Responding to the Nay-Sayers

Social media is a great tool for your council to cultivate an extended community online and start conversations about our Catholic faith and service to others. While your council’s Facebook page will attract followers who are genuinely interested in the work the Knights do locally and around the world, sometimes you may receive a negative comment on a post, and it can be difficult to know how to address it in a professional manner.

Take the high ground. Above all else, always remain charitable in your response. No matter how negative or even factually incorrect a comment is, never try to engage the commenter in an argument. Instead, remain polite, concise, and offer a friendly response.

Respond privately. Not all negative comments need to be responded to. If a comment is irrelevant and you can see no way to politely respond, you can simply “hide” the comment from your Facebook page. If the comment warrants a longer response that may lead to a discussion, sometimes it is best to send the commenter a private message, especially if the conversation is about a sensitive topic.

Keep posting successful content! Finally, don’t let negative comments discourage you from continuing to post content that is relevant, positive, and shares the good works of the Order on your council’s Facebook page! The best defense against negative comments is content that promotes the Order’s principles of charity, unity, and fraternity.

Knightline, February 2016