Week 3
Social Media Comments:
How to Respond to the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
This week’s post will be focused on the on how companies should engage with negative and positive feedback posted by followers on their social media platforms. Tips will be provided on how to formulate a plan of action when responding to negative comments as well as the importance of acknowledging comments that will build a stronger bond with followers.
The Bad and The Ugly
Anyone that has an account with social media platforms - we’ll focus on Facebook and Twitter in this case - is bound to run across negative social media posts. Are followers swayed by others comments? Do their bad experiences or opinions towards a product or service steer them away from the brand? The answer might be yes. A brand's first reaction may be to delete the post, get rid of the evidence, or try to ignore the situation. However as stated by author David Kerpen in Likeable Social Media:
“the do-not-delete rule states that unless a comment is obscene, profane, or bigoted, or it contains someone’s personal and private information, it should never be deleted from a social network site” (Kerpen, 2015).
Deleting a follower’s negative comment, or even simply ignoring it, is “the ultimate screw you” towards them (Kerpen, 2015). So what should a brand's plan of action for this situation consist of?
Responding Quickly
Taking care of a situation quickly, within a 24 hour period, and publicly will show other followers that the brand is interested in what they have to say and create a form of trust and loyalty. When you first come across a negative post on social media, begin by apologizing publicly on their post. Brands should check with their lawyers to make sure the response language doesn’t admit the company to any wrongdoing and is consumer friendly. They can post phrases such as “I’m sorry you had this experience” or “I’m sorry you feel this way” and offer assistance in solving the issue. Next, follow up with a private message further offering assistance (Kerpen, 2015). This will result in promoting strong customer service skills.
But what if the brand you're working for has over one million followers - let’s say Nike? For this scenario brands must prioritize their responses by gathering the negative comments and looking at the followers’ profiles. Do they have a lot of followers? Do they engage with their social platform constantly? If the answer is yes, they move to the top of your response list.
For a brand to go above and beyond the issue and exceed follower satisfaction, take the following into consideration. Have you ever been to a restaurant and the waitress completely messes up your order, then the manager comes over and offers you a free dessert or a percentage off of your bill? The same tactic can be applied to negative comments on social media. Brands can offer unhappy consumers a refund or a gift, such as a discount off of their next purchase, in hopes to resolving the issue.
Fixing an issue publicly on social media shows followers that the brand is concerned about their consumers and are willing to do what it takes to make them happy. Who knows - if a brand fixes the problem they just might receive a great comment from that once unhappy customer and boost your reputation and image.
The Good
While it is important to always stay on top of those who are unhappy with a brand's products or services, it is also important to acknowledge those who are posting positive comments. “Each day, millions of positive comments to and about brands on social networks go unnoticed or are given no response” (Kerpen, 2015). The best rule of thumb when it comes to responding to these comments is by first thanking them, then follow up by a personalized message portraying the brands voice. This personal touch will help the brand connect on a “more direct, more humanly” (Kerpen, 2015) level with your consumer.
The Takeaway
When it comes to negative and positive comments on a brand social media platform it is essential to value all consumers’ opinions and voices. Positive customer service can go along way when it comes to maintaining and building brand reputation and relationships.
Points to Think About & Respond To
1. Not all brands follow the rules of engaging with negative comments. How do you think this effects a brand? Do you know of any brands that have ruined their reputation due to this issue?
2. What is your current company’s plan of action when it comes to responding with negative and positive comments?
Resources
Kerpen, D. (2015) Likeable social media (2nd ed.). M
Kerpen, D. (2015) Likeable social media (2nd ed.). M
