It's not uncommon to run into a negative post from someone on social media every now and again. While it can be frustrating, there are a few things to keep in mind when responding to this type of post.

 

Take a step back and be smart about how you respond. If it is a complaint or negative comment, consider consulting with others in your office on the best way to approach the situation.

 

Be professional and courteous. The poster may not have selected the best words to use when making their comment, but that doesn't mean you get to do the same. Your online community is watching how you will respond to the situation, so be sure you are acting with a professional voice.

 

Admit your mistakes. If you're in the wrong, admit it (without placing blame somewhere else). Apologize for the error. Share how you will fix the situation. Move on.

 

Not all negative comments should be deleted. If you get negative feedback, do your best to rectify the situation. If the outcome ends on a somewhat positive note, keep the post on your news feed. It will show your online community how you handle these types of situations.

 

Be diligent with monitoring. Keep up with daily monitoring of your platforms and check out online reviews to learn what people are saying about you. Social listening is quickly becoming just as important as the content you develop.

 

Negative comments are part of online communication. Having a plan to deal with them when they appear will help your company respond in a productive way. 

It's easy for people in an organization to say "we have to be on social media;" but it's often hard for them to explain why or what platform you should be using. Social media isn't a one size fits all solution for communication. In fact, it is like any other PR tool, which means before you make a decision on what tools to use, you have to have a strategic communication plan in place. Who's your target audience? What does the research tell you about them? Why are you trying to reach them? What do you want them to know and do? Answer those questions (and others that are part of your plan) and then take a look at what tools can help you get to your goal.

Social media will most likely be in the mix, but make sure you understand why you're using a particular platform, what you need to do to be successful and how to measure your results. You don't have to be everywhere to have an impact but you do have to be in the right places for your organization to succeed.