Got blog? Then you probably already know by now how important comments are for keeping your posts relevant and driving traffic to your site. Of course, with the positive stuff, expect some negatively charged energy to come your way in the form of ranters, haters and even trolls. Believe it or not, this is perfectly all right. Free expression is the name of the game and you really cannot expect every person who visits your site to agree with your ideas and opinions. Should you fight back or just back off? Here are ways on how to deal with negative blog comments and still keep your composure.
Choose your battle
Not every negative comment is an attack. Someone who corrects a fact or statistic, a grammatical error or even a spelling mistake should be thanked (provided he or she is correct) for his or her contribution. However, someone who makes a stab or drops a spam on your site should be treated differently.
Read and think
Before doing anything, read the comment carefully. Is it possible you misunderstood information? Is it possible that the comment is not really an attack but is actually constructive in nature? Have you checked your facts and figures? Should you even reply to the comment?
Approach with humor
Regardless of how bad the comment may be, humor will always win. Replying with a humorous line will show you that while you do appreciate comments when they are given, you also know when to play it cool. It also helps tone down any strong emotions that may be involved.
Do not take things too personally
In a virtual environment where anyone can say what he wants to say without the usual repercussions, it is not unusual for someone to leave behind a careless or frivolous comment. Do not fall for this. Check your facts and try to determine the tone of the person who made the comment. In most cases, you will find that even the most negative ones are not meant to attack you as a person but to attack what you wrote.
When to delete a negative comment
Anything that resembles a spam should be deleted – no questions. The rest, however, should be reviewed and considered for a well-crafted reply.
Have you ever received negative comments? How did you deal with it? Tell us in the comments.
