When you share your ideas online, there’s always a risk of coming up against negative comments. When the Internet is filled with hate speech, trolling and cyberbullying on a daily basis, your fear of being trolled or stalked may stop you from sharing your creative work online. But that’s not a solution! Putting yourself out there is the only way to succeed as a business or brand and change mindsets. The more we ignore trolls and haters, the more they will thrive. Let’s talk about how to deal with these trolls and haters.
You can’t please everyone
No matter how amazing your content is, you will always find people who disagree with you. There are people who are offended by everything. There are also people who have low self-esteem and low self-confidence. For example, there are people who will disagree with your views on beauty, even if you’re talking about using inclusive language when you’re reviewing products for people with different skin types. There’s a fine line between constructive criticism and hate speech. If someone disagrees with you, that doesn’t make them a troll. The difference between constructive criticism and hate speech is intent. If someone points out that you’ve made a mistake or that you could do something better, that’s constructive criticism. If someone points out that you’re wrong, but they’re disrespectful and aggressive in the way that they do it, that’s hate speech.
How to deal with negative comments?
The first thing you should do is stop and breathe. Not everyone who leaves a negative comment is out to get you. Be aware, though, that trolls thrive on getting a reaction out of their victims. The best way to deal with negative comments is to ignore them, but if you decide to respond, don’t let your emotions take over. Remain calm. If you do decide to respond, you don’t need to address every single comment. Respond to the ones that you feel you need to, and ignore the rest. Remember that the Internet is a public space, so things can get out of hand very quickly. If things do get a little out of hand, simply report them, and block the person.
No need to respond to every comment
If you want to build a good relationship with your audience, you don’t need to respond to every single comment. You need to know when to engage with your audience, and when to step away. If you respond to every single comment that someone leaves, your audience will get the impression that they can only get your attention when they leave a comment. Engaging with your audience is a great way to foster positive interactions. However, excessive engagement can also be harmful. If you only respond to comments, you’ll leave your audience wondering what you’re up to when there’s no comment section under your posts.
3 ways to deal with negative comments effectively
There are many ways to deal with negative comments. The key is not to react emotionally. Here are some ways to cope with negative comments and make them work for you.
- Respond with facts rather than emotions. If someone is attacking your content or ideas, respond with facts. You can leave a comment along the lines of: “According to the latest research, the percentage of people who have [your topic] is X%.. My article is based on the most up-to-date information.” If a comment is attacking you personally, don’t respond at all.
- Turn your negative comments into an opportunity to educate. When you share your ideas online, you have the opportunity to change mindsets. If someone leaves a negative comment, use it as an opportunity to educate them further.
- Don’t respond to comments that are below your energy level. If someone leaves a comment that is below your energy level, don’t respond. You don’t need to respond to comments like “You’re ugly.” Let them go and focus on your content.
Summary
Negative comments are inevitable when you share ideas online. The key to dealing with them is to remain calm and let them go. Respond to the comments that matter, and ignore the ones that don’t. There’s no need to respond to every single comment. Engaging with your audience is a great way to foster positive interactions. However, excessive engagement can also be harmful. Don’t respond to comments that are below your energy level, and let the positive comments fuel your creativity.