Let’s talk about the elephant in the room of social media marketing: social media ‘trolls’. No, we don’t mean the infamous 90s toy, we mean something even scarier. These trolls thrive on negative attention. They spew hatred and emerge from the dark depths of the internet to incite anger and fear from individuals and brands alike. We imagine they look something like this:

If you’re on social media in any capacity, chances are that you will encounter a troll. We’ve seen it happen before and we want to help you be prepared to handle the situation as soon as it happens!

What Exactly Is A ‘Social Media Troll’?

A social media troll, is “someone who creates conflict on sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit by posting messages that are particularly controversial or inflammatory with the sole intent of provoking an emotional response from other users.”

Most of the time, the trolling comments may not even make sense or be completely factual — and that’s the point. Trolls choose their words based on what they think will incite the largest reaction.

Getting trolled on social media is not fun for anyone, and when your business’ reputation is on the line, it can certainly be anxiety producing.

If your business has experienced (or is experiencing) social media trolling, don’t worry! If you handle it correctly, the situation can be easily diffused.

An Important Distinction: Unhappy Customer vs. A Troll

Not all angry keyboard warriors are social media trolls. It’s important to understand that an unhappy customer who vents their frustration on social media is not the same as a troll, and should be handled very differently. It’s important to listen to customer concerns, offer a solution, and try to correct the mistake at all costs.

It can be difficult to figure out whether you’re dealing with a dissatisfied customer or a social media troll so, as a default, it’s always safe to assume the former until you can be sure either way.

The last thing you want to do is ignore your unhappy customers!

5 Ways To Handle Social Media Trolls

1. Don’t. Feed. The. Troll.

People who troll on social media are just seeking attention and trying to get a reaction from you. If you reply with an angry comment, you are essentially feeding the issue, and it will likely get much, much worse. Leaving angry comments can damage the professional look of your business for other users.

If you think the comments are not from an upset customer, and are just from someone seeking a reaction, try to keep your cool. Don’t let the trolls get to you! It’s often best to ignore the majority of trolling comments.

2. Come Armed with Facts

If negative rumours are spreading online about your brand from social media trolls, it may be time to fight back with facts.

Again, we don’t literally mean a ‘fight’ — it’s best to calmly and politely set the record straight. Stay professional at all times, and provide resources if necessary. This approach is especially appropriate if you are unsure if you are dealing with a social media troll or an unhappy customer.

Depending on the scale of the rumour, it may be appropriate to address the issue in a social media post, rather than trying to combat every negative comment you are getting.

3. Respond with Humour

Remember the infamous Wendy’s Twitter roast? Wendy’s became the master of handling social media trolls with humour on Twitter.

However, this approach is not for everyone, and it can be risky. It may not align with your brand personality, or it could backfire if not done tastefully. Be sure you assess the situation carefully and proceed with caution if you want to try the humour approach.

4. Remember Trolling Is Actually Not Allowed

Most social media sites have anti-bullying and harassment policies (Instagram, for example, recently announced their new anti-bullying policy) and do not tolerate trolling or bullying of any kind on their platforms.

There is always a way to report a comment or an individual for harassment. This is always an option if you are experiencing an especially nasty case of social media trolling.

5. Block or Ban Individuals As a Last Resort

You can also block or ban individuals who are trolling your brand if some of the other strategies mentioned above don’t work. This option should be used as a last resort, because being blocked or banned could act as the ultimate satisfaction for a social media troll — and if they’re really dedicated they could create new profiles to troll you with.

Facebook also has a sneaky ‘hide comment’ function.This will allow you (as a page administrator) to hide unwanted comments on your posts without actually deleting them. The person who left the comment, as well as their friends, will still be able to see the comment, but anyone who isn’t friends with the individual won’t be able to see it.

Whatever you do, DON’T DELETE COMMENTS. This could result in the social media troll perceiving the deleted comment as a negative reaction which could fuel them to escalate the situation.

It’s a good idea to create a plan outlining how your team should handle social media trolls. Think of it as a contingency plan for your online reputation! A plan will help you to ensure that, no matter who is monitoring your social platforms, your brand is aligned on its response to social media trolls.

Do you need help managing your social media platforms? Give us a shout, we’d love to help you out!

Cori is a social media and Facebook advertising leader at Intrigue. She loves helping clients connect with their customers and build meaningful relationships online. When she’s not in the office, Cori enjoys playing volleyball, binge watching Friends, and spending time with her friends and family.