Not sure how to handle social media trolls? In this post, Matt Morris shares his insights about why they troll and best advice on how to deal with them!
If you’re building a social media following online, chances are, you’ve experienced the haters (aka Trolls) commenting on your post spewing their negativity and ignorance.
These trolls are the sad humans who insult, provoke and do their best to upset others for their own amusement.
If you haven’t experienced these trolls hating on you, you will certainly be on your journey to becoming an influencer.
In the process of building a following online of over 700,000 people, I’ve had some doozies…
In fact, on a weekly basis I typically get to ban multiple trolls from my account.
The word “troll” usually refers to the haters on social media, but have you perhaps had some trolls in real life?
Yeah, me too.
Regardless of how the trolls show up, how should we deal with them?
Well, for starters, if you can understand their psychosis, you’ll be much better equipped to deal with them.
We must first understand:
WHY DOES A TROLL TROLL?
If you’re wondering, “How could they be so mean, ignorant and hateful?”, consider this…
Trolls troll because they want attention.
The behavior of trolls is a sign of deep levels of insecurity and a lack of significance and fulfillment.
Because they’re not getting fulfilled in their own life, trying to hurt you is simply an attention seeking behavior in their futile attempt to feel significant themself.
In short, they feel significant by trying to beat you down and make you feel insignificant.
Trolls troll because they are addicted to drama.
Stirring up drama actually stimulates the brain to create endorphins. This chemical release for those seeking attention actually injects the troll with short-term pleasure.
It’s critical for you to understand what I’m about to say:
You can’t fix a troll.
Their brain is hard-wired to be addicted to creating drama and this is not something you can un-wire with any amount of logic.
I used to let the trolls get to me.
I’d get in arguments volleying back and forth until I’d finally remember this quote from Mark Twain…
“Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
I’m not trying to be mean here by calling them idiots, but you get the point.
Listen, it’s normal to want to defend yourself. It’s just the way we’re wired. By ignoring the troll, we feel almost as if our silence means they’re right and that they’ve won.
But hear me on this…
A troll will NEVER say, “I’m sorry. You’re right. I was wrong.”
It’s never going to happen.
Here’s my Best Advice on How to Handle Trolls on Social Media:
DON’T FEED THE TROLLS
By responding to the trolls you only make them troll more. When you respond, you’re giving them exactly what they want. In essence, when you reply, no matter how right you are, the troll has already won because you gave them what they wanted – attention.
Just like children will act out in a negative way just to get attention, it’s the same with trolls.
By completely ignoring them and refusing to fight, they will often go elsewhere and find someone else that will feed into their negativity.
BLOCK YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA HATERS
I have a one strike and you’re out rule on my social media. One trollish comment and you’re banned. As a leader, it’s important for you to guard your energy. Don’t feed into the negativity… block and move on!
You can spend your life feeding into negative energy, or you can go out and bless the world with your positive energy.
Which will you choose?
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Matt Morris
#1 Best Selling Author of The Unemployed Millionaire
P.S. – If you’re committed to becoming a powerful leader, make sure you’ve picked up my book, 7 Secrets to Success. It reveals the 7 strategies that allowed me to overcome 5 years of failure in network marketing.
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