So, you’ve got some negative media coverage coming your way and think you’re on the ropes? Don’t be such a pushover. You’re still here, aren’t you?

We’ve all faced harsh feedback that feels like it threatens everything we’ve built up. Don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world. You can always bounce back, but you do have to be smart about it.

Keep reading to discover how to handle criticism without making the whole thing worse. Learn how reputation experts can wipe your slate clean and whitewash a legacy you’d rather leave behind. Come with us as we dive into the art of digital reputation warfare.

Receiving Online Criticism Without Screwing Up the Response

The right way to respond to smear campaigns is sometimes to shut the fuck up.

Criticism can often feel like a personal attack, but the number one thing you need to do is try to separate your emotions from the situation. Jumping online and defending yourself straight away will only give others more fuel. 

You’re in the public eye. You need to accept that you are going to receive backlash at some point, and it’s how you respond that matters. So, take a deep breath and plan your response calmly.

When you do eventually respond, do it professionally. It sounds boring, but such a drastic departure from your usual brand voice will make people take notice.

How to Use Criticism to Your Advantage

Let's be honest. Sometimes you really are the problem. So, look at what people are saying for a moment. While they might be being assholes, maybe they have a point.

Evaluate what they’ve said once you peer through the vitriol, using the feedback to identify and address weak points in your brand if they do exist.

Then, you could even create content that tells the story of how you’ve addressed the criticism, creating sympathy in the eyes of your fans. This can often turn online criticism into positives and promote your improvements more than it would otherwise.

Continuing Digital Engagement During Drama

Even during such an incident, continue posting online as if nothing happened. Keep to your content calendar, but do not respond directly to the criticism until you are ready.

If individuals contact you in private, you can mention that you are working on a response. State that you are working on improvements so you have something to discuss before you start talking about them. This ensures that some of the loudest voices know that you are not ignoring the issue.

Either way, stay positive. You can even use humor on occasion, but be very careful. You do not want to appear dismissive.

Making Public Apologies That Actually Feel Sincere

Apologizing doesn’t always work. While they might be very visible, and they might work for some personal brands, sometimes they fall flat. Not only are they overdone these days, but you might even be facing people who don’t want an apology, they just want you to disappear.

If you want to try apologizing, though, you need to look like you mean it. It needs to appear as though it comes from a position of understanding, empathy, and improvement. If you fail to do any of these, such an act will fall flat.

We get it. Sometimes it can make you look weak to empathize, but trust us, not doing this only leads to worse outcomes. The science says so.

So, in any apology:

• Show that you understand the issue by specifically mentioning it
• Explain how it is causing problems to show you comprehend the extent of the issue
• Mention that you empathize with those who may have been affected
• Talk about how you will make it better for those who feel slighted specifically
• Outline the specific steps you will take to ensure it does not happen again
• Mention if you plan to update the audience later on progress
  

Make sure you act on these words, though. You WILL be held to them. 

After all, nobody likes a liar.

Nailing Up-front and Transparent Communication

You need to always be truthful with your audience, even when the news is not favorable. This helps you set clear expectations about what they can expect from your brand.

Being honest also allows you to correct misinformation a lot easier. We have all heard the story of the “Boy Who Cried Wolf” You don’t want that to be you.

Handling Online Reputation Repair

Once all is said and done, you may still have a dent in your reputation. The best way to deal with that is to overwhelm it with positivity.

Leverage positive content such as success stories and customer testimonials. Get third parties or influencers to vouch for you too, especially if they are satisfied customers. This gives you back an appearance of approachability and trustworthiness you might not otherwise be able to find.

Tackle the criticism head-on, then leave it in the dust. So long as you adhere to your promised changes, you should be fine to ignore the rest. 

If necessary, you can also contact a reputation management firm, like DBALP (that’s us!). Companies like this specialize in post-criticism rebuilding. They can work with you to target the rumors and ensure they disappear to the last page of a Google search, where nobody will find them.

Drop Your Biggest Critics and Embrace Your Loyal Fans

Handling criticism fast and effectively can not only help you avoid the worst harm but can even boost your brand due to the notice it brings. So, while you shouldn’t embrace what brought it on, embrace the criticism itself as a valuable tool. Then work with us to bury it so it never bothers you again.

Here at Don’t Be a Little Pitch, we are experts at helping people escape problems from their online past.

Are you ready to thrive in the face of criticism and stand up to the mud-slingers on the Internet?

Shoot us a message and let us help clean you off.