Before an online attack occurs, the brand must have a prevention and action plan to weather the crisis.
Their goal is to plant comments that negatively impact brand reputation, causing discomfort and bothering other users. These are trolls, those anonymous users who browse social media to gain visibility and disturb in some way the person or company they direct their attacks at.
From those who write incoherent things, those who only post ads for other brands, to the most feared, those who attack directly and generate a wave of unfavorable comments that can trigger an online crisis. The troll is easily identifiable by their spelling mistakes, excessive use of foul language, disrespect toward other users and, above all, by not being coherent when expressing themselves.
No brand is exempt from an attack of this nature; in this post we share some tips for dealing with these terrible invaders.
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Communicate internally with whoever posts the message.
When an alleged complaint or comment about an unfavorable experience with the brand appears, it is necessary to communicate internally with the user to learn the details of their discontent. This first step will help rule out the truthfulness of the accusation or simply the author’s negative intent.
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Don’t argue openly with the troll.
What the troll wants is to destabilize the brand and whoever is in charge of its social media. An angry response without a well-planned strategy will let the attacker accomplish their goal.
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Protect brand identity.
Keep in mind that brand identity and reputation are among the most valuable assets a company has. A misguided action can inflame the mood of the users who follow the troll’s actions and harm the perception of the brand.
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Constantly review user comments.
Analyzing whether the person posting the comment is an unhappy customer or a troll is fundamental within the online communication strategy. That is why constant monitoring of the comments users make will help determine the actions to take in either case.
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Dismantle each accusation with data to avoid damaging the brand’s reputation.
There is no better answer than one based on tangible results or actions. Look for information or data that refutes any false accusation the troll may have made about your brand.
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Never delete comments.
Any act of censorship is questionable; if the brand is positioning itself positively, this could affect its reputation. Keep in mind that if we have a solid community identity, users will defend the brand on their own. It is advisable to remove comments that are highly offensive or that contain foul language.
Remember that your responses must always be positive in order to highlight the brand’s bonds of empathy with its audience. Don’t feed the troll by entering an open argument; simply think about your best strategy and don’t forget to have a crisis management plan to prevent or reduce the impact of any contingency on your company.
