Internet Trolls: Signs, Strategies and Things to Avoid

Signs you might be dealing with Trolls

? Trying to evoke an emotional response (Trolls exist for the sole purpose of getting a reaction)

? Entitlement (People who are inclined to troll others often have an inflated sense of self and the worth of their own time.)

? Hyperbole (Social media trolls have a tendency to exaggerate… a lot! They like strong words like "never" and "every" as opposed to the typically more accurate infrequently and some.)

? They act entitles (Many trolls have an inflated sense of worth. They operate as if the world revolves around them (or that is should). “Me, me, me… great, great, great. And all you others suck.” Or something like that. If you get this sense, you’re probably infested with a detested troll.)

? Making it personal (Discussions, debates, arguments—all safe game for healthy talks among your online users. Until it gets personal. Which is what trolls do. Rather than discuss a matter, reasonably and logically, trolls attack an opponent’s character. They’ll call people names and say things to appeal to feelings and prejudices, rather than intellect. Rather than discuss the matter at hand in a reasonable and logical way, trolls like to make things personal. The use of frequent name-calling often helps identify this red flag)

? Poor spelling and grammar (Trolls belong to a part of the internet that appears to never have seen the English language. They nevertheless wield it with reckless before abandon. They are more likely to swear than the average social media user. Trolls suck at spelling and grammar. They “Spell words wrong”, “Use words wrong”, “Don’t capitalize first words of sentences”, “Avoid commas and periods”, “Mix up words that sound the same, but mean something different”, “Say I a lot”, “Same for !!! marks”, “Type in all caps”, “Use made up and goofy words throughout a nonsensical sentence”)

Strategies for Dealing with a Troll

? Listen and correct mistakes (First, listen to what the person has to say. Then, if a mistake has been made, correct it, let the person know what you did, and explain.)

? Ignore them (If the person really is a troll, there to upset others and cause negative reactions, a common response is to simply ignore them.)

? Respond with facts (Calmly and clearly reply and correct the misinformation that the troll has shared. While the troll likely does not care, not everyone in your fan base may know what is and is not correct.)

? Diffuse the situation with humor (Make light of the situation in order to deprive it of its power. The use of humor can humanize your brand and diffuse the situation.)

? Block or ban, when appropriate (In cases where trolls take things too far it is responsible to block or ban the user.)

?Things to avoid when responding to Trolls

? Do not let them get to you (If they are trying to be funny, your willingness to rise to the bait provides the punchline. If you do not, there is no joke)

? 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.)

? Do not respond in kind (Being defensive, or worse, angry in your response just brings you down to the trolls level and will likely prompt them to keep trolling you.)

? Do not delete their posts (Deleting a trolls post can result in an escalation of trollish behavior. 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.)

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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.)

? Trolls often don’t believe a word they write. But say it anyway, just to piss off the others.

Simply stated… social media trolls = online bullies Where can they be found? Internet trolls are nasty. They cause sleepless nights for you as a social media marketer. Same for your customer service agents.

So then, it’s good to know the difference between a troll with a goal versus a customer with a (genuine) rant.

Trolls aren’t looking for resolution. They want to engage in battle, one that nobody can win.

Whether a troll or unhappy customer, they have something in common… both want to be acknowledged.