Handle negative comments in your blog with professionalism
Jun. 26th, 2007 by ShaunHas your blog been getting an increase in negative comments? Are your readers not happy with the content you are pumping out?
Negative comments encourage discussion, could you imagine if every single one of your posts were commented on with the same repetitive comments “Great post shaun!”, “awsome tip,”. Yup thats really boring. Negative comments within posts increases discussion among your readers and will generate more traffic. I will never block any negative comments on my blog because I know the negative comments will bring people with different opinions to discuss their side of the story.
I’ve read comments on other blogs and don’t know how many times I’ve heard the same thing from readers claiming that they are threatening to leave the site. More often than not the reader will never completly leave the site. Odds are they will not visit your blog as often but it’s rare to leave and never come back.
Negative comments can be a clear indication of growth. Now I don’t want you to go around pissing off your readers, what I meant was to always express your true opinion on every topic. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and as the author of your blog you can not please everyone and you shouldn’t try to please everyone. With todays diverse readers it’s impossible to make everyone happy with you and seeing an increase in negative comments lets you know you are doing your job correctly.
When your readers do leave negative comments always respond to the comments professionaly and always reply in a positive manner no matter how negativly the comment reflects your blog. If there has been some profanity left within the comment you can always edit the comment and delete the profanity then publish the comment live for the other readers to read.
When you start seeing an increase in negative comments don’t look at this in a bad way, remember this is a sign of a blog maturing and growing.
Posted in: Blogging |
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June 26th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
[…] has an inspiring piece on how to handle negative comments on your […]
June 26th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Great article!
This is reminiscent of a Real Estate blogging cycle that recently took place:
1. Dude makes a blog about running. It is a bad bad blog.
2. In an effort to show others what NOT to do in blogging, RSSPieces.com tears Running Dude a new one.
3. ARW (me) writes an article on BloodhoundBlog.com noting that if RSSPieces’ unsolicited searing had been made toward a business blog, most would note the harsh language as unprofessional and the criticized blog would permanently look like a dunce, thus hurting business.
4. RSSPieces writes an article about how much their traffic increased because of the BLoodhoundBlog.com critique and ultimately agrees that the intent was not to blast someone’s business.
5. RSSPieces has increased traffic due to the “controversy” and people have caught on that they can have their blog criticized and are actually REQUESTING it (which solves the “unsolicited” problem).
6. People are getting their blogs criticized and are happy about it, RSSPieces has increased traffic, and I am happy because we all agreed that personal blogs are subject to more harsh criticism than professional and that in business blogs, maturity is mandatory.
See the cycle? We all win when boundaries are set, but as you said, negative comments can show a maturing blog AND there can be winners in the situation!
June 27th, 2007 at 3:33 am
Interesting article
June 29th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Another good post Shaun…I like the way you think. This is a very mature approach to negativity and this not only works online but I know from experience it works offline line as well with live communication.
When people say negative things about you or what your doing and you reply with a positive and mature tone it shows others that you’re an understanding and open minded person.
This quality within a person alone attracts more people to you. I mean the last thing anyone wants is to be judged when all they’re doing is exercising their freedom of self expression…feel me?
July 3rd, 2007 at 4:44 pm
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