have a policy. Create commenting rules or general guidelines for participating in your online community. Make it very clear what types of language will not be tolerated. Do not tolerate personal attacks. Basically, your guidelines should reflect the common-sense rules of human interaction. But more importantly, those guidelines give you grounds to dismiss a repeat offender from participating in your online community.
Let your community right the wrongs. Many times, your loyal supporters will be quick to step in and defend your organization, correct misinformation, and otherwise keep the curmudgeon in check. Don’t be surprised if a spirited exchange takes place. But as long as it all stays in line with your policies, then let it be. A negative commenter might be more likely to think twice the next time he or she wants to start a bash-fest if he or she is being taken to task by respected peers.
Know when to step in — and step out. When you’re receiving negative comments on your blog, Facebook page, Twitter, etc., you need to strike a good balance when it comes to engaging the negative commenter. On the one hand, you often NEED to respond, because you’re likely being called out in a negative way. They WANT you to talk to them, so do it. On the other hand, if you start jumping into the conversation too much, you can come off as too defensive. Always remember both sides of this coin, and you’ll be OK.
Really, really listen. Don’t dismiss a curmudgeon so quickly. Obviously, they want to be heard. You should be able to tell whether they truly have a legitimate beef or, if over time they’re just trying to start trouble or draw attention to themselves. Either way, cover your bases: Address their concerns as best you can. If you can’t solve their issue, try your best to do so anyway. Worst-case scenario, you have a track record of sincere effort to fall back on should the negative commenter try to challenge you or get you in some sort of trouble.
Working for Capital Region BOCES and blogging for Digital Pivot. Mom. Wife. Journalist. Political junkie. Formidable cook. Solid addition to any music trivia team.
4 simple strategies for corralling curmudgeonly commenters
Curmudgeon. Gadfly. Royal pain in the tuckus. They go by so many names. But like it or not, they certainly can become staples of your organization’s online community.
Too often, businesses shy away from using social media because they’re afraid of having to deal with them. Who are we talking about? Negative commenters.
Well, whether the conversation is digital or in-person, it’s never always going to be positive. So if you’re too afraid of dealing with a Negative Nancy, then social media simply isn’t for you.
But that would be a shame, because dealing with a curmudgeonly commenter isn’t all that difficult. Here are some fairly simple strategies:
Have a policy. Create commenting rules or general guidelines for participating in your online community. Make it very clear what types of language will not be tolerated. Do not tolerate personal attacks. Basically, your guidelines should reflect the common-sense rules of human interaction. But more importantly, those guidelines give you grounds to dismiss a repeat offender from participating in your online community.
Let your community right the wrongs. Many times, your loyal supporters will be quick to step in and defend your organization, correct misinformation, and otherwise keep the curmudgeon in check. Don’t be surprised if a spirited exchange takes place. But as long as it all stays in line with your policies, then let it be. A negative commenter might be more likely to think twice the next time he or she wants to start a bash-fest if he or she is being taken to task by respected peers.
Know when to step in — and step out. When you’re receiving negative comments on your blog, Facebook page, Twitter, etc., you need to strike a good balance when it comes to engaging the negative commenter. On the one hand, you often NEED to respond, because you’re likely being called out in a negative way. They WANT you to talk to them, so do it. On the other hand, if you start jumping into the conversation too much, you can come off as too defensive. Always remember both sides of this coin, and you’ll be OK.
Really, really listen. Don’t dismiss a curmudgeon so quickly. Obviously, they want to be heard. You should be able to tell whether they truly have a legitimate beef or, if over time they’re just trying to start trouble or draw attention to themselves. Either way, cover your bases: Address their concerns as best you can. If you can’t solve their issue, try your best to do so anyway. Worst-case scenario, you have a track record of sincere effort to fall back on should the negative commenter try to challenge you or get you in some sort of trouble.
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Tags: commenting, curmudgeons, Facebook, gadflies, online community, Twitter
About christinegeraci
Working for Capital Region BOCES and blogging for Digital Pivot. Mom. Wife. Journalist. Political junkie. Formidable cook. Solid addition to any music trivia team.