A quick lesson in social media reputation management

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Once upon a time, using my personal Facebook account, I made a comment on a post from a very popular website. To my surprise, the comment got 1,000 likes in the first hour, plus about 30 favorable replies.

Then the negative replies started coming, and what unfolded for me was a lesson in social media reputation management. In what to expect if one of my Facebook business pages ever gets that popular.

Why Trolls Thrive Online

Trolls didn’t just appear out of nowhere. They’re bullies offline, too, but online they feel less likely to run into any real-life consequences for their mean behavior.

This makes it easier for them to be mean or outrageous without worrying about what might happen if they acted this way face-to-face. Some trolls even see it as a game to make others upset. They may try to start arguments, twist facts, or just post things to get a reaction.

The sad truth is, trolling works because it gets attention. Sometimes, the more people argue with a troll, the more excited they get. It’s like feeding a stray animal – if you keep giving them what they want, they’ll stick around.

Types of Trolls You Might Meet

Trolls come in several shapes and flavors:

Flamethrower: They want to make everyone screaming mad because it amuses them. They will say anything to anger people, and they keep going until they get that response (or they get banned).

Intimidators: They try to scare people into silence with actual and implied threats. These range from people who threaten lawsuits to people who make actual violent threats.

Preachers: They come to lord over everyone else with their alleged moral superiority. Like people who drop by a beauty website only to lecture everyone about the evils of wearing makeup.

The Contrarian: This person disagrees with everything. No matter what you or others say, they’ll take the opposite side – just to argue.

The Know-It-All: They claim to be an expert on everything and will nitpick any small error, often in a rude way.

The Meme Spammer: Instead of contributing to the conversation, they post silly or unrelated memes and gifs to derail the thread.

The Victim: They twist the conversation so it always comes back to how they’re being “attacked” or “bullied,” even if people are being polite.

Trolls arrive late, outstay their welcome

When you actually watch a popular comment thread unfold at the speed of Facebook, it reveals some patterns. If you manage a brand or service website, you probably reply to reviews on blogs, Facebook and other sources that you can’t control.

More engaged people comment/like first. The first people to like, share or reply to you are the ones who care most. If they’re mostly positive, you’re a hit.
Then, inevitably, come the trolls. There are several reasons why trolls don’t show up immediately. First: they’re not really interested in your brand/thoughts/whatever you’re posting about – they just want to make trouble. Second: if there’s really nothing to complain about, it takes them an hour or so to invent something.
For a while, other commenters defend you. It’s a great sign when other commenters defend you from your trolls.
Eventually, the good folks go home and the trolls are all that’s left. Now, this doesn’t happen in every case. But many times, the good folks will look at the thread, realize it’s become a cesspool and decide not to bother wading in. That leaves it wide open for the trolls, who will get and more obnoxious, egging one another on.

So don’t assume a thread has failed just because trolls show up and do their troll thing. It’s just life on the internet. The first to respond are the most engaged. That’s whose opinion counts.

How to Keep Your Cool When Trolls Attack

Dealing with trolls can be exhausting, especially if you care about your reputation, your business, or your community. Here are some simple tips for staying calm:

1. Step Away for a Bit: If you feel yourself getting upset, take a break before responding. Responding in anger usually makes things worse.

2. Don’t Take It Personally: Trolls don’t know you. Their mean comments aren’t really about you – they’re about getting a reaction.

3. Remember Your Real Audience: Most people reading your posts are quiet supporters who won’t comment but are still watching. Handle trolls with grace for their sake, not the troll’s.

Tools and Tactics for Managing Trolls

If you’re running a business page or group, there are helpful tools at your disposal:

Comment Moderation Filters: Facebook and other platforms let you block comments with certain words or phrases. Use these filters to automatically hide the worst stuff.

Pinned Comments: Pin a friendly, positive comment at the top of your post. This sets the tone and shows new visitors what kind of conversation you want.

Reporting and Blocking: Don’t be shy about reporting trolls to the platform or blocking them from your pages. This isn’t censorship – it’s protecting your space.

Regular Community Reminders: Posting your rules every once in a while helps remind everyone that good manners matter. For example: “We welcome all opinions, but rude behavior will get you banned.”

The social media reputation management lesson

The best response is none at all. Even if someone asks a question that seems purposefully dense or inflammatory, wait a moment and see if someone else answers for you.

Of course, if someone’s being very rude, deleting the comment is an option if it’s your thread. And I do believe in protecting the bulk of polite users from the few mean jerks (your website and social media channels are a party at your home; feel free to eject guests who are ruining the party for everyone else). You don’t want your thread to become that cesspool I was talking about earlier.

Don’t give every comment the same weight

It’s important to understand that “haters gonna hate”, no matter how well you handle a situation. While you want to listen to negative feedback that makes sense and might teach you a valuable lesson, you do not want to get bogged down in dealing with people who are just being negative. Because they aren’t really giving you feedback; they’re just using your social media outlet as their own bully pulpit.

Focus on the early responders

The big takeaway is that you want to focus on the first people to like/share/comment. If their response is critical of you, then you should respond generously and consider how to do better in the future. If their response is positive, and it’s only later that you start getting the negative feedback, those commenters are much less interested in you/your brand and you should respond more coolly, or not at all.

Lower that ban hammer

I’m a firm believer in deleting rude comments and banning people who keep doing it. Some cases are hard to call, and you can really agonize about whether they should go.

But the obvious trolls? Get rid of them. Deny them your space. They can complain on their own Facebook page or start their own free blog. You don’t owe them digital real estate.

Turning Negative Energy Into Something Good

Oddly enough, trolls can help shine a light on what matters most to your real supporters. When people see trolls attacking you unfairly, they’re often inspired to stand up for you or your brand.

You can use these moments to highlight your values. Thank supporters publicly when they defend you or your business. Turn negative threads into positive ones by sharing helpful information or stories that show what your brand is about.

When Negative Comments Are Actually Useful

Not every critical comment is trolling. Sometimes, people have real problems with your product or service. These aren’t trolls – they’re customers giving you valuable feedback.

Pay special attention to complaints that are polite and specific. That’s where you can learn and improve. Respond kindly and offer solutions. This shows everyone watching that you care and take feedback seriously.

Teaching Your Team About Trolls

If you have employees helping you manage social media, give them clear guidelines for dealing with trolls. Role-play possible scenarios so they know when to ignore, when to respond, and when to ban someone.

Teach them not to argue with trolls or feed the drama. Instead, focus on building a positive community and responding quickly to real questions or concerns from customers.