How can social media professionals stay motivated when dealing with negative feedback?
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— The LinkedIn Team
Social media professionals face a lot of challenges in their work, but one of the most difficult ones is dealing with negative feedback. Whether it comes from unhappy customers, trolls, competitors, or even colleagues, negative feedback can hurt your confidence, creativity, and productivity. How can you stay motivated and resilient when you encounter such feedback? Here are some tips to help you cope and grow from the experience.
Negative feedback can trigger a range of emotions, such as anger, frustration, sadness, or fear. It is normal and human to feel these emotions, but you need to acknowledge them and not let them overwhelm you. Try to identify the source of your emotions and what they are telling you about your values, goals, and expectations. For example, if you feel angry, it may mean that you care deeply about your work and want to defend it. If you feel sad, it may mean that you value feedback and want to improve. By acknowledging your emotions, you can use them as a guide to respond constructively and not react impulsively.
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Jitender Girdhar ↗️
Building 'Social Cosmo' | 3 TEDx Talks | 32 x LinkedIn Community Top Voice | Bestselling Author | Columnist | Entrepreneur | LICAP Alumni | IIMC | Co-Founder QTS, VDC | FRICS | FAIQS
"In the world of social media, motivation to weather the storm of negative feedback is the ship that carries professionals toward the shores of resilience and growth." - Anonymous 3 questions to ask on this: How can social media professionals reframe negative feedback as an opportunity for learning and improvement rather than a setback or criticism? In what ways can they seek support from colleagues, mentors, or online communities to process and cope with negative feedback and stay motivated in their roles? How does setting realistic expectations, defining success metrics beyond just positive feedback, and celebrating small victories contribute to maintaining motivation in the face of criticism?
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Sohaib Hasan
UAE Golden Visa Holder | Brand Ambassador @BaggageTAXI-Dubai | Drive for Innovation | Passion for Technology
- Acknowledge Emotions: Recognize and accept your feelings about the negative feedback. - Focus on Growth: View criticism as an opportunity for improvement and professional growth. - Seek Constructive Feedback: Encourage constructive criticism to enhance your skills. - Celebrate Achievements: Reflect on your accomplishments to boost confidence and motivation. - Connect with Peers: Share experiences with fellow professionals for support and perspective.
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Not all feedback is equal. Some feedback is helpful and constructive, while some is unhelpful and destructive. You need to evaluate the feedback and decide how much weight to give it. Ask yourself these questions: Who is giving the feedback? What is their intention and credibility? Is the feedback specific and factual, or vague and opinionated? Is the feedback relevant and actionable, or irrelevant and unrealistic? By evaluating the feedback, you can filter out the noise and focus on the signal. You can also learn from the feedback and use it to improve your work and skills.
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Joshua Leonard
Creator of Team Supreme, and CROWN | CEO of Leonard Studios | Character Designer | Animator | Concept Artist | Storyboarder | Wacom Partner | D&E Inclusion Advocate | Managed by Zero Gravity Management | ForbesBLK
I believe that honest feedback is good, whether it’s good or bad. As an artist, I’m always looking to grow and learn, so I can’t do that if I only get positive feedback. In the animation industry, and as a character designer, I receive notes on my artwork and designs. I look forward to these notes because the viewer sees something that I may have missed, or didn’t even notice, so it can actually be very helpful. We have to take negative feedback as a learning experience, so instead of getting triggered, or defensive, we should listen to the feedback and learn from it.
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Brooke B. Sellas
Digital Customer Experience Consultant | Social Media Customer Service Management | Social Media Listening | Horse Mom
Negative feedback is where, if you truly want to become a better brand, you go to make the changes your customers want to see. We often don’t want to look at the negative. But if you want to institute change, this is where it happens. And, when you show your customers a) we’re listening to you, even though it’s negative, and b) we’re making changes based your feedback, you’ll have an easier time getting their buy-in and getting them to remain loyal. It seems counterintuitive if you’re in marketing, but instead of showcasing the positive to your stakeholders, you need to be brave and focus on what’s not working. Because that’s where there’s room to improve. And quite possibly, room to turn disgruntled customers into loyal ones.
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Once you have evaluated the feedback, you need to respond professionally and politely. Even if the feedback is negative or unfair, you should not ignore it or lash out at the sender. Instead, you should thank them for their input and address their concerns or questions. You can also ask for clarification or more details if the feedback is unclear or incomplete. If the feedback is valid and helpful, you can acknowledge your mistakes and explain how you will fix them or avoid them in the future. If the feedback is invalid or unhelpful, you can respectfully disagree and provide evidence or arguments to support your position. By responding professionally, you can show your maturity and credibility as a social media professional.
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Sohaib Hasan
UAE Golden Visa Holder | Brand Ambassador @BaggageTAXI-Dubai | Drive for Innovation | Passion for Technology
- Acknowledge Feedback: Thank you for sharing your feedback; I appreciate your perspective. - Professional Response: I value constructive criticism as it helps me improve. - Open to Discussion: If you have specific suggestions, I'm open to discussing ways to address concerns.
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Sonny Hare
Professional courtesy both in acknowledgement and response is always the right thing to do. Prompt and appropriate responses can significantly impact customer satisfaction, brand reputation, and overall social media engagement.
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Dealing with negative feedback can be stressful and exhausting, so you need to seek support from your network. You can talk to your colleagues, friends, or family about your feelings and challenges, and ask for their advice or feedback. You can also join online communities or groups of social media professionals who share similar experiences and challenges, and learn from their insights and strategies. By seeking support, you can reduce your isolation and increase your confidence and motivation.
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Sonny Hare
It's important to remember that you're not alone in facing criticism, and there are many resources available to help you cope and seek support. 1. Talk to a trusted confidant 2. Seek professional advice 3. Set boundaries - limit your exposure to negative feedback and people 4. Focus on the positive 5. Focus on your strengths 6. Practice self-care
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Kristina Bartold-Sorgota
CEO @ The Social Snippet- We support your Social + Podcast | Host of the Build Your Digital Community Podcast
Having social media besties to reach out to who understand the ups and downs can be so helpful. They can call you out when you're wrong and also understand your frustrations when things do't go as they should. Don't stew in the negative feedback, find someone who understands to vent and process it with, that is how we grow and move past!
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Finally, you need to celebrate your achievements and recognize your progress as a social media professional. Negative feedback can make you forget or overlook your successes and strengths, so you need to remind yourself of them regularly. You can keep a record of your positive feedback, testimonials, metrics, or awards, and review them when you feel down or discouraged. You can also reward yourself for your hard work and dedication, and treat yourself to something that makes you happy or relaxed. By celebrating your achievements, you can boost your morale and self-esteem, and keep your passion and enthusiasm for your work.
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Dr. Kristie Nguyen
Mom || Entrepreneur || Eye Specialist || Lets inspire and spread Positivity 🌸☀️🌈❤️
It’s not easy being a social media professional. We are often more vulnerable and susceptible to criticism because we are more present with many eyes on us. Acknowledging your personal growth instead of focusing on negative comments or metrics will help you stay focused and motivated. Being true to your personal brand can help you through the dark times when success may seem farther than normal.
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Sohaib Hasan
UAE Golden Visa Holder | Brand Ambassador @BaggageTAXI-Dubai | Drive for Innovation | Passion for Technology
- Reflect with Pride: Take a moment to reflect on your accomplishments with a sense of pride. - Acknowledge Efforts: Recognize the hard work and dedication that led to your achievements. - Share Success: Celebrate with those who supported and contributed to your success.
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Richard Woodall
Digital Advertising Sales and Account Director and Marketing Advocate, Tactical Business Development
Answer honestly, be genuine and invite your customer to try again. Show you care, but also deliver a better stronger customer experience and you can change the outlook for both the internal and client base
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Sidheek Akbar
Assistant Training Manager @ ADNOC Distribution
Set realistic expectations is the key factor. Social media is the platform to make our brand. By consistent updates positive thoughts and real life experiences. Our followers will watch closely our progress without any response until we reach or prove any success.
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