There are many ways to use the internet to your advantage, especially as a brand looking to boost visibility and grow your reach. A fantastic way of doing this is by creating an online presence and engaging with customers on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, for example. But while these sites can be useful and provide a great opportunity for you as a brand, there’s also a dark side. The potential downside comes from the presence of so-called ‘trolls’ or people who post nasty things about brands just for the sake of it. These people are commonly known as ‘trolls’ because their sole intention is to upset or annoy others with their negative comments.
What is a troll and why do they target brands?
A troll is someone who posts inflammatory comments on the internet to provoke a strong emotional response. They create conflict and disruption online by posting inflammatory comments on blogs, social media posts and news articles, or by starting arguments or flame wars in online forums. While not everyone who disagrees with what you say online is a troll, there are certain things to look out for that could indicate they are. This includes people who make personal attacks on your brand or staff, people who deliberately try to upset or annoy you and/or customers, people who post inflammatory or abusive comments, people who post false information and people who post things just to get a reaction.
How can you spot a troll?
Spotting a troll can be tricky, but here are some top tips on how to do it: - Do they have an alternative motive? - Are they disruptive or abusive? - Do they have a pattern? - Do they have a history of trolling? - Do you have a strong reason to engage with them? - Do you have the time to deal with them? Knowing the characteristics of a troll can help you deal with them more effectively if they target your brand. You may also discover that some of the people who engage with your brand may be trolls. And while it’s important to deal with these people, it’s also important not to waste valuable time and energy on them. - If someone is trolling, it’s best to ignore them. Engaging with trolls will only cause more disruption, and it’s unlikely to lead to a positive outcome.
What happens when trolls target your brand?
If trolls target your brand, they can post false information online and make false claims about your products and services. They can also make personal attacks on your staff and can try to disrupt the online environment and start flame wars. If trolls target your brand online, they’re likely to try to bring you down in various ways. They can post false information about your products and services, such as making false claims about the things you sell or giving misleading information about your location. They can also make personal attacks on your staff, making false claims about their abilities or qualifications. These types of people can also disrupt the online environment by posting aggressive comments on your social media pages or even starting flame wars. Trolls may also try to bring down your website’s authority and page ranking by posting false comments and links within the content areas of your website.
3 ways to deal with trolls in online branding:
- Be aware of them - It’s important to be aware of the fact that trolls exist and try to disrupt online communities in various ways. There are many examples of how trolls can target a brand and disrupt online communities.
- Get to know them - If trolls target your brand, you’ll want to know everything you can about them. Get to know the type of person they are, the way they behave online and the things they like to discuss. Knowing everything you can about the people who try to disrupt your brand online will help you to quickly spot them and deal with them effectively.
- Don’t engage with them - It’s important to remember that no matter how upset and annoyed trolls may make you, they are just trying to provoke a reaction from you. This is why it’s important not to engage with them. Engaging with trolls will only escalate the situation and cause more disruption, which is the last thing you want.
Conclusion
Online trolls are an unfortunate reality of the internet and social media. Luckily, there are ways to deal with them. Be aware of them, get to know them and don’t engage with them. If you do this, you’ll greatly reduce the negative impact trolls have on your brand, your staff and your customers.
