Earlier this month, Amy’s Baking Company Bakery Boutique & Bistro became the cautionary tale du jour when it had the mother of social media meltdowns. After being featured on the TV show Kitchen Nightmares with host Gordon Ramsay, Amy’s received a barrage of hateful comments on its social media platforms. The online reputation crisis likely started in response to the owners’ obnoxious behavior on screen including pushing customers, swiping tips from wait staff, and disproportionately defensive responses to criticism. Rather than using this opportunity to fix some of the damage done from their TV stint, the restaurant went into full-blown defensive mode. The owners responded viciously to every negative comment, got personal with online insults, denied any misbehavior, and then worst of all, when realizing their mistake, claimed that they were blameless for their social media actions since their platforms had been hacked!
Reputation management on social media channels is still a brave new world that many business owners find difficult to navigate. The Amy’s Bakery case is a case study of exactly what NOT to do. Any seasoned PR pro can tell you that although social media seems a free-for-all cacophony of input and opinion, social media crisis communication is really very similar to traditional media crisis communication. Many common rules and principles apply. In all cases, you should be responsive, honest, and earnest. The key difference is that social media crisis communication puts you in the driver seat. You have an opportunity to respond directly, comprehensively, and in an unfiltered manner. Don’t squander this opportunity.
Below I’ve compiled some of the best tips from social media gurus on the do’s and don’t of dealing with negative comments on your social media platforms.
1. First and foremost, do respond to comments, but only the constructive or legitimate ones. Ignoring critical comments can be a big mistake. If your customers are unhappy or unsatisfied, as a business owner concerned with your bottom line and your reputation, you should address their grievances. Take the advice of one Arizona marketing firm, “let the customer know how much you appreciate their feedback…make the customer feel valued… then kill them with kindness. Other viewers will see your great, responsive customer service.”
2. That said, don’t respond to trolls as Kelly Clay of Forbes says. It is not worth engaging with “haters” because they are just looking to stoke the flames so they can continue their barrage. There is no need to respond to EVERY comment, particularly the ones that are personally insulting. Remember the whole sticks and stones song—don’t fuel the bullies.
3. By the same token, never respond with personal insults. Even though what people say online may seem overtly personal or unfair, the response should always be “restrained and thoughtful” and where appropriate, apologetic.
4. Don’t respond immediately. This is sage advice because although you might be tempted to post an immediate response especially to negative comments, what you post online is permanent (even if you take down later) so make sure it is what you really want to say. Also by not responding on impulse, your response is much more likely to meet the criteria of being measured and constructive. Kelly Clay says she always asks a friend or colleague to review her responses to negative comments before posting them to ensure they are appropriate. However, don’t wait too long to respond after the comment is posted, otherwise you risk looking either unaware or worse, apathetic.
5. Make your response personal and private. When you really want to address a grievance, it is important to have the personal touch. You should respond to the critic online in a professional manner and suggest a way for the two of you to communicate directly and privately offline.