You’ve likely come across a questionable comment or reply while scrolling through your own, personal social media feed. But what about when that kind of comment is directed toward your city, community, brand or news organization? As a social media manager, how and when should you respond?
There’s no hard and fast rule about when you need to respond. Some organizations might even have their own mandates when it comes to responding (and posting) on social media.
Social News Desk provides Facebook comment moderation directly in the Dashboard, allowing clients to monitor and respond to users quickly and accordingly. Additionally, they can like, hide and delete comments, or ban a user. You can also write a *new* comment on a post, publishing the comment as your organization’s page.
If it’s decided that a reply is warranted, those who run social for their company typically respond to a comment that is an attack, complaint or query. First, understand the underlying sentiment in the comment and then decide whether to provide an answer or further moderate the user.
- When a person attacks your organization in a comment, apologize – even if that person is just angry. Show that you acknowledge their irritation and offer to provide help.
- When someone complains, try to understand the why. They might not have a specific resentment tied to your organization. It might be something else they’re trying to convey.
- When a user has an inquiry (query) about your organization, offer a timeframe for when you’ll respond and make sure that you do!
Even if your response is vague in these situations – “Thank you for reaching out” – you took the time to acknowledge a user who might not always be given a reply. It will show your investment in them, as well as your organization as a whole.
Don’t forget to answer positive and complimentary comments, too! If someone took the time to offer their praise, a quick “Thank you!” can go a long way.
Understanding that responding to each and every single comment might not always happen, it’s easy to scan, review and moderate comments right within the SND Dashboard. Ready to learn more about how SND can help your team? Try SND for free or get in touch at: sales@socialnewsdesk.com.
