social strategies for negative commentsAs marketers build their online brand presence, one critical area that needs to be addressed is how to handle negative feedback.

Social Media Examiner’s recent research shows that marketers are not prepared for negative feedback.

A recent eMarketer report found that more than half of marketers do not have a plan to handle negative social media posts.

Create a Social Media Policy

If you don’t already have one, now is the time to create a social media policy.

When creating a social media policy or guideline, be sure to include a comment policy and post it publicly on your website as well as social media profiles.

Also specify what language or comments are off limits that might get people blocked from the community.

How to Respond

The worst thing you can do when facing negative comments is not to respond at all. Make sure you respond within the first 24 hours. If the issue needs more attention, then suggest a call or an email address and solve the problem offline.

Poyntner suggests putting together a response plan similar to the Air Force’s flow chart plan. It is a simple, visual guide for your employees to follow when negative comments occur.

Take the Lead

Once the plan is in place, a proactive approach that your company can take is to monitor for all types of online feedback.

Setting up Google Alerts with your company keywords further ensures you are keeping an eye on your brand.

What has worked for your brand?