How To Deal With Negative Comments On Your Blog? - Here's What I did

This post is inspired by an incident that happened to me yesterday. I had to deal with a negative comment. At first I had no idea what to do with it.

So, I thought I share what happened when someone left a negative comment on my blog post.

I'm hoping this will help someone else out if you ever cross this situation. Especially in the MMO niche. I share with you what happened and what I did to handle the situation.

By the way, I want to thank all Wealthy Affiliate members who helped me deal with the situation. I really appreciate your support and your team work.

Post Was Published June 22

Anyhow, a while back I wrote a post over a company that kept calling me. Not only are they calling me they are texting me too.

By the way, the calls and text messages sure sound like a scam but, I wasn't for sure.

My first thought was, if I am receiving contact from this company so, are other people. Then sure enough the same company calls my husbands phone.
So, I did research and wrote a post.

The Verdict Was Not Recommended

By the way, I never called the company a scam because, I don't feel comfortable calling a company a scam if I haven't tried out the product myself. Plus, my definition of a scam may be totally different from others. Then on top of that I do consider legal issues of slandering another company. Either way, I just don't outright call a company a scam.

What I did do though, was I compared it to another company called Mobe. I was a member with them before, I discovered Wealthy Affiliate.

Mobe was considered a scam by the FTC and they were shut down.

The bottom line is I made it clear that I was not affiliated with the company. Nor did I promote it, and I absolutely do not recommend it.

I also made sure my readers knew I didn't purchase the product because, it was too much of a risk.

July 30 I Received A Negative Comment

Anyhow, so yesterday I get this livid comment from a reader, which I thought was a man. You can read the comment here.

By the way, this wasn't the first time, that I've received a comment on that post where, someone was upset.

But, it was the first time I've ever experienced a livid comment.

Should I Keep The Comment Or Delete???

To make a long story short, I wasn't sure if I should keep the comment or delete it.

I ended up keeping the comment because, people need to know the truth.

I took Trish advice and reformatted the comment. Then I edited the foul language.

I also wasn't sure if I should email the commentor.

I'll admit at first I wasn't going to but, it kept bothering me.
So, I took my chances and emailed the commentor.

My Shocking Discovery

At first as I mentioned earlier I thought it was a man.

After getting a response back from the reader I then learned he was not a he.

The commentor was a lady.

She also uploaded a picture of herself when she emailed me back. At first, she was hiding her entire identity.

Anyway, the lady told me she was a local politician and she is so sick and tired of all these money hungry programs calling her.

She also thanked me for taking the time to explain to her my role and what I called myself doing with the reviews.

Furthermore, she made it a point to tell me not to delete the comment, which I didn't.

She said she will be doing all she can to stop this company and she thinks everyone needs to see how irate she is about the situation.

Another thing she made very clear was that she didn't want any more emails from people who aren't her friends or work colleagues....lol.

So, with that said I didn't email her anymore...lol but, the point is the email I sent to her, explaining the situation helped clam her down.

Why Did I Keep The Comment?

The comment was harsh but, it was nothing new to me. I do have thick skin. So, it didn't scare me a way.

I kept the comment not to offend anyone else but, so that people can understand what's's really going on. I myself still get calls, and text messages from this company. Plus, at one point and time they told me that they got my information from when I was a member of MOBE????

How true that is, I don't know????

Besides that, I can't fight these programs alone.

I need proof from people who are experiencing the same thing, and with her comment that was proof. Real proof that she was going through the same situation.

Writing reviews is almost like being a reporter or journalist. You need the 411.

Here Is What I Learned

By the way when you get these types of comments always use good judgment. You do not have to approve a comment that you are not comfortable with.

If you're not sure if you should approve a comment or decline it. Get help from the Wealthy Affiliate community and the members here will give you their feedback.

From there you should have a better understanding on how to handle the situation.

Again, if you have a feeling to not approve, don't approve.

If you have a gut feeling to approve, go for it.

In my case, I went for it. I saw it as an opportunity to get the situation under control and show my readers that I knew what I was talking about in the review.

Plus, I thought it would show I can handle the negative and deescalate the situation. On top of that, I know readers enjoy these types of comments. It's sad but, the truth.

Of course, I hope this doesn't become a habit. I left retention a long time ago...lol.

Negative Turned Positive

A negative can turn positive.

In this case the negative comment turned into an opportunity. At least that's what I was hoping for.

After the comment was published. I started getting more traffic to the post.

I wasn't sure why but, when I checked my site ranking in Jaaxy I found that my post is on Google page 1 position 1.

Therefore, that comment must have boosted my rankings.

It wasn't like that at first. I wasn't on page 1 at all.

So, yes my hopes of an opportunity worked.

It Solved Other Issues Too

Two weeks ago, I asked why my traffic wasn't converting.

I then started thinking my traffic wasn't a targeted audience. I'm doing things wrong etc...etc...

Anyhow, I have been learning with the comments, that I've been receiving outside of WA; my traffic is targeted.

With that said, I've also learned that people contact you in different ways.

I have some that will comment out in the open on the blog post. Then I have a few that private email me from my contact page.

When they private email me, I do help them above and beyond.

I also try my best to redirect them to my website. I figured if I can help them in the way they prefer. I can gain trust with my readers.

So, far it has been working.

People are returning to the blog.

Plus, I am earning small commissions daily now. So, the traffic is targeted.

The problem is most people are chasing fast money. So, it will take time with the others. I mean you are asking them to start a website (an online business) something that wasn't taught in school.

So, I've come to the conclusion, that it will take time, and trust to convert more WA members.

Welp..thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope you were able to take something valuable a way from this situation. I'm off to relax now. I've had a rough last two days...lol..lol

Your Turn

Have you ever had an irate comment? How did you handle it? How do you determine if your going to call a company a scam?

Maybe your added responses could help other members out. Either way, I wish you all the best.

La'Kisha