Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Responding to Trolls & Comments
on Social Media
THOM SIMMONSAssistant Commissioner
CIF Southern Section
TODD CLARKDirector of Communications
WIAA
MEGAN POLLACK
Social Media Specialist& Graphic Designer
WIAA
What are Social Media Trolls?
What are Social Media Trolls?
• A troll is someone who deliberately provokes others online
• Their intent is to upset others and elicit an emotional response (preferably an angry one) in the pursuit of their goal.
• The internet is full of people who want to share their opinions. But, unlike angry users who share negative, but sincere beliefs, trolls may not believe a word of what they write.
Are all "Angry Posts”Trolls?
• No! There is a grey area between spirited dissent and out - and - out trolling!
Where can Trolls be Found?
• Everywhere! However, a recent study determined that the vast majority of online trolling occurs on Twitter.
Trolls vs. Upset Customers:How to tell the difference
Trolls vs. Upset Customers:How to tell the difference
• For many associations, effective social media service is an essential strategy.
• But you can not do it right if you genuinely do not know who you should be helping and who you simply need to manage and/or ignore.
Trolls vs. Upset Customers:How to tell the difference
• It can be tough to discern the difference between trolls and honest customers with legitimate concerns.
• It is in the substance of their communications that you will be able to determine the difference.
Trolls vs. Upset Customers:How to tell the difference
• Real consumers, upon having their issue addressed and resolved, will probably be satisfied and the unhappy messages will cease.
• Trolls will not stop until they are forced to or get bored.
Trolls are not Looking for a Resolution!
5 Signs you Might be Dealing with a Troll:
Trying to evoke an emotional response
Entitlement
Hyperbole
Making it personal
Poor spelling and grammar
1. Trying to Evoke anEmotional Response
• Trolls exist for the sole purpose of getting a reaction.
2. Entitlement
• People who are inclined to troll others often have an inflated sense of self and the worth of their own time.
3. 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.
4. Making it Personal
• 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.
5. Poor Spelling and Grammar
• Trolls belong to a part of the internet that appears to never have seen the English language before• They nevertheless wield it with reckless abandon. • They are more likely to swear than the average social media user.
5 Strategies for Dealing with a Troll:
Listen and correct mistakes
Ignore them
Respond with facts
Diffuse the situation with humor
Block or ban, when appropriate
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 in your Response to Trolls:
Do not let them get to you
Do not respond in kind
Do not delete their posts
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.
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
Preventative Measures that you can Implement Today:
Create a policy
Build a supportive, friendly community
Listen
Create a Policy
• You can create your own policy on top of any platforms.
• This is a reminder to people about what kind of behavior, is and is not, acceptable in your community.
Build a Supportive, Friendly Community
• If your responses to trolls are carefully thought out and thoughtful in content, they can help you to build a supportive community.
• The high road is the only road in social media.
Listen
• Pay attention to your social media presence and the response it receives.
• Social media monitoring is crucial in helping you to catch trolls (or other issues) before they get out of hand.
Why is social mediaso important? 82% of the world is on social
media
The average person spends 1 hour and 40 min/day on social media
More than 28% of internet usage
Teens check their phone 100+ times per day
Social media gives people a voice
Handling comments & H.S. State Associations… No matter what you do,
there are gong to be critics on social media
Negativity is contagious Drains energy & time
Effects morale in the office
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Affects your
association’s brand & reputation
TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTERS:
GENUINELY CURIOUS
CLASSIFICATION:
Have a genuine question
No ulterior motive
Looking for information
HOW TO HANDLE:
Respond politely & provide details, links as necessary
TYPES OF COMMENTERS:
RIGHT/WRONG
HARMLESS COMPLAINERS
KNOW-IT-ALLS
HATERS
TROLLS
TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTERS:
RIGHT/WRONG
CLASSIFICATION:
Point out a fact, not opinion
Statement
Non-threatning
Usually straight-forward & polite
HOW TO HANDLE:
Respond politely
If RIGHT, validate that you’ve heard them or even thank them for pointing something out
If WRONG, correct & explain if possible
TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTERS:
HARMLESS COMPLAINERS
CLASSIFICATION:
Opinion
May or may not have any idea what they’re talking about
Annoying, but not dangerous
Just want to be out there talking
HOW TO HANDLE:
Ignore
Some are looking for a reaction, and a response will just validate them
TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTERS:
KNOW-IT-ALLSCLASSIFICATION:
Believe they are experts & the world needs their opinion
Sometimes uses humor
HOW TO HANDLE:
Ignore or respond politely & vaguely, just to acknowledge them
“Thank you for sharing your thoughts”
“Appreciate you being a fan”
It’s not about you, it’s about them
Can’t reason with them
TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTERS:
HATERSCLASSIFICATION:
Not rational
Not specific
Upset/dislike you and want the world to know it
Some want to evoke an emotional response
Others just want the world to hear their opinion
HOW TO HANDLE:
Ignore
You can’t win with them, they will always disagree & you’d just be adding fuel to the fire
TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTERS:
TROLLSCLASSIFICATION:
Want to evoke an emotional response
Sense of entitlement
Poor spelling & grammar
Make it personal
HOW TO HANDLE:
Ignore
Typically stop after they get bored
Do not delete their posts
Facebook allows you to “hide” their comments, so only commenter & their friends can see it – this is ok!
So what should your association do? Have a strategy
Find out what work best for you based on your followers
Keep up on social media trends
Have a plan for when social media turns into a media blow-up or PR problem
WIAA Social Media Crisis Plan
Ask us more if you’re interested or email us for a copy!
The bigger you become on social media, the bigger target you become…
It’s a sign of success – if you do a good job, some people will hate you for it.
But remember there will still always be good people and fans!
