When scrolling social media, it is often tempting to comment on a post – sometimes for a good reason, sometimes not! As someone who works in the social media space and helps many small businesses navigate the pros and cons of the online marketing world, there are a few things I would like to note when it comes to commenting.
Firstly, before you comment on another person’s (or business’s) post, ask yourself these questions:
- Will my comment help the person/business who posted it?
- Is the comment kind?
- Is the comment genuine?
If you answered yes, go ahead and type away! However, if you answered NO to one or all, then I strongly advise you to hold back. Sadly, social media is an easy target for hostile keyboard warriors, but at CLP, we want to change this culture.
There is no doubt you will come across unnecessary comments, mean remarks and stupid questions while online. Our advice is to just keep scrolling! Don’t involve yourself in a debate that will go nowhere, nor add fuel to the fire. If you see a question that you can answer, then add your response with kindness and generosity, not in a way that makes the commenter feel stupid (ESPECIALLY on public forums!). Nasty, judgmental comments can be incredibly damaging to someone’s mental health, and with no tone or little context in the written space, it can be hard to know exactly where someone is coming from.
Likewise, if you see someone being harassed online, you may feel it is appropriate to comment with a supportive message, to back them up or encourage them, rather than to bring them down further.
For example:
This comment was left on a genuine post for the sale of a property and is both untrue and unnecessary. Thankfully, the person selling the house didn’t see the comment because I intercepted it. It was his first campaign as someone new to the real estate industry, and he really didn’t need that kind of negativity when he was only trying to do his job. The person who commented had no concept of the ‘real’ person behind the post and how damaging these kinds of words can be.
So, before you comment, ask yourself those three questions above. Genuine, helpful and encouraging comments are fantastic for businesses and for making personal connections, but social media is not the place for complaints and negativity. If you do have some constructive criticism for a business, perhaps consider reaching out to them personally via message, email or (even better) a phone call to open discussion politely and respectfully.
Let’s all support each other and contribute to one another’s growth and success online by commenting for the right reasons!