UGC Basics
10 min read
How to Handle Negative Comments and Trolls as a UGC Creator
Jamie Keane
Founder of Julip
As a UGC (User-Generated Content) creator, putting your work out into the digital world means opening yourself up to feedback—both positive and negative. While constructive criticism can help you grow, dealing with trolls and harsh comments can be emotionally draining and potentially harmful to your mental health.
This comprehensive guide will provide you with practical strategies to effectively handle negative comments and trolls, protect your well-being, and maintain a positive online presence as a UGC creator.
Understanding the Different Types of Negative Comments
Before you can effectively respond to negativity, it's important to identify what type of comment you're dealing with. Not all negative comments are created equal, and different types require different approaches.
✍🏼 Constructive Criticism
These comments point out issues with your content but do so in a respectful manner and often provide suggestions for improvement. They're not meant to hurt you but to help you grow.
Example: "I enjoyed your video, but the audio was a bit unclear in the middle section. Maybe try using a lapel mic next time?"
😡Legitimate Complaints
These come from genuinely dissatisfied viewers or customers who had a negative experience with your content or product recommendation.
Example: "I bought this product after your recommendation, but it didn't work as advertised. I'm disappointed."
🧌Trolls
Trolls leave provocative, offensive, or irrelevant comments with the sole purpose of getting a reaction. They're not interested in meaningful discourse.
Example: "This is the dumbest content I've ever seen. You should quit now."
🤬Hate Speech/Harassment
These are the most severe negative comments, containing personal attacks, discriminatory language, threats, or repeated targeting.
Example: Comments containing slurs, threats, or extremely personal attacks.
Strategies for Handling Negative Comments
Now that you can identify different types of negative comments, let's explore effective strategies for handling each one.
1. Don't React Immediately
When you see a negative comment, your first instinct might be to respond right away, especially if it feels unfair or hurtful. However, taking a moment to process your emotions before reacting can help you respond more effectively.
Practice this: Step away from your device for at least 15-30 minutes before deciding how to respond to a particularly upsetting comment.
2. Evaluate Whether to Respond
Not every negative comment deserves a response. Ask yourself:
Is this constructive criticism that could help me improve?
Is this a legitimate complaint that needs addressing?
Is this just a troll looking for attention?
Will responding add any value to the conversation?
When to respond: Constructive criticism and legitimate complaints usually warrant a response. Trolling and hate speech often don't, as engaging might escalate the situation.
3. Respond Professionally to Constructive Criticism
When someone offers genuine constructive criticism, responding professionally shows that you value feedback and are committed to improving your content.
How to respond:
Thank them for their feedback
Acknowledge valid points
Explain your perspective if necessary
Mention how you'll consider their suggestions
Example response: "Thank you for pointing that out! I appreciate the feedback and will definitely work on improving the audio quality in my future videos."
4. Address Legitimate Complaints with Empathy
When someone has a genuine complaint about your content or a product you've recommended, addressing it with empathy can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
How to respond:
Apologize for their negative experience
Show that you understand their frustration
Offer a solution if possible
Take the conversation to private messaging for more detailed resolution
Example response: "I'm really sorry to hear about your experience with the product. I understand your disappointment. Could you DM me more details so I can help you resolve this issue?"
5. Don't Feed the Trolls
The classic internet advice "don't feed the trolls" still holds true. Trolls seek attention and emotional reactions—denying them this is often the best strategy.
How to handle trolls:
Ignore the comment entirely
Delete if your platform allows (appropriate for clearly offensive content)
Block repeat offenders
Use content filters to automatically hide comments with certain words
6. Document and Report Harassment
For serious cases of harassment or hate speech, documentation and reporting are crucial steps.
Steps to take:
Screenshot the offensive comments
Report the user to the platform
Block the user from your account
If threats are made, consider reporting to appropriate authorities
7. Use Community Support
Building a supportive community can be one of your best defenses against negativity. Often, your supportive followers will come to your defense before you even need to respond.
How to nurture community support:
Engage regularly with positive comments
Create community guidelines for your platforms
Highlight and celebrate positive community members
Be transparent with your audience about challenges you face
Protecting Your Mental Health
Dealing with negative comments can take a toll on your mental health. Here are strategies to protect yourself emotionally while continuing to create content.
1. Establish Healthy Boundaries
Setting boundaries around when and how you engage with comments is essential for maintaining your well-being.
Boundary-setting practices:
Designate specific times to read and respond to comments rather than checking constantly
Limit the total time spent on comments each day
Consider having a trusted friend or team member do initial comment moderation
Have clear guidelines for what types of comments you will and won't engage with
2. Practice Detachment
Learning to detach your self-worth from comments and metrics can significantly reduce the emotional impact of negativity.
How to practice detachment:
Remind yourself that negative comments are often more about the commenter than about you
Focus on why you started creating content in the first place
Celebrate your growth and achievements regardless of negative feedback
Remember that even the most successful creators receive negative comments
3. Implement Self-Care Routines
Consistent self-care practices can build resilience against the emotional impact of negative comments.
Effective self-care for creators:
Take regular breaks from social media and content creation
Engage in physical activity to reduce stress
Practice mindfulness or meditation
Spend time with supportive friends and family
Pursue hobbies unrelated to your content creation
4. Seek Support When Needed
Don't hesitate to reach out for support when dealing with particularly difficult situations or ongoing negativity.
Support options:
Connect with other creators who understand your experiences
Join creator support groups or forums
Talk to trusted friends or family members
Consider working with a therapist or counselor, especially if negativity is significantly affecting your well-being
Using Moderation Tools Effectively
Most social platforms offer tools to help manage comments and maintain a positive environment. Learning to use these effectively can save you time and emotional energy.
1. Keyword Filters
Most major platforms allow you to create custom keyword filters that automatically hide comments containing specific words or phrases.
Best practices:
Start with obvious offensive terms and common trolling phrases
Add to your filter list as you encounter new problematic terms
Review filtered comments periodically to ensure legitimate comments aren't being caught
2. Comment Moderation Settings
Familiarize yourself with the moderation settings available on each platform you use.
Common moderation options:
Holding all comments for review before publishing
Automatically hiding comments from new accounts
Hiding comments with links (often used by spam accounts)
Limiting who can comment (followers only, accounts you follow, etc.)
3. Third-Party Moderation Tools
For creators with larger audiences, third-party moderation tools can provide more advanced options for managing comments.
Popular tools to consider:
Richpanel's AI Social Media Moderator (automatically flags and hides potentially problematic comments)
Various community management platforms that offer more robust moderation features than native platform tools
Turning Negativity Into Growth Opportunities
While negative comments can be challenging, they sometimes contain valuable insights that can help you improve your content and grow your audience.
1. Look for Patterns in Criticism
If you notice multiple people mentioning the same issue, it might indicate an area where you can improve.
What to look for:
Repeated mentions of technical issues (audio quality, lighting, editing)
Confusion about your content's message or purpose
Requests for additional information or clarification
Feedback about your presentation style or delivery
2. Create Content Addressing Common Criticisms
Sometimes, turning criticisms into content can be both educational for your audience and beneficial for your growth.
Content ideas:
Behind-the-scenes look at how you're improving areas mentioned in feedback
Q&A sessions addressing common questions or misconceptions
Tutorial showing your learning process for new skills
Transparent discussion about your content creation journey
3. Use Analytics Alongside Comments
Combine comment feedback with your analytics to get a more complete picture of how your content is performing.
What to analyze:
Do videos with certain topics or styles receive more negative comments?
How does engagement (positive or negative) correlate with retention metrics?
Are there patterns in when or where negative comments occur?
Platform-Specific Strategies
Different platforms have different comment cultures and moderation tools. Here are some platform-specific approaches:
Use the "Hide Words" feature to filter out specific terms
Restrict accounts to limit their comment visibility without them knowing
Turn off comments on specific posts when necessary
Use "Close Friends" for more personal content if you're facing significant harassment
YouTube
Use YouTube Studio's comment filter settings
Consider holding all comments for review on controversial videos
Pin positive comments to set the tone for the comment section
Utilize community guidelines strikes when appropriate
TikTok
Filter comments by keywords
Limit who can comment (everyone, followers, or no one)
Use the "Filter All Comments" feature for maximum control
Be aware that TikTok's algorithm may actually boost content that receives negative engagement
Twitter/X
Use mute words and phrases to avoid seeing certain content
Create Twitter Lists of supportive followers to focus on positive interactions
Utilize the Quality Filter to reduce low-quality content
Consider making your account private during periods of intense harassment
Case Studies: How Successful Creators Handle Negativity
Learning from creators who have successfully navigated online negativity can provide valuable insights for your own approach.
The Direct Approach
Some creators choose to directly address negativity, sometimes even incorporating it into their content. For example, creators may make videos responding to hate comments with humor, turning negativity into entertaining content that actually strengthens their connection with their audience.
The Community-Building Approach
Other creators focus on building such a strong, positive community that negativity becomes marginalized. By consistently engaging with positive comments, highlighting community members, and creating inside jokes and traditions, these creators develop audiences that self-moderate and quickly defend against trolls.
The Strategic Silence Approach
Many successful creators adopt a selective engagement strategy. They respond actively to constructive comments and legitimate questions but completely ignore obvious trolling. This approach denies attention-seekers what they want while still maintaining audience engagement.
When to Consider Taking Legal Action
While rare, there are situations where online negativity crosses into illegal territory and may require legal intervention.
Situations that might warrant legal consultation:
Persistent harassment campaigns
Credible threats of violence
Defamation that impacts your livelihood
Impersonation accounts
Doxxing (sharing your private information)
If you're facing any of these situations, consider consulting with a lawyer who specializes in internet law or cyber harassment.
TL;DR
Handling negative comments and trolls as a UGC creator requires a strategic approach. First, learn to differentiate between constructive criticism, legitimate complaints, trolling, and harassment. Respond professionally to constructive feedback and genuine complaints, but don't engage with trolls—they feed on attention.
Protect your mental health by setting boundaries around comment engagement, practicing detachment from negative feedback, implementing self-care routines, and seeking support when needed. Utilize moderation tools available on your platforms, and look for patterns in criticism that might help you improve your content.
Remember that even the most successful creators receive negative comments. By developing effective strategies for handling negativity, you can continue to grow your platform while preserving your well-being and creative passion.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information and is not intended as psychological or legal advice. If you're experiencing severe harassment or mental health challenges, please consult with appropriate professionals.
