I\u2019ve recently counseled some clients who have been struggling with blogger negativity. Their experiences offer lessons in how to deal with this common problem.<\/p>\n
Anyone who embarks upon a social media campaign risks opening him- or herself to attack. Even the most noble causes can run afoul of extremists. In the vast majority of cases, these problems can be contained with sufficient planning. The trick is not to get caught flat-footed by criticism you didn\u2019t expect. In fact, when managed professionally, negativity can actually enhance your image by demonstrating that you\u2019ve thought through the issues in detail.<\/p>\n
Negativity can usually be anticipated and blunted if you deploy a few basic tactics:<\/p>\n
Anticipate. <\/strong>Before launching a blog or public forum, know what you\u2019re getting into. If you have critics, they will use the opportunity to air their gripes. Even if you don\u2019t think you have critics, you should be prepared for them to emerge from unexpected places.<\/p>\n One client chose to blog about his adventures exploring new geographies. He was proud of his efforts and so was completely blindsided when environmentalists began attacking him. Had he thought through his topic more thoroughly, he might have anticipated such criticism.<\/p>\n Most businesses are poorly prepared to anticipate criticism because they only see the good in what they do. Here\u2019s where an outside perspective may help. Come up with all reasonable arguments against your story and prepare a defense for each. It may be worth hiring a domain expert or journalist to help poke holes in your case.<\/p>\n Keep calm.<\/strong> The knee-jerk reaction to criticism is usually \u201cHow dare they!\u201d, but reacting defensively rarely works. Critics are inclined to be blunt when they think they\u2019re shouting into an empty well, but they\u2019re more civil when confronting a real person. Use their anger to reinforce your rationality. Count to 100 before responding, maybe take a walk around the block and then consider if there is any validity to the critic\u2019s comments. Conceding that someone has a point — even if you don\u2019t plan to do anything about it — is the fastest way to disarm him. Simply saying that you heard his comments will go miles toward soothing his anger.<\/p>\n If you really want to confound a critic, look up his phone number online (this usually isn\u2019t difficult). Even if you end up leaving a voicemail, the mere act of personalizing an anonymous interaction often heads off a confrontation.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t censor.<\/strong> One client got so flustered by unanticipated negativity that he began deleting critical comments. NEVER DO THIS. Censorship won\u2019t silence your critics; it will only send them to other forums you don\u2019t control. It\u2019s okay to edit obscene or inappropriate remarks, but don\u2019t delete them just because you don\u2019t like what they say. Once you have created a public forum, you must live with the consequences.<\/p>\n A little criticism actually isn\u2019t a bad thing. It makes you look more credible. Respond to adversaries using the tactics outlined above, but don\u2019t use your power to silence them. It will backfire on you.<\/p>\n Address issues, not people.<\/strong> Your most vociferous critics may stoop to character assassination to dramatize their case. Don\u2019t go there. Address issues, but leave the name-calling to the amateurs.<\/p>\n You also don\u2019t have to speak directly to your critics. If people are harping on one issue, post information that addresses several critics. DuPont did this a few years ago when rumors popped up that Teflon caused cancer. DuPont didn\u2019t address its critics directly but instead set up a website to tell the truth about Teflon. By refuting the rumors with scientific evidence, the company quickly put the issue to bed. Bloggers helped out by linking to DuPont\u2019s informational website. The company never got down in the muck with its detractors, but effectively dispatched the rumors with facts.<\/p>\n If you employ these four tactics, you\u2019ll be able to cope with nearly every challenge to your credibility, even the unanticipated ones.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019ve recently counseled some clients who have been struggling with blogger negativity. Their experiences offer lessons in how to deal with this common problem. Anyone who embarks upon a social media campaign risks opening him- or herself to attack. Even … Continue reading