The use of social media is beneficial for businesses of all sizes. With a majority of US adults using Facebook (over 70%), nearly half using Instagram, and a staggering 83% using YouTube, social media’s importance and prevalence are indisputable. For businesses, this underscores the need for a robust social media management strategy, especially one that includes best practices on how to respond to negative reviews and comments.
Creating and maintaining a social media presence for your business can have many benefits. It can increase traffic to your business’s website, generate new business leads, increase exposure and awareness, and generate valuable insights about your business. You can also use social media to provide timely updates and engage with your customers and the general public to promote causes and initiatives that are important to your business or community. Whether you create a Facebook business page, Instagram account, or Twitter account, harness the power of social media to grow your business and show the world who you are and what sets you apart from the competition.
However, social media attention is not always positive. Negative content can be posted on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or even TikTok by people who may or may not be associated with your business. Negative content can have a significant impact on your business’s reputation. This can be done maliciously, such as creating an unofficial business account and posting negative content. Alternatively, objectionable content can be a customer’s honest opinion about a service or product.
Based on the experiences of Buckingham, Doolittle, and Burroughs, negative statements made publicly on social media are likely to be believed by the public, regardless of whether the statements are true or not. Even if you respond quickly and thoughtfully, some people will believe the first negative comment if it has been spread widely on social media, giving the poster a significant presence. This puts your business at a significant disadvantage.
In summary, having a strong social media management strategy is crucial for businesses of all sizes. While social media can generate many benefits, negative content can quickly damage your business’s reputation. Therefore, it is essential to monitor social media platforms carefully and respond quickly and thoughtfully to negative comments and reviews while maintaining professionalism.