One of the unfortunate side effects of social networking is
dealing with Internet trolls. These anonymous consumers seem to exist just to
spite you. They love stirring up trouble, attacking your brand and lambasting
your company on every forum, blog and social network they can find. Maybe they
are a former customer with an axe to grind. Maybe they're just looking to pick
a fight. Whatever the reason, almost every company is going to have to handle a
troll at some point.
Here are 5 ways to help you better manage the social networking trolls:
1. Establish Ground Rules
You want to make sure that the troll doesn't make your company end
up looking like the bad guy. Before trolls become an issue, establish a set of
ground rules for commenting on your social profiles. Let you audience know what
kind of behavior will and will not be allowed. If a troll posts something
offensive or abusive on your Facebook wall and you decide to delete it, let
your network know that it's because you won't tolerate that kind of belligerent
attitude, not because they don't like your company. Just make sure you play by
your ówn rules!
2. Don't Try to "Disappear" Them
If someone leaves a comment on your Facebook wall that you don't like, you have
the ability as the page owner to delete that comment. Seems like the best way
of dealing with a troll, right? Not necessarily. Trying to just
"delete" your trolls and their comments might come across like you
have something to hide or are trying to drown our dissenting opinions. It may
cause your real social network to question your integrity. If things get really
heated, find a way to take the conversation off of your social profile without
just deleting it entirely.
3. Kill Them With Kindness
It almost néver pays to get into a spitting match with a social troll. They
don't have anything to risk by getting involved in an online feud; you do. Your
brand and online reputation are up for grabs when you start fighting with a
troll on a social networking site. You may not like what they have to say, but
don't get angry and use social media to vent. The person who is handling your
social media marketing cannot afford to take it personally! The troll isn't
attacking one particular employee; they are going after your brand. As long as
you stay polite and courteous, your company will come out on top.
4. Reach Out for Support
If you've taken the time to do your social media marketing right, you've
probably built up a strong and solid network of brand loyalists. If one troll
seems intent on picking a fight, have your social network come to your defense.
Ask your Friends, Fans and Followers to post/Tweet/blog or share their opinions
of your company. Chances are your social network is more than willing to police
itself. Users are smart, and they can tell when someone is trying to cause
trouble for no reason. Having that much support shows the trolls that they are
facing a much bigger fight then they thought.
5. Actually Listen
This might sound a little crazy, but you do have to pay attention to what the
trolls are saying. They might not be the only ones who feel so negatively about
your brand, even if they are taking it to an extreme level. Let's say you have
1,000 Facebook fans, but only 200 have commented on your Facebook page. Those
200 comments may or may not represent majority opinion. Sure, you have to take
the comments of a social troll with a grain of salt, but that doesn't mean you
can't learn something about your audience at large if you dig deeper. Sometimes
a troll is nothing more than a very upset customer. You want to make sure there
aren't other customers this upset with your brand. Once you understand the
problem, you can address and fix it.
Sooner or later, just about every company will have to deal with a social
troll. It isn't worth the risk of damage to your brand to get involved in a
public fight with one of them. Remember to take the high road and your online
reputation won't suffer because of it.
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About The Author
Nick Stamoulis is the President and Founder of Brick
Marketing a full-service SEO and social media marketing company.
With over 12 years of experience, Nick Stamoulis shares his knowledge by
posting daily SEO tips to his blog, the Search Engine Optimization Journal and
by publishing the Brick Marketing SEO Newsletter. Contact Nick Stamoulis at
781-999-1222 or nick@brickmarketing.com
Sources; SiteProNews, Fri 8/26/2011
