It’s Okay If Someone on Twitter Hates You

Twitter can be a lot like high school. One day you’re popular, getting retweets and mentions left and right, and the next you’re out in the cold, fumbling with a stagnant Twitter campaign that isn’t working. There are occasions when your haters are unnecessarily spiteful or rude, and it makes you wonder— Is this Twitter thing even worth it?

Don’t worry, just keep doing what you’re doing. As the saying goes, haters gonna hate. You can’t let a tiny group of users dissuade you from sharing your point-of-view.

From now on, whenever you feel frustrated or offended, remember the following mantras:

1. Who are these guys anyway? Twitter is a fickle place. It can be a great gauge of sentiment surrounding current events and popular culture, but it’s important to keep things in perspective. Sometimes the most common sentiment on Twitter may be drastically different from public opinion. For example, if your target audience is older males in rural areas, don’t be shocked if Twitter’s younger, urban-dwellers can’t relate to anything you’re saying. They may be rude and bombastic, but hey, they’re not your target demographic and they’re not the people you need to impress.

2. This troll isn’t worth my time or energy. Let’s be clear, if you’re running a business, it’s a horrible idea to avoid customer complaints on Twitter.  In fact, almost 83.5% of Twitter users like a company more if the business addresses their concerns. However, you have to ask yourself, are you dealing with actual stakeholders or angry trolls? You should always give feedback to users with legitimate questions or comments, but don’t waste your time or energy on angry users who aren’t going to listen to anything you say anyway.

3. At least I’m not boring. Some people just want to share what they had for breakfast. That’s fine, but you’re interested in a more meaningful conversation. Anything that takes a stand is going to elicit some strong reactions, and naturally, some of those reactions are going to negative. Should you roll over and give up? Of course not. Remember, Twitter can be a lot like a high school. Just stay focused on your message, and over time, the haters just won’t matter as much.

Everyone is going to have a hard day on Twitter, it’s inevitable. Focus on telling your stories, connecting with your fans and building something meaningful. In the meantime, the haters will get bored and move onto something else. It’s not easy, but it doesn’t have to be complicated either.

For more Twitter tips, check out our nifty 5  1/2 best Twitter practices infographic.