How to Handle Trolls on Social Media:

Step 1: Embrace the Beauty of Social Media

Ah, the magic of social media—the place where you can connect with your customers, showcase your brand, and build your empire with the click of a button. It’s a two-way street of communication! The best part? You can directly engage with your audience.

The downside? Well, they can engage with you too. And sometimes, the people engaging aren't your biggest fans. In fact, they’re not even fans—they’re trolls. Keyboard warriors who’ve decided that their opinion (no matter how irrelevant) must be heard.

Step 2: Understand That Trolls Are Inevitable

If you’re on social media for more than five minutes, you’ll quickly learn that trolls are like pigeons in a city—everywhere and utterly useless. The moment you start getting attention is the moment they crawl out from under their bridges, armed with bad grammar and low self-esteem.

But here’s the twist: trolls can be good for business.

Yep, you read that right. Every comment, even the hateful ones, count as engagement. And what does engagement do? It boosts your reach! So really, every time a troll comments on your post, they’re helping you reach more potential customers. Thanks for the free exposure, Gary!

Step 3: Don’t Feed the Trolls (But Also, Kinda Feed the Trolls)

Look, trolls want attention. They thrive on it. But you’re smarter than that. Rather than getting defensive or, worse, emotional, take a deep breath and remember that they’re probably just upset because they’re still living in their mom’s basement.

When responding, you’ve got options:

• Ignore them: Classic move. Nothing says “I don’t care” like silence. Plus, you’re way too busy running a business to argue with someone whose biggest accomplishment is winning an online argument.
• Kill them with kindness: This is for the true masters of the art. Nothing frustrates a troll more than a calm, collected, and super polite response. Something like, “Thanks for your feedback! We’ll be sure to take your thoughts into consideration... right after we don’t.” (Okay, maybe leave off that last part.)
• Snark ‘em out: This is where the "snark" approach comes in. If you’re feeling cheeky, hit ‘em with some wit. Here are a few gems:
• Troll: “Your product is a scam.”You: “Thanks for the feedback! We’ll make sure to forward your complaint to literally no one.”
• Troll: “Your business sucks.”You: “Aw, Gary, I didn’t know you cared. But if you’re looking for a business that sucks more, try your local vacuum store. ??”
• Troll: “Nobody likes your posts.”You: “Clearly, somebody does. I mean, you’re here.”

Step 4: Let the Comment Section Do the Work

Sometimes, your most loyal fans will do the dirty work for you. Sit back, grab some popcorn, and watch as your followers descend on the troll like a pack of well-trained social media warriors.

Just be sure to keep an eye on the comments—things can escalate quickly. If it gets out of hand, don’t hesitate to step in and gently remind everyone to play nice. Or at least, somewhat nice.

(This is where your Social Media Manager comes into play) ????

Step 5: Know When to Block and Move On

Some trolls aren’t worth the back-and-forth. If someone’s being particularly toxic, it’s time to hit that block button. Think of it as sweeping out the trash. No one needs that kind of negativity cluttering up their carefully curated feed. And if they’re really out of line (racism, hate speech, or just overall grossness), report them. Social media platforms are usually quick to ban the worst offenders.

Step 6: Trolls = Engagement = Reach

Here’s the big takeaway: trolls are helping you.

The more comments, the more engagement. The more engagement, the more reach. And the more reach, the more potential customers. It’s a beautiful, messy cycle.

So, next time a troll leaves a nasty comment on your post, don’t get mad. Smile, because every word they type is pushing your business further into the spotlight. And really, isn’t that the best revenge?

Step 7: Keep Your Focus on What Matters

At the end of the day, the trolls are just noise. They’re a distraction from your ultimate goal: growing your business and serving your real customers. Don’t let the negativity take up any more space in your mind than it has to.

Run your business like the boss you are, laugh off the trolls, and let their hate fuel your engagement.

In the Toledo area and want to meet up? I’m all about coffee and social media! Let’s grab a cup and chat about how to boost your online presence and tackle those trolls. ???