When It Comes Internet Haters, Taylor Swift Teaches Marketers to “Shake it Off”

If you own a radio, television, computer, or are breathing, you have no doubt heard Taylor Swift’s new song “Shake It Off” which seems to have taken over the media the past few weeks. If you aren’t familiar with it, the tune is all about taking the negative things people say and shaking them off. After the 37^th consecutive time listening to my newest car jam, I started thinking how Taylor’s advice can really apply to anything, including marketing. Not only is her single extremely catchy, not to mention easy to bust a move to, it also offers great advice to anyone dealing with the responsibility of handling a company’s online feedback.

We all know when it comes to the Internet, consumers like to tell it how it is, especially when they are unhappy. But how should you deal with visitors who are using your website, social media platforms, and blog as their own personal aggression outlets? Here are a few tips to help your brand come out on top when taking on the online haters.

“I never miss a beat, I’m lightening on my feet.”

One of the most important things to remember when responding to comments online is to do it in a timely manner. This applies to both good and bad comments. The internet is constantly moving, and not responding to issues online can make your brand seem clueless. Even worse, it could potentially lead to a crisis.

It’s understandable that you can’t monitor your accounts every second of every day, but, generally, you should aim to respond to all comments within one business day. If you can cut it down to half a business day, that would be even better. That being said, you don’t want to throw out a response without thinking of the messaging. When responding to upset customers, run your answer by a co-worker. This will make sure you don’t publish anything that could be misconstrued.

“It’s like I’ve got this music, in my mind, saying ‘It’s gonna be all right.’”

The second, and arguably most important, thing to remember before you ever respond to your customers is to keep a level head and never get angry. No matter how offensive you find a comment, responding in an equally aggressive or belittling tone only makes your company look bad. Always stay positive and NEVER attack the people coming to you for advice or help. Even negative comments can improve your company, so look at every comment as an opportunity to make something better.

One caveat to remember: If you are taking time out of your day to answer online comments, it is important to sound sincere. People can tell when you are really trying to be helpful as opposed to just answering their question. Remember that, even though you are communicating over the web, there is a person on the other side of the computer (potentially one with “hella good hair”) who you should always treat with respect in order to avoid sounding careless and cold.

“I stay out too late, got nothing in my brain, that’s what people say.”

Once you are a part of the conversation, seize the opportunity to correct any negative perceptions of your company. If people have the wrong idea of your company, change their mind. Many people may only be angry because they do not fully understand an issue. This is the perfect time for you, the brand manager or marketer, to direct them to helpful information and change their perceptions of you.

While taking every opportunity to change negative perceptions about you is extremely important, if your company is at fault for the problems at hand, it is just as important to own up to them. Use any issues as a learning experience and apologize to your customers. They will appreciate your honesty and are more likely to offer constructive comments instead of frustrated, hateful ones.

“The haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.”

Finally, know how to deal with Internet trolls. A troll is someone who goes online with absolutely no reason to be mad and spews hateful and unconstructive comments. When it comes to the trolls, the only thing to do is ignore them. Don’t respond, ever. There’s no reason to get in a pointless fight with an Internet hater. You just shake it off and stick to helping the people who genuinely have a problem.

Negative posts are easy to focus on, but it is equally as important to respond to positive feedback. This will create a conversation between you and your followers and help build trust that will benefit you in the future when any issues arise. It also creates brand loyalty, and who doesn’t like being recognized by their favorite brands?

Dealing with the Internet can be tricky, and, if done poorly, can bring a swift end to your brand’s image. Remember to always stay positive, keep a level head, use opportunities to change audience perceptions of your brand, and create a genuine conversation with your followers.

And when all else fails, “just shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it off, shake it off!”

When It Comes Internet Haters, Taylor Swift Teaches Marketers to “Shake it Off”