9 MIN READ

How to Handle Social Media Criticism

Protecting Your Reputation and Strengthening Customer Loyalty

How to Handle Social Media Criticism - Protecting Your Reputation and Strengthening Customer Loyalty

© iStockphoto
GuidoVrola

Keep your eyes and ears open to avoid a storm.

"What a bunch of *&%$"#^ amateurs!" Imagine that you've just seen this highly negative comment on social media, and it's about your business. Do you reply right away? Do you reply at all? Should you firmly defend your actions, or apologize profusely?

You have a minefield of options open to you right now and your audience has never been bigger. You need to get this right.

In this article, we'll look at the threats and opportunities that social media criticism might pose for you, and explore how best to prepare for and respond to them.

Engaging With Public Complaints on Social Media

Until not very long ago, the only way to complain to a company was to write a letter, make a phone call, or send an email. This took some effort and quite a lot of time, and you couldn't be sure that you'd get a response, so you'd likely give up after your first attempt.

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