You’ve finally gotten your business’s social media account up and running (or you’ve just revamped it). If you’re like many businesses, at some point, you’ll come face to face with the dreaded internet troll. Here’s how to avoid these pests (and how to deal with them when they come up).
What to Watch Out For
Regardless of what your troll management style is, you’re always ahead when you can spot them early. Trolls can cause a real headache for social media managers, but spotting them early is the key to success. Some early signs to look for include:
- Users who make offhand comments. This behavior alone may not constitute trolling, but repeated offhand comments derail meaningful discussions.
- Users with profane names. On sites that let users create usernames, a profane name may be a sign of trolling to come.
- Users who attack other users. Some trolls target your business, and others launch unwarranted personal attacks on other commenters.
Moderate the Comments
All too often, the comments section of a business site turns into a gossip free-for-all. This is especially easy on Instagram, where users are usually more anonymous than they are on Facebook. Cardi B, who is very active on the site, has spoken out about her belief that the changes to Instagram’s comments sections have been more detrimental than the likes system. As long as you aren’t being absolutely inundated with comments, moderation is often the simplest fix. When you moderate, some sites may allow you to set up the comments section so you must approve remarks before they’re posted. If you would prefer not to do this, you can always go through posted comments and delete the ones from trolls.
The Other Options: Ignore or Deflect
Just like your teachers probably told you as a kid, sometimes ignoring someone is the best way to get them to stop. Most trolls are looking to provoke a reaction, so by ignoring them, you may make it more likely that they’ll move on. If you’re feeling humorous, making a joke in a comment reply may be a good way to win the respect of your audience (and maybe even give the troll a laugh, too!).
Nobody likes trolls. At best, they’re a nuisance, and at worst, they discourage legitimate engagement. But by planning and deploying a strategy to deal with them, you can save yourself and your brand a major headache.
