Navigating the Negative Side of Social Media

There’s no getting away from social media – it surrounds us all day every day, so it’s no wonder that we can all fall victim to the negative side of it. 

Whether it’s on your phone, tablet or laptop, social media has never been easier to access. These platforms have become so powerful that they can reach billions of people in an instant.

In the words of Peter Parker’s uncle Ben – “with great power comes great responsibility”.  

That’s exactly why you have to tread carefully and be aware of the pitfalls associated with social media, especially around sensitive subjects like mental health and gender issues. 

While the large platforms are being pressured into doing more to protect their users, we all have a part to play in making the online world safer for everyone. 

In this blog. We’ll take a look at the positives and negatives of social media, but most importantly how to handle the negative aspects that you may encounter as a business.

Positives vs Negatives 

Positives 

Connect With Customers

Social media can connect you with billions of people. 

Yes, that’s BILLIONS with a capital B.

Connecting with this many users means that you can meet potential customers with similar interests and passions. Crazy to think that you could connect with customers on the other side of the world.

All thanks to social media.

Opportunity for Creative Ways to Sell 

Millions of pieces of content get shared online everyday. As a business you can create amazing high quality content which wouldn’t be seen on mainstream channels. Social media allows you to reach a new audience and your posts could convert them into customers. 

Grow your Brand/Business

We live in a society where attention is currency.

As social media has grown so has the opportunities to make money from it. People have created highly successful businesses and brands using nothing but a free social media account. 

All you need to do is distribute high quality content over a period of time and your audience can grow. Some channels even boast viewing numbers that tower over mainstead news and entertainment outlets.

Can Spread a Positive Message to Your Customers

And of course social media gives your business the chance to spread positive messages! 

It’s not all doom and gloom here.

There are a variety of great profiles out there who do nothing but spread great, engaging and positive content for their customers to enjoy. You could argue that these far outweigh any negative channels. 

The issue is that we tend to focus on the negative aspect of things more, unfortunately! Speaking of which….

Negatives

Businesses Can Receive Abusive Comments 

Unfortunately social media has given birth to a new type of low life that can be faceless and nameless. These online ‘Trolls’ as they’re called are the ones who leave nasty and abusive comments on content and profiles. 

They have the ability to damage your credibility as a business just by leaving some hateful comments which are totally unfounded.  

Celebrities are notorious for having to deal with a tidal wave of Trolls. Fake profiles with fake names can write the most obscene comments about someone and nothing can really be done about it. 

Your Business Could Suffer from Misinformation

Any information that your customer wants to find out tends to end with them either searching it on google or some type of social media platform. They rely so much on our digital platforms to find out even the most simplests of answers. 

As a result, there is huge potential for misinformation about your company to spread. We saw this spiral out of control in 2020 with the global pandemic. It has now become quite hard to know what is and isn’t true these days.

There are literally thousands of folk out there who believe the earth is flat so there are no rules when it comes to misinformation! 

Competitors Can Study Your Business

They say imitation is the best form of flattery.

Although this may be true, as a business it can be highly frustrating when a competitor copies you. 

As a result, they could piggyback on your hard work and manage to get some success from it. 

Eh, no thanks! 

How to Deal With the Negatives

So what can you do if you face some of the negative aspects of social media? 

Ditch the Negativity 

We know that it’s very hard to stop the negativity infiltrating your businesses news feed. Seeing as resistance is futile, the best way to deal with negativity is to simply ditch it!

That’s right, get that stuff out of your life quicker than a speeding bullet.

If you come across any negative comments on your content then you need to:

• Report it.
• Unfollow the account if you already follow them.. 
• Block that account.

Do everything you can in your power to stop the negativity spreading all over your businesses newsfeed.

Encourage More Face-To-Face Meetings

Online video calls have been such a great asset to use when face to face meetings simply aren’t possible. Although there is nothing wrong with virtual meetings, nothing beats a good ole face to face meeting. 

Apart from when your colleagues have red onions for lunch.

Face-to-face meetings give colleagues little excuse to get distracted by their phones or other devices. 

When you have a face to face meeting you’re fully engaged and your full focus is on that particular discussion. Meaning more productive and meaningful discussions which can push the business forward.

Don’t Compare Your Business to Others

Easier said than done, right?

This is something all business owners have done at some stage in their lives. It’s kind of hard not to. Especially if you see other business owners half your age, driving a Lamborghini whilst living in a 14 bedroom mansion in the Hamptons. 

Meanwhile your business is only beginning and your current office is in your Grandmother’s spare room. And to top things off, you’re still driving around in a bright orange 2002 Peugeot which is your sister’s hand-me down. 

But there is a lesson to be learnt from this. 

You should never compare your business to anyone else’s because everyone is on a different path and no two paths are the same. 

It’s pointless to compare because you don’t know the true story about how someone built their business. 

The best thing to do is to focus on your own business and put effort into making it the best business possible.

Social Media with Blaze Media

As a digital marketing agency we understand the many positives that can come from social media. But it is also important to us to discuss the negatives and give some tips on how best to deal with them.

If you’re a business owner who wants to use social media positively to help their business grow then we would love to hear from you. We offer organic and paid social media strategies for a number of businesses. 

Contact us today and we can discuss ways in which we can move your social media strategy in a positive direction!