Many bloggers dislike negative comments, and for good reason. Not only are most unproductive, but they can be a real drain on your time. This article discusses the best ways to deal with negative comments, with a focus on having a positive attitude, moderating comments, and creating effective policies.
Although blogging is often rewarding, few people enjoy receiving negative comments. But handling them poorly can your hurt reputation as a blogger, and may even lower your traffic numbers. This doesn’t have to be the case, however, and anyone can learn how to deal with negative comments if they are willing to put in the effort.
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Have a positive attitude
Dealing with negative comments is often emotionally draining. There will always be mean and angry viewers, but you can use their opinions as an opportunity to improve your content and learn how to respond in a more mature way. Focusing only on positive comments will give you the energy you need to post content and respond to your viewers. Also, it will lessen the impact of mean-spirited responses.
Ignore mean comments
Mean comments rarely add anything to the discussion and most should be ignored. Some responses, however, do ask important questions or offer valid criticisms, even if they are disrespectful. As you view more comments you will learn which negative posts deserve your attention and which you should ignore or remove. Thankfully, loyal viewers are often willing to deal with negative comments, freeing you to spend your time and energy improving your content and responding to constructive posts.
Avoid angry responses
Heated replies to comments will make you seem angry and immature, and can also negatively impact your reputation and viewership numbers. If you are too emotional to respond to an upsetting comment, consider cooling off before replying. Find an activity, such as going on a walk or having fun with friends and family, that will help you unwind and focus until you are ready to move forward. Also, keep in mind that often the best way to deal with a negative comment is to simply ignore it and focus your energy on more important things.
Create a blogging policy
Creating a visual policy detailing the types of comments you accept and how you will respond to posts is a great way to police your blog. Not only will this help convince your viewers that you take your blog seriously, but it can also be a time saver if you have a lot of negative comments. Instead of outlining blog rules for each offending post, you can simply refer them to your official policies. If keeping your response section up to your standards is a struggle, consider reviewing all comments before they go live.
Managing negative comments is often an unpleasant task, but the benefits of running a successful blog is well worth the effort.